I listen to music on my bike (it’s not illegal, shut up!) using an iPhone 6 and mostly Spotify. My earphones for the last 2 years have been Sennheiser Momentum IEI 2 wired in-ears. Love them, but time moves on so thinking about how I can improve/maintain sound quality and practicality bearing in mind I may soon be moving to an iPhone without a headphone socket. I have temporarily replaced the old ones with a cheap pair of RHA phones which are pretty rubbish.
I will consider anything from another pair of the same through wireless with neckband to true wireless. The only restriction I have is that they must work with a helmet on, so no on/over ears that have a headband. They will also need to be reasonably weather resistant, but not necessarily waterproof and they don’t need to be ‘sport’ type phones, cycling isn’t running.
So far I have looked at Sennheiser Momentum Free wireless, which look pretty good. Also Sony WF 1000X true wireless, but many comments about dropping signal. My priority is music sound quality, even to the point where I would consider no inline remotes or call taking ability if sound quality was good enough.
Intrigued by the idea of using the lightning conector as a ‘digital out’ which opens up the possibility of an outboard DAC (Dagonfly?) or possibly, if they exist, digital headphones with their own DAC.
Any ideas? Total cost no more than £250.

I’ve got the wired version of these

https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/bose-in-ear-headphones/headphones/headphones/291_3919_31664_75037_ba00010486-bv00308330/xx-criteria.html

the sound quality is very good, they are very comfortable and seem impervious to water (I’ve machine washed mine a couple of times!) What I do like about them is that they don’t create a total seal, so you can hear other sounds – cars for example. There is pay off that you’ll get a wind rush noise at high speeds, not a problem on the mountain bike but a bit more on the road bike. Oh, and half of budget!

I got given a set of Beats x wireless headphones as a present when i left my last job a month ago.
They sound great, seamlessly connet to my iPhone, charge quickly and the battery seems to last about 6 hours on a charge.

Had to change the earbud tips to make them fit but they’ve been great so far.

I probably wouldn’t have bought them for myself in the mistaken belief that they were overhyped garbage but they’re pretty discreet and clearly well made.
A quality product.

A second vote here for BeatsX. I bought a pair when on holiday in NYC in October in a sale and am very impressed with them. I was concerned they may be a bit bass-heavy but Apple seem to have got rid of that feature of Beats kit.

For info, the newer iPhones do not have a headphone jack socket but an adapter is supplied with the phone to allow ‘regular’ headphones to be connected to the lighting connector on the phone.

I know it’s all about choices but being interested in fidelity when you’re riding a bike while listening to spotify on bluetooth is a bit pointless?

Get a good pair of headphones for the bike, suggest something not too isolating and something else for when you’re not on the bike.

Understand what you’re saying Bimbler. Just looking at options. My default position right now would be another set of the same I have, but interested to hear what ideas people have.

Your 2 options are good and I’d put the RHA MA750 wireless into the mix as well at a cheaper end.
Some of the Beats stuff is good, but much like Bose, you pay over the odds for an equivalent sound quality.

I’ve never worried much about sound quality on the bike. Combination of background and wind noise means it’s a bit academic. Also, i don’t want to be completely cut off from the environment so for me can’t be full over ear or in ear.

I’ve tried loads of things over the years but by far the best is Aftershokz bone conduction. Sound quality is more consistent than most others and they seem to be less affected by wind noise.

I’ve not read a good review of aftershokz for sound quality. Great idea they are though.

I use cheap Chinese bone conductors on the bike and running. I think they’re brilliant, but then Sound quality is irrelevant to me on a bike/running. I’m surprised that’s not true of everyone.

FWIW I think mine are these:
https://tinyurl.com/ybwtekkt

Apple AirPods. Seriously.

Rachel

another vote for aftershokz

the reason they dont get good reviews for sound quality is as they dont remotely seal your ear so you get wind noise – the plus side is you also retain spatial awareness of whats going on around.

the reason they dont get good reviews for sound quality is as they dont remotely seal your ear so you get wind noise –

I think even in a still room they wouldn’t sound brilliant – purely due to the way they work. Not a problem if you’re out and about though. The biggest problem with my bone conductors is that traffic noise completely drowns them out because they don’t sound insulate the ear at all. Not a problem in the places I use them but for someone who ran/cycled exclusively by busy roads they’d be a non-starter.

Interesting reading some views on bike use and the need to be aware of sounds around you. I think the reason I’m interested in sound quality is because I’m the opposite. I have been cycling all my life and am 58, still doing 20 mile a day commute through heavy traffic etc. My view is that I want little or no external sound to penetrate, and I rely entirely on my sight, never make a move without looking. With high levels of noise isolation differences in sound quality can be heard.

Cross out “cycling” and put “running” and I had this query a little while ago. I went for the Plantronics Backbeat Fit, can’t fault them. Think I paid £50 for them off eBay, new and sealed, someone had a warranty replacement or some such.

My view is that I want little or no external sound to penetrate, and I rely entirely on my sight, never make a move without looking.

This has been done to death on here before but I don’t think it’s wise to rely ONLY on vision as you can only be looking in one direction at once but your ears (when you haven’t got music on) work in all directions.

I think even in a still room they wouldn’t sound brilliant – purely due to the way they work. Not a problem if you’re out and about though. The biggest problem with my bone conductors is that traffic noise completely drowns them out because they don’t sound insulate the ear at all. Not a problem in the places I use them but for someone who ran/cycled exclusively by busy roads they’d be a non-starter.

Strangely that’s not my experience and i expected that to be the case. I’ve found i can hear more at a lower volume with them in traffic than with the other sorts of phones i’ve Tried and they actually give better sound in “real world” compared to the in ears i tried using before (which on a bike or running would shift enough that the seal went and bass response fell off a cliff.). Yes, they sound nothing like my Sennheiser Hd25s but work for me on the bike.

Ive been using my Aftershokz Air for just under a year in all weathers for about 100>200 miles a week. I can hear them no matter what’s alongside me, for all but the very quietest of songs. I can still hear cars coming from behind. The sound quality is poor compared to my Bose QC20sand QC3s, but even these suffer when using them on the road. Also when using headphones which seal the ear, i can hear my own breathing and even my pulse when working hard, so its swings and roundabouts.

They’re light, waterproof, fit under a buff, can be charged at work, have no cables, allow me to hear traffic and sync perfectly with my phone and my garmin. They’re ace and comparativey cheap.

I don’t think it’s wise to rely ONLY on vision as you can only be looking in one direction at once but your ears (when you haven’t got music on) work in all directions.

This – I don’t have mirrors on my bike so find it useful to be able to hear traffic coming up behind. For sound quality whilst not blocking your hearing I like Plantronic Backbeat Fits, but wind noise can sometimes be a problem. Personally I find the sound quality from Aftershokz dreadful (maybe it’s got something to do with the shape of your head bones?) so fine for listening to podcasts but not music. But they do solve the “sweat getting in your ears” problem that for me plagues in-ear headphones (more of an issue for running than cycling) and seem to be fairly waterproof.

Apple AirPods. Seriously.

Great if they fit your ears, useless if your ears aren’t Apple-shaped.

I got a pair of Enacfire true wireless ear buds for £40 about 6 months ago (got my son a pair also) and they’ve been faultless and actually have a reasonable sound quality and don’t seem to fall out of my ear which was a worry. I don’t cycle much with them but they do fit with a helmet on just fine.
They are perfect for work where we’re they don’t like seeing us with over ear headphones on.

Thanks for all the useful comments. Just to move on, as I’ve mentioned, sound quality first, and am now looking at a pairing of Sennheiser Momentum IEI 2 wired with a Cyrus Soundbar into lightning socket. This takes digital out into a quality DAC and amp. Worth it or not?

My wife uses beats x, she likes em, very handy that they use a lightning connector too. (For charging)
I have bose soundsport or something, i like em because they are comfy and don’t totally cut out external noise, which is desirable on the bike.

Strangely that’s not my experience and i expected that to be the case. I’ve found i can hear more at a lower volume with them in traffic than with the other sorts of phones i’ve Tried and they actually give better sound in “real world” compared to the in ears i tried using before

That is weird, I wouldn’t have thought it would very from person to person.

Unless our physiology is different, it suggests the Aftershokz really are worth the extra, maybe I’ll give them a spin next time, been tempted all along.

That is weird, I wouldn’t have thought it would very from person to person.

Unless our physiology is different, it suggests the Aftershokz really are worth the extra, maybe I’ll give them a spin next time, been tempted all along.

I’ve just listened to my Aftershokz back to back with my HD25’s and as expected the sound quality of the Aftershokz is garbage (remember you can buy these AKG for the same money) but for on the bike or running they’re a better compromise than anything else i’ve tried.

Just keep your headphones and buy the adapter for 9 quid.

Or find someone with an iPhone 8 or 10 (the adapter came in the box with these models) and steal their one.

I have the on ear Momentums and to be honest, the phone is the bottleneck when it comes to sound quality.