Hi
Can anyone recommend a pair of budget bluetooth headphones that have a strap or other retention system and are suitable for MTB? I love my current Aukey headphones that cost under 20 GBP – they are great for the gym but they tend to escape quickly from my ears on the trail.
I am looking for something at a similar price point but that won’t bounce off or slide out halfway down the trail and that fit fine under a helmet.
Thanks!

OK, I’ll bite…..
Why on earth would you want headphones on whilst on the trail?

Normally I don´t but sometimes it is good to have music to accompany repetitive technical exercises or when you need a boost – of course off road when there are not a lot of other people people about. I know cyclists wearing headphones seems to divide opinion but I am really just hoping for some recommendations and not a fight 🙂

Hi, hello, hey mate, hi , can you hear me???? hello!!!!
Like joggers who shit themselves when you appear from nowhere

repetitive technical exercises

ok, but how does that relate to mountain biking?!

A recent thread: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bluetooth-sports-earbuds

Some of them are designed to let in ambient noise, so you can still hear what’s around you.

OK OP, based on your comments, I would recommend……

You can hum along when you need a boost. Much safer 😉

Some of them are designed to let in ambient noise, so you can still hear what’s around you.

relevant to this (but not the OP as they are a bit more than £20!) a mate told me about these the other day:
http://www.probikekit.co.uk/cycling-accessories-nc/aftershokz-trekz-titanium-wireless-headphones-slate/11262324.html
The sound is transmitted as vibrations via your cheekbones so there’s nothing in your ears at all to block the sound from your surroundings.

CraigW – Member
A recent thread: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bluetooth-sports-earbuds

Some of them are designed to let in ambient noise, so you can still hear what’s around you.

Thanks, but sadly most people in the thread seem to have the same complaint that their headphones tend to slip out.

Linky

These are surprisingly good. I have been running in them, they sound pretty good and actually stay in your ears. Also used them on my road bike…..one ear only, obviously!

I have a pair of those aftershokz headphones and use them on the road and for riding out to meet others for MTB or solo rides.

If you play them low you can still hear everybody/thing/cars/cycle transmission etc.

Its a bit like being downstairs with music on upstairs, you can hear it, it can motivate you but you can still hear everything else (inc cars coming up behind you)

Good battery life too – recommended

cool, do they sound/feel weird? more like listening to headphones or external speakers?

Weirdly they are like wearing headphones albeit not high quality as they don’t plug into your ears but great for sports.

I only use them for cycling but have been told they can leak a little if you are using them around others (transport/office etc)

I listen to music on solo rides, just with one earphone in and one out so I can still hear approaching horses, tractors, bikes etc. Nothing wrong with that

What’s the advantage to Bluetooth ones though? Apart from draining your battery quicker

Buds fall out of my ears so dont use them for any activity.

Wired cans on the train, bluetooth on the bike.

My phone battery lasts a couple of days so no issue for me

This is what I use for listening to podcastslink

works well, and you can stop and start them without access to the phone. Only in one ear too, which may or may not appease the critics. Tend to turn it off when doing anything technical as I don’t want the distraction and it gets harder to hear with a bit of wind noice, but great for uphill sections when on your own.

I’ve got a set of Mpow Cheetah’s. Less than £15, comfortable, good battery life, sound quality acceptable and I can hear my music and what’s going on around me

I’ve been using these for about a year, and have been please – especially given the low price (~£17). They have some extra hooky things for the ears, so have never once slipped out, and haven’t died in Scottish rain. I get about 6 hours of use out of them for listening to music from my phone.

SoundPEATS Q9A

One thing to note – although they can be used as a phone headset as well, the quality for the person on the other end of the line seems to be not that great – although I can hear them fine. If you need to do phone calls while MTBing and listening to music – you might want to look elsewhere.

If you need to do phone calls while MTBing and listening to music – you might want to look elsewhere. think about where your life has gone wrong.

FTFY.

I use the plantronics as linked by christhetall up there for podcasts on the roadbike.

Not recommended for downhill or when windy as they let the noise of the wind in and it drowns out any voices.

Probably think I know the answer but….

These PLANTRONICS BACKBEAT GO 2 at http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/291860804369?lpid=122&chn=ps&adgroupid=27378760866&rlsatarget=pla-181484316306&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=1007196&device=c&campaignid=620865095&crdt=0 are half the price of anywhere else.

So real or fake?

I know if it looks too good to be true it probably is 🙂