Bone conduction headphones

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Bob

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Jun 5, 2022, 11:29:05 AM6/5/22
to randon
I am looking into purchasing a pair but wanted to get advice or experiences with these headphones.  Real world battery life, performance issues perhaps.  I like using airpods but recognize they might not be legal and their longevity for me is about 3.5 hours.

From what I've read, audio quality is down in comparison but maybe that is okay on a (very long) day.  I've also read that comfort is an issue.  I'm also looking at the Bose Sport Open Earbuds which look like a viable option to bone conduction.

Thanks,
Bob

Thomas Lawn

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Jun 5, 2022, 11:35:39 AM6/5/22
to randon, Bob
I use the Aftershokz bone conduction headphones and I find them totally acceptable for music and phone calls (although making a call on the bike is not great due to wind noise). The audio quality isn’t fantastic, but part of that is a factor of the ambient noise. I don’t have any discomfort wearing mine for hours at a time, but they do get tangled up in my helmet straps, especially if I’m wearing glasses and/or a mask. My battery life is probably around 10 hours of use, although I have never run them from full charge to dead so it could be way off. 

Having had a lot of trouble with earbuds staying in my ears while sweaty, I prefer the bone conducting headphones by a huge margin.

Cheers,
Thomas in Portland, Oregon
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Susan Otcenas

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Jun 5, 2022, 12:09:16 PM6/5/22
to Thomas Lawn, randon, Bob
Plus one on the Aftershokz (now rebranded to Shokz IIRC)

Susan

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 5, 2022, at 8:35 AM, Thomas Lawn <thoma...@gmail.com> wrote:



Andrew Adere

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Jun 5, 2022, 3:23:08 PM6/5/22
to randon
I love my aftershokz aeropex (now openrun). Though I got them for use on the bike I mostly use them in my daily life to have podcasts or audiobooks available at the touch of a button and almost always have mine on or at least around my neck.

I use them on the trainer all the time and being able to connect to two Bluetooth sources is great so I can switch between audio from my computer and phone.

I've only used them while riding a few times and while audio quality isn't superb for music it's far better than nothing and I can still hear what's going on around me well enough (or at least enough to hear my computer beep if there's a turn coming or if my radar detects a car)

Their customer support and warranty service is also great as well.

Definitely recommend. 

Andrew

Jeff

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Jun 5, 2022, 7:29:44 PM6/5/22
to randon
This is so timely as I was just about to start searching for a pair. Two bluetooth sources was something I was wondering about as my gps will give me audible directions over bluetooth and I was hoping to also connect them to a music source at the same time. It sounds like this will work or do you have to choose which device gets to use the headphones?


Andrew Adere

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Jun 5, 2022, 7:53:59 PM6/5/22
to Jeff, randon
I think that would work but I haven't tried it. I did have to turn trainerroad's interval beeping off because it would interrupt my podcasts so probably?

Andrew

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Thomas Martin

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Jun 5, 2022, 11:16:07 PM6/5/22
to randon
I tried Aftershokz. They worked poorly during an important phone call on a windy road, with many passing cars. I replaced with Bose sound canceling plugin earphones but that battery only lasts about 10 h.
I will sell Aftershokz set used (twice) if any one is interested.
Tom Martin
DM me if interested.

Eric Norris

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Jun 6, 2022, 12:00:13 AM6/6/22
to Thomas Martin, randon
One other choice is a helmet with built-in audio. I have one of these:


I don’t use it much. A bit too much hassle to make sure it’s charged before I ride (I think it lasts a few hours, but I haven’t tested it) and the controls to change volume and skip tracks on my iPod are harder to use than those on a pair of wired earbuds. The helmet is also a bit heavier and less comfortable than my standard Giro.

And needless to say, the musical helmet would be useless (that is, non-musical) on long brevets.

So, I stick with wired earbuds. No batteries to replace, decent sound quality, and easy volume and start/stop/skip track controls. Downside is the wire, which occasionally gets in the way. AirPods tend to fall out of my ears, which is not something I want to have happen to a tiny, plastic, $200 item.

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com
Insta: @CampyOnlyGuy
YouTube: YouTube.com/CampyOnlyGuy 

richar...@sbcglobal.net

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Jun 6, 2022, 9:00:03 AM6/6/22
to Eric Norris, Thomas Martin, randon

Eric – in California it’s illegal to wear headsets or earphones while riding a bicycle. Law was tweaked to state that one ear is allowed to be covered. Similar laws in some other states. One Stricter. Probably rare that law is enforced.

Vehicle Code 27400 - Driving With Headsets Or Earphones - California Law (shouselaw.com)

 

Richard McCaw

Jake Kassen

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Jun 6, 2022, 11:22:19 AM6/6/22
to randon
This thread is about headphone but I'll throw out this suggestion anyway-

I sometimes use a small bluetooth bike speaker that is strapped to the steerer tube. These cost <$20 on Amazon and fully
charged they last 8+ hours with a bluetooth connection to a phone or longer if using the internal SD card. Physically it's
tube about 3" tall and 1" wide so fairly small.

I won't use it when others are riding nearby but when riding alone it's great -- loud enough to hear music but doesn't block
any other noise and quiet enough that people out for a walk don't seem to notice or at least don't turn their head and give
me looks. I sometimes think of it as EPO as it can really enhance a ride.

Jake

> -------Original Message-------
> From: richar...@sbcglobal.net <richar...@sbcglobal.net>
> To: 'Eric Norris' <campyo...@me.com>, 'Thomas Martin' <dlxh...@gmail.com>
> Cc: 'randon' <ran...@googlegroups.com>
> Subject: RE: [Randon] Bone conduction headphones
> Sent: 06 Jun '22 09:00
>
> Eric – in California it’s illegal to wear headsets or earphones
> while riding a bicycle. Law was tweaked to state that one ear is
> allowed to be covered. Similar laws in some other states. One
> Stricter. Probably rare that law is enforced.
>
> Vehicle Code 27400 - Driving With Headsets Or Earphones - California
> Law (shouselaw.com)
>
> Richard McCaw
>
> FROM: 'Eric Norris' via randon <ran...@googlegroups.com>
> SENT: Sunday, June 5, 2022 8:00 PM
> TO: Thomas Martin <dlxh...@gmail.com>
> CC: randon <ran...@googlegroups.com>
> SUBJECT: Re: [Randon] Bone conduction headphones
> > ?
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/randon/014d01d879a5%24530e4b00%24f92ae100%24%40sbcglobal.net.
>

Robert Bole

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Jun 6, 2022, 1:14:25 PM6/6/22
to Jake Kassen, randon
What is the brand for $20 that includes an SD card. Very interested.

Chip Bole 

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Toshi Takeuchi

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Jun 6, 2022, 1:51:01 PM6/6/22
to randon
+1 Aftershoxz Aeropex.  Phone works great for me in heavy traffic noise/wind.  Battery life is excellent and does great for turn by turn.

Toshi in Oakland, CA

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Andrea Matney

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Jun 6, 2022, 2:55:29 PM6/6/22
to Robert Bole, Jake Kassen, randon
Hi all,

Sharing my experience with music and telephone calls on the bike. 

I've used most of the previous options mentioned including AfterShokz. However, in my real-world experience I usually don't bother with the AfterShokz. 

For music only I most often use a basic MP3 player with wired earbud (right ear only). This has maximum battery life, ease of use, and cheapest. Regarding the wire, I snake the cable inside my jersey and put the MP3 player in a back pocket or inside my sports bra.  

For music and telephone calls, I like the 39g by NoxGear (wait for a sale b/c it's typically $79). Very lightweight bluetooth speaker that you can attach to clothes (no annoying earbud or cable), sounds decent, and allows incoming phone calls. Unfortunately, you cannot call out from the speaker so you have to start the call from your phone. I love this option for non-drafting, 24-hour races during the night time. It can get lonely out there! 

Best,
Andréa


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Jake Kassen

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Jun 6, 2022, 5:23:19 PM6/6/22
to randon
Someone else asked me too so here's the one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Bluetooth-MakeTheOne-Shockproof-Waterproof/dp/B01589B5N8

It has a MicroSD slot but the card isn't included. I used to put archived radio shows (WMBR!) on the card, now I normally
just pair my phone with bluetooth and use it that way.

Just for the record I find it extremely rude to play music out loud when others are nearby so the speaker mostly gets used
for pre-rides and scouting when I'm solo. (If you're the sort of cyclist who blasts music when in a group or on the bike path,
please stop doing that.)

Haje

Sean Keesler

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Jun 8, 2022, 8:24:13 AM6/8/22
to randon
I didn't enjoy the Aftershokz. I tried them for a season and was annoyed by the way they "tickle" my skin when attempting to deliver those bass notes. It sounded pretty bad to me.
The season I purchased a Monster Boomerang that I wear. It doesn't fall off while riding, isn't colocated with sunglasses and helmet straps, sounds very good, and doesn't give me the tickle.
It was about $70 (not on sale) and has done well in sweat and rain. I forget it's there most of the time.

Sean
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