9 Best Headphones for Cycling in 2024

We’ve looked at dozens of sports models and found the 9 best headphones for cycling in 2024.

If you’re struggling to find cycling headphones with a stable fit when wearing a helmet or experiencing an obnoxious amount of wind noise, then you’re at the right place.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• What are the best headphones for cycling
• What features to look for
• How to safely listen to music while cycling

Let’s dig in.

But first, here’s a quick comparison:

Contents

Key Features of Headphones for Cycling

The key features go beyond just sound. You need to consider both your listening comfort and your safety.

We’ve selected the following features as vital for cyclists:

Safety (As In: Awareness of Oncoming Traffic)

Safety is paramount, especially for road cyclists who need to hear the outside world around them.

So:

• Don’t block background noise like vehicle engines and car horns.

• Keep the volume low enough, so you can still hear the oncoming cars. It’s dangerous to do otherwise.

• Active noise-canceling is useful, but don’t use it when cycling with headphones. Turn the ANC off for better awareness.

• Turn on “awareness mode”, “hear-through” mode, or similar if your wireless Bluetooth earbuds support it. This way, you’ll hear traffic.

• Consider the best bone conduction headphones that keep your ear canals open to the environment. The sound vibrates via cheekbones. Thus, bone conduction technology is an excellent solution for cyclists. See the top model in the list below.

Bonus question: Is it even legal to wear headphones when riding a bike?

Stability (Get the Headphones to Stick Like Glue)

Cycling is often energetic and fast. And when there is movement, headphone stability is a problem.

So, what’s the solution?

• Get sports-oriented headphones with ear wings and hooks that stay firmly in place even when you’re moving your head fast.

• Look for small earbuds (in-ear headphones) that aren’t bulky. The in-ear design is by far the best for the job.

On-ear and over-ear headphones are a definite no-go (won’t fit under a bike helmet and will create heavy wind noise).

Durability (Don’t Waste Your Money on Crap)

You don’t want to replace headphones every few months because they’ve broken.

A durable set of headphones is essential for cyclists with an active lifestyle and those who only cycle around town.

For example:

You get caught in heavy rain, and your headphones aren’t resistant to water. What happens? You’ll most probably have to buy another pair.

• Get cycling headphones that have at least some sweat resistance. You might sweat on a hot, sunny day or get caught in the worst weather conditions.

How to know which are water resistant?

Look for a high IPX rating (min: IPX4 and best: IPX6+)

• Another thing to look for are durable earbuds that won’t break after the first accidental drop on the floor. And that happens way too quickly.

Wired vs. Wireless (Which Is Better for You?)

• Wired headphones save you the hassle of charging but can tangle when moving. They’re okay if you’re cycling on a stationary bike (when movement is more uniform).

• Wireless headphones have come a long way in recent years and have a lot to offer to active people, including cyclists.

What are the key advantages of wireless headphones for cycling?:

• Not getting in the way since there are no wires, perfect freedom
• You can keep your music device (smartphone) in a bag instead of attached
• Are often sweatproof or even waterproof
• All have convenient controls and microphones for phone calls
• (Con) You need to charge them regularly, and they have a limited lifespan

Obviously, the main benefit is that you don’t have to deal with a cable. And you don’t have to keep your music device attached.

Also, you can use voice control, if earbuds support it, for easy music and volume management.

Battery and Bluetooth (How Long Does It Last?)

If you are getting wireless headphones, you want a strong battery that will last your entire biking routine.

You don’t want the lithium battery to die in the middle of a tour, especially if you like to cycle long distances.

But is Bluetooth reliable?

Generally, Bluetooth today is reliable and stable, so you can listen to music without interruptions, even on windy or rainy roads.

How are Cycling Headphones Different from Regular Headphones?

One of the key differences when looking for cycling headphones is that you want to prioritize stability over sound.

Why?

Good sound quality is important but completely useless if you are wearing true wireless earbuds that keep falling out.

Small earbuds that stick in ears and fit under a bike helmet are the best cycling headphones.

Besides, do you really think you’ll be focusing on sonic fidelity when you’re pushing down the pedals and breathing heavily?

Now, we’ve established that earbuds are best for cycling. But how do you choose the right ones for you?

How to Choose Earbuds for Cycling?

You need to match up your own unique needs to the right type of headphones.

Good sound quality and stability are essential, but you might need special functions. Not all cyclists are the same, so ask yourself this question:

Where and How Will I Cycle?

To be able to hear is always important for cyclists. However, in some areas, it’s absolutely critical.

• Cycling in busy streets and traffic: Get headphones with great awareness. Look for “hear-through” (ambient-aware) mode, open-ear design, or wireless bone conduction headphones since they don’t block the ears.

• Indoor cycling: Wired workout headphones are fine, and you don’t have to charge them. On-ear headphones might work too, but Bluetooth earbuds are still the best. And it’s good if they have sweat proofing.

• Long-distance cycling: You need reliable Bluetooth headphones with long battery life, good awareness, and some water protection. When listening to music while cycling, you often get caught by rain or meet an unexpected situation on the road.

As you can see, knowing which cycling headphones to choose is a case of figuring out what features are important to you.

Now you know how to find the right headphones for cycling that will fit you.

It’s time to check the in-depth list of headphones for biking:

Best Headphones for Cycling: The List

1. Jaybird Vista 2

Hear the Jaybird Vista 2 A/B Sound Test:

The Vista 2 provide a smoother, more balanced sound. And you can further tweak it with the app’s EQ.

You can also choose between EQ presets from the community or let the Jaybird app create a personalized EQ.

Despite their bulky construction, wind noise isn’t a huge problem. The outer side is covered in mesh so that wind doesn’t hurt mic quality during phone calls.

Earbuds are pretty comfortable and offer a stable fit thanks to ear gels with wings. Physical buttons are also reasonably comfy to use, with all the controls you need to keep your phone in a pocket.

The best thing is durability, with earbuds sporting MIL-STD-810G shockproof standard and an IP68 water resistance rating. See more in:

Related:

Best workout headphones

Best headphones for running

Best waterproof Bluetooth headphones

2. Jabra Elite 7 Active

Instead of deep bass (like on Jabra Elite Active 75t), the new Elite 7 Active opt for a more balanced sound signature. Albeit still fun for music listening, the earbuds are slightly more detailed and natural overall.

Earbuds perfectly contour your ears due to their ergonomic design. Consequently, they stay inside even during more intense workouts.

Special SAATI Acoustex mesh ensures less wind noise during phone calls, while the earbud’s flush design also reduces wind noise during running and cycling.

Jabra app contains useful features like custom controls, EQ, and the “find my buds” feature. On top of that, they have a reliable connection due to Bluetooth 5.2.

Furthermore, you get a decent active noise cancellation feature and ambient sound mode to amplify ambient noises for better awareness.

Check related: Best bass earbuds

3. Beats Fit Pro

Unlike the PowerBeats Pro model, the Fit Pro has a much more tame sound with a brighter signature. It’s still punchy but not boomy. Thanks to Adaptive EQ, the sound adapts to your ear’s shape.

Earbuds are pretty tiny and have a built-in ear fin instead of hooks. That makes them very comfortable and stable, especially during sports activities, cycling included.

Thanks to the Beats app, you can access all of the features (ANC, Transparency mode) even if you own Android. Apple users with enjoy the benefits of the H1 chip.

The battery life of 6 hours is good enough for a lengthy ride. Popping them into the charging case will fast charge them, on top of giving you extra 18 hours.

4. Shokz OpenRun Pro

The upgraded TurboPitch sound technology provides an even better bass response than the AfterShokz Aeropex model. They’re no bass monsters but will make your listening experience more enjoyable.

Of course, the biggest advantage of bone conduction is perfect awareness. You will always know what’s happening around you, even when the music plays.

Since you’ll be wearing headphones over the ear, you won’t lose them during cycling. Moreover, the OpenRun Pro have an IP55 rating, so you don’t have to worry about covering them in sweat and dust.

The battery life tops at 10 hours on a single charge. It can charge from 0-100% in just one hour.

Related: See other picks from our best bone conduction headphones guide.

5. Beats PowerBeats Pro

PowerBeats Pro are the best bass headphones for those who want deeper and stronger lows in music. The Bluetooth headphones have an emphasis on bass and treble, which results in a fun V-shaped signature.

Even though they have ear hooks they should fit nicely under a helmet for most people. Bare in mind they might generate some wind noise, despite good noise isolation.

They’re lightweight and completely cord-free, which makes them impossible to entangle. The fit is highly secure and doesn’t require adjustments.

To protect sports earbuds against weather, they have an IPX4 water resistance rating for rain and sweat protection.

And, if you own Apple devices, the built-in H1 chip ensures excellent connectivity. Also, you can make phone calls or give voice commands from your bike with built-in mics on the two earbuds.

With quick-charging capability, you will get around 11h per charge (24h with the case), and charging takes less than 1 hour.

6. Apple AirPods Pro

Despite the impressive features, the sound quality leaves lots to be desired. Audio reproduction is not bad, but it’s not exciting either. You can expect a high-quality sound, with a slight emphasis on treble.

The Pro version of the AirPods is a significant upgrade over the classic ones. They offer better outside noise isolation due to their silicone ear tips, but they also support some of the features regular AirPods aren’t able to.

The most impressive feature is active noise cancellation (ANC), which works fantastically. However, as a cyclist, you are probably more excited about the Transparency mode. It helps you hear the ambient sound without taking your earbuds off.

See more of the best noise cancelling earbuds with transparency mode.

They come with an IPX4 sweat-resistant rating, which is more than enough to protect them from sweat.

Affordable Headphones for Cycling (under $60)

Here are the top biking headphones under $60.

7. Anker Soundcore Life A1

Hear the Anker Soundcore Life A1 A/B Sound Test:

Fun-sounding true wireless earbuds with a V-shaped sound signature that doesn’t get too boomy. Toggling between 3 different EQs lets you add or reduce bass.

The housing’s shape is perfectly ergonomic and fits comfortably in your ears. With the addition of ear wings, they won’t fly out of your ears no matter how hard you shake your head.

Despite using physical commands, they’re comfy to use and offer all essential commands, including volume control. Also, you get great Bluetooth connectivity, even though earbuds use a bit older Bluetooth 5.0.

Since they’re flush with your ears, you don’t have to deal with annoying wind noise when riding outdoors.

Furthermore, they’re fully waterproof and pack more than 8 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Also, see the best headphones under $100.

Or find cheaper alternatives among the best earbuds under $50.

8. TOZO OpenReal

Among air-conduction headphones (and the ones that look similar, like bone conduction), the OpenReal sound is by far the best.

They don’t have a bass oomph, but they posses excellent clarity across the midrange and treble. They can be shouty sometimes, but the quality and detail retrieval are unmatched.

Since speakers play in front of your ears, you can still hear everything around you, which is crucial during cycling. Furthermore, the “ear hook” design keeps them stable when cycling at high speeds.

One thing is that the wind noise is slightly more noticeable. However, it doesn’t hurt the music playback.

9. Plantronics BackBeat FIT 6100

The BackBeat FIT 6100 are perfectly tuned for sportspeople. They aren’t for purists, but their strong bass punch will empower you to squeeze that extra energy when cycling up the hill.

These are no ordinary over-ears. Housing is lightweight and well-padded for long listening sessions. The headband is made of breathable material to reduce sweating.

And even when you start sweating, IPX5-rated protection means headphones can resist sweat, splashes of water, and rain.

Furthermore, you can enable Awareness mode to better hear potential dangers. Headphones will play music for up to 24 hours and charge fully in 2 hours. Sadly, they still use micro-USB instead of USB-C.

Honorable Mentions

Jaybird Vista

SoundPEATS H1

Bose Frames Tempo

Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)