Best Bluetooth Headset for Cycling?

Mikie

Mikie

Admin/iMTB Hooligan
I'm not a music listener when I ride mountain bikes. Sometimes I will when I'm riding my road bike.

Cathy however almost has to have music. We are ancient people. We still have iPods with wired headsets (yeah . . . I know...)
But as you can imagine trying to ride mountain bikes with a wired headset is a pain.

Today, Cathy said, "I want to ride my mountain bike up the hill." That means she wants to ride the fire road up to the top of the canyon we live in.

I'm sitting on my bike waitng for her and she comes walking out the door with her iPad and wired headphones on... :wtf:

"Uh, Cathy? What are you doing?"

"My iPod just died for the last time and I want to listen to my music."

"Okay" I've learned to just . . . go along.

So we start out, she has her iPad tucked in a belt in front of her. Thank Gawd we don't have neighbors close by...

A mile down the road the cord is tugging on her head, then the iPad starts to fall out, (this is getting comical).
Then she drops it in the road.
"Enough!", I say. "Give me that thing, I'm taking it home, you keep riding and I will catch up".

Here birthday is coming up so I want to get her an iPod type thing with a wireless headset...
Before you suggest anything related to smart phones, we do not own any... :D (remember? . . . ancient people)

Suggestions?
 
Last phone I bought they gave me this <a class="postlink" href="http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phone-accessories/lg-HBS-900-tone-infinim" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phone-accesso ... ne-infinim</a> I don't not ride with music and if you lived closer I would give it to ya.

Dean
 
I'm interested in this one, too... I've been eyeing up the cheap bluetooth headphones on Amazon, but my wife says I'll regret it. Something about, "Don't be a cheap bast###." If I can ever get past the sticker shock, I will probably pick up a set of the Dr. Dre's...

I'm using a regular pair of Apple headphones now, and they are a pain in the butt. I only use the left ear, and the cord is a pain to keep out of the way.
 
I can't get over how funny your story is :lol: . Make sure the I-pod is charged that's all. And good on Cathy for riding up hill! I'm jealous 8-) .
 
I wouldn't want the bulk and weight of a BlueTooth headset on my head. I got a set of runner's earbuds, clipped the left one off and taped up the loose end (illegal to operate a vehicle on roads with both ears blocked). The runner's earbud has a rubber piece that guides the wire up and around the back of the ear, to prevent bouncing from pulling it out. I take that a step further and string it around the left side of my neck, before routing it under my shirt to my hip pocket. Mine has a "break" in it designed to split if the cord snags, or to change the length of the cord in case you use an armband or whatever. Works well for just music. I use a mp3 player too, a Sansa Clip, and take a second one with me on longer rides, including the drive to and from the trail, with a 3rd mainly for use in the car.

I got the last generation of this, which was under $20 when I was shopping:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LA538S/?tag=imtbtrails-20

I figure anything similar would work. I don't particularly find this one so amazing, that I'd recommend it as far as sound quality goes, but I like its fit, the cable break, and its reliability. It at least is way better than those skull candy ones that were popular for some reason back then.
 
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Or you could make friends with Bono. I hear he rides. [emoji12]
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I just put my iphone in my hip pocket of my Osprey Raptor pack and use the speakers on my phone to play music. No ear bud problems, and it doesn't drown out the environmental sounds either. I care less about others hearing my music, because if I'm in a group ride, I don't play music, and if I pass people (or being passed), the passing will happen quick enough that they won't be annoyed by my music.
 
There is a thread on empty-beer about this:

<a class="postlink" href="http://forums.mtbr.com/apparel-protection/best-bluetooth-ear-headphones-mountain-biking-965830.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://forums.mtbr.com/apparel-protecti ... 65830.html</a>
 
I still use an Ipod Shuffle with a wired headset and yes, the wire can be a pain in the a$$ but the bluetooth versions seem too bulky.
Only use one bud in my left ear and listen when I'm out of range of others - the music drowns out my breathing noises going uphill.
Now the next topic will be what are you listening to? I'm so bored with my current selection, looking for suggestions -
 
FINALLY! Leave it to H2oChick to give a straight answer! :lol:

Oh boy, Music choice is sooooooo personal... :?

I have two play lists, classic rock (I know, duh... :roll: ) I have whittled down to my Top 50, and

A song list of Christian rock to include Thousand Foot Krutch, P.O.D., Pillar, Skillet, etc...
 
Mikie said:
Oh boy, Music choice is sooooooo personal... :?
Click to expand...

I like it when people say they "like all music". I share some horrible music, and then they correct themselves to say "all good music". I then share some music that's popular in Asia, or maybe some violin solos done not by pop artists, but critically acclaimed people, and they come up with a bunch of nonsense explaining how personal their music taste actually is. :lol: It shows that they probably only listen to 0.001% of the music that's actually out there, and hopefully opens up a whole new world of music to them, if they dare to sample what's outside their comfort zone.
 
I'll be honest: I like music that I like. I'm not into other people sharing their music by blasting it out of speakers on the trails. I don't share mine. Just sayin'. Keep it to yerselves, if'n you please.
 
Any need to be full face helmet friendly? With my older earbuds, they'd get knocked out every time I put my full face on, or fall slightly out during the ride.
 
Hey! :o

This is for Mrs. Watson, turbojets! She is a casual rider and likes her motivational music. In old skool...chillax! :lol:

It nakes me the heero for her July birthday... 8-)
 
Mikie said:
Hey! :o

This is for Mrs. Watson, turbojets! She is a casual rider and likes her motivational music. In old skool...chillax! :lol:

It nakes me the heero for her July birthday... 8-)
Click to expand...

Anything to get the better halves riding, I s'pose. How come she doesn't just tune in to your encouraging voice for motivation? (shrugging emoticon) :wave:
 
herzalot said:
How come she doesn't just tune in to your encouraging voice for motivation? (shrugging emoticon) :wave:
Click to expand...

What Spouse "REALLY" listens to their husband.... :lolno:
(just kidding...Mrs. Watson is awesome!)
(no...really!)
 
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Dude! Real simple. Shuffle set up. Everything is at your finger tips. You can pause, skip, volume up and down. Head phones hang right near your ears and you can still hear every thing and your boddies. For the downhill you can push on or both head phones in your ear. I do have a pattent pending on it.
 
Very creative Bernie!

Question for the computer saavy: can I listen "offline" to Spotify without draining my data? Just as a backup to my Shuffle; a couple of weeks ago my playlist got stuck on one artist and it was more than annoying. Same couple of country songs while creeping up Emerald.
 
I have tried the otus speakers with an ipod mini and I just can't make it work to my satisfaction. maybe other people have had better results, but I ultimately have found I just like having nothing at all. birds and bees and the wind in the trees is all the music I need

but here is another alternative:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.o-tus.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.o-tus.com/</a>
 
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