11 Best Headphones For Cycling In 2021 [ Best Compared ]

Do you love cycling but love music more and need the right pair of buds which can help you to keep both going at the same time? Well, if you're looking for best headphones for cycling, then you're at the right place but you need to consider that if you opt for a wrong headset it might hurt you in the long run as with the increase sound isolation and enhanced technological advancements in headphones it can get quite dangerous on the road. So you need an earphone which keeps everything in check and is an all-rounder, that's why considering all the factors along with the budget the list of top headsets for cycling is here.

Quick Answer: These are the Best Cycling Headphones in 2021

1. Best Overall: AfterShokz Cycling Headphone
2. Best Wireless: Powerbeats Pro Cycling Headphone
3. Best Road: Bose Frames Audio Sunglasses
4. Best Budget: Anker Soundbuds Curve Headphone
5. Best Indoor: Plantronics BackBeat Headphone
6. Best Running: Bose SoundSport Pulse Headphone
7. Sennheiser Momentum Earbuds
8. BeatsX Cycling Earbuds
9. Bone Conduction Headphones

Top 3 Overall Best Headphones For Cycling

Note: Scroll/Swipe Horizontally To View All Sections Of Table

Best Overall: AfterShokz Cycling Headphone

Ratings: 4.1/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

Trekz Air has a folding design with a lightweight titanium body and sits over your ears to keep itself in place moreover due to rubber treated completion they don't draw in earth or sweat. Unlike typical headsets, you won't notice Trekz too much due to their comfortable built, but the vibration and bass are heavy, so it's not something everyone likes for extended sessions. The nanotechnology covering and watertight elastic gaskets repulse water, so the headphones aren't prone to the damage typically. Additionally, with a protective cap on, the back tie must be tilted downwards. They are a genuinely jazzy bit of hardware, and the absence of wires makes the down to earth for utilizing while in the seat. They match up using Bluetooth with a fast blending composition of the power catch, which serves as the expansion volume button. The control scheme is easy to use and allows you to control calls, music, and volume, but unfortunately, there's no microphone. Trekz is among the best bone conduction earphones and comes in seven different colors, which include Ocean Blue, Canyon Red, Red, Pink, Green, Gray, and Black. Lastly, in the package along with the headset you'll get a soft carrying pouch to protect earphones from minor damages, a USB to micro-USB charging cable, Foam earplugs and manuals to help you out with the settings.

Performance

The AfterShokx Trekz Air is certainly an engaging choice for cyclists who appreciate tuning in to music or web recordings while riding. The earphone makes it more secure for you to expend your preferred sound while in the seat. Their strong, remote plan makes them simple to use, along with strong sound quality and the capacity to hear your environment, you'll have more genuine feelings of serenity. It is compelling at transmitting sound waves through bone. High and mid-tone frequencies are particularly strong. Volume catches are anything but difficult to access and make a high-pitch tone when you arrive at max levels. Moreover, although it produces mediocre bass, but it's not extended due to bone conduction, and if you want to read it, then it won't show a significant impact. If you are in high-traffic zones, it's anything but difficult to press a catch and quiet your sounds.

Additionally, due to the positioning of the drivers on the temples, the earphones offer excellent soundstage, but lack in terms of total harmonic distortion and same is the case with frequency response consistency which is somewhat better. Furthermore, as clear from the design, the headset won't cover the ears in any manner, so sound isolation is at it's low and same goes with the sound leakage. It uses Bluetooth V4.1 for connectivity and can connect with up to two devices simultaneously, which is kinda useful in case you switch between gadgets. When it comes to the battery, the headphone can last for up to 8 hours with a charge time of nearly two hours, and it doesn't come with any power-saving feature. Lastly, in the given price range, it's an excellent choice to consider as it offers an impressive and stable design for cycling and significant features to help you go on with the tracks you love.

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Best Wireless: Powerbeats Pro Cycling Headphone

Ratings: 4.1/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

Powerbeats Pro has an exquisite design with its compact size and adjustable ear hooks. It can be adjusted according to your fit. These buds are made up of water-resistant material; meanwhile, the quality of the headset is also excellent. In contrast to other headphones, Power beats pro has revolutionized the workout sessions with its special built for athletes. Due to its wireless feature, you can enjoy the workout sessions without any restraint. Another excellent feature of these headphones is that these are sweatproof/waterproof, which makes them unique for cycling, sports activities, and athletes. The battery life of the earphone lasts up to 9 hours with a single charge, and you can use these for music, podcasts, movies, phone calls while cycling, sitting on your desk, and running. It comes in black color, but its range of colors will be released next summer. Through Bluetooth setting, these can be easily connected to any iPhone and Androids phones by simply using the Bluetooth setup of the devices. With fast fuel, these headphones are charged for over 1.5-2 hour use with only a 5-minute charge. Moreover, its control unit offers you to use it. Also, there is a volume control button on each of the earbuds that allows you to connect a single earbud or both of them through class 1 Bluetooth for extended range.

Performance

Not only, the design of Powerbeats Pro headphones is outstanding, but it also works excellently in terms of the performance. The adjustable and changeable ear tips can be easily customized with multiple ear tip options. Moreover, these earbuds are exceptionally soft and bring you comfort while its lightweight allows you to enjoy your experience without any pressure on the head or earache. Note that these are sweat-resistant, not entirely waterproof, so you have to be careful during heavy workouts, which make you sweat excessively. There are touchpads on the outside of both earbuds, which control music playback, voice assistants, and calls. Furthermore, each of the earbuds can be connected independently to the device, providing you freedom of use. The earbuds communicate with each other to provide battery efficiency, and whether you are using one earbud or both, it enhances battery life. These can be worn independently if you need to do multiple things at the same time. You can use one piece and can put others on charging. It comes with a charging case, although its size is a little bit small; however, it can give 24-hour playback. Additionally, the in-built feature saves the battery by turning it to sleep mode while not in use. Both right and left earbuds have a control unit, so you don’t have to worry about opening your device again and again. The sound is suitable for music, which is essential for the workouts. However, the base it a little punchy, but it might sound useful to some people. Its Bluetooth connectivity is very lovely, as there is no distortion heard during the calls or voice recordings. Another feature which makes it a good purchase is the noise cancellation technology.

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Best Road: Bose Frames Audio Sunglasses

Ratings: 4.4/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

Well, we are talking about headphones or earphones, but what if the innovation mixes it up brilliantly with sunglasses? The manufacturers call ‘Sunglasses with a soundtrack’. These are the first sunglasses from Bose with everything you need. You can also call them as Miniaturized Bose speakers. These are designed to hide in the temples and produce rich, immersive sound for you while others can practically hear nothing. It is an incredibly innovative design. The build is created by using metal hinges, nylon rims, and lenses that would not easily scratch or shatter. From Rose Gold & Blue Gradient to Mirrored Silver, you can choose the look, which best suits you or the one that you love. These colored lenses can also be interchanged, and you can choose anyone in harmony with your mood. Moreover, the lenses are also available in polarized options, blocking almost 99% of the UVA and UVB rays. These are actually very decent at blocking the sun.

Performance

In the context of performance, it's mediocre, and It comes with a carrying case and a Magnetic USB charge cable — the magnetic part clips to one of the arms to charge. Furthermore, you can also make phone calls on the glasses, which is very easy and comfortable. Additionally, you can turn these off simply by flipping them upside down. The speakers are practically located on the arm, each and fire onto your ears. Battery life seems alright but not anywhere close to a full pair of wireless headphones. So if you want to have glasses that block the sun and also have Bluetooth capability, these sunglasses by Bose must be your pick. Lastly, the bose connect app provides you easy access to everything, and you can get tips, customize the settings, and unlock the new features.

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Best Budget: Anker Soundbuds Curve Headphone

Ratings: 3.9/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

The Anker SoundBuds Curve has a shockingly conventional-looking, energetic aesthetic. Moreover, it offers a comfortable in-ear design, and the tips do not enter deeply into the canal, which means there won't be any pain even if you are going for extended sessions. The inline remote control enables you to effectively deal with your music, telephone calls, and volume. A solitary push on the center catch will play and respite the music or answer an incoming call. They have thick and adaptable ear-snares, and the matte completion makes the earbuds feel more premium. The snare around the ear truly helps keep the earbuds secure while cycling, and furthermore enables you to pop them out somewhat so you can hear the traffic around. The earphone offers sturdy built along with excellent stability, which makes it an excellent choice for cycling. In the package along with the headset, you'll get six earbud tips for a comfortable fit, three stability fins, a USB charging cable, a carrying case and a manual.

Performance

The Anker SoundBuds Curve is a mediocre sounding pair of shut back in-ear earphones. They have a profound, incredible, and reliable bass along with a reasonable and impartial mid-run, and an even as well as well-adjusted treble. Be that as it may, their bass is marginally overpowering, their mid-run comes up short on a touch of accentuation on vocals and lead instruments. On the upside, they have an extraordinary imaging execution, and however, like most other in-ears, they don't have a huge and speaker-like soundstage. In terms of noise isolation and sound leakage, it's a lot better than the Trekz but lacks a bit when it comes to recording quality and noise handling; still, it does the job pretty well. Moreover, the battery could last for up to twelve hours and has a charge time of two hours, which is more than that of AfterShokz Trekz. Furthermore, although the soundstage of the earphone is not that impressive, it has excellent frequency response consistency, imaging, and total harmonic distortion. It lies under the price range of $30 and given the design and features it comes with there's no better deal.

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Best Indoor: Plantronics BackBeat Headphone

Ratings: 3.8/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

Plantronics BackBeat Headphone has a unique style with a wireless profile and Bluetooth technology. Its appearance is stylish and ultra-modern. The headband is made up of a durable material that covers the foam underneath it, and this foam is porous and sponge-like. Due to this, it is very light in weight of only 14 grams. Moreover, its moisture protection technology is wonderful, which protects them from any damage that might be caused by water or sweat. One lithium-ion battery is installed in it, offering a battery life of 16-18 hours; however, it can be fully charged in a couple of hours. The earpieces of the headphone are also very light in weight with alphabets of R and L on them as it makes it very easy just to take them and effortlessly put them in position. Earcups are manufactured of leatherette padded ear cushions and headband for optimal comfort even for extended wearing sessions. If you have especially sensitive skin, you might want to consider it. Since it has 40 mm drivers, the acoustics are astounding, yet you can easily answer the calls by the wideband-enabled mic. One of the best features includes its connectivity to 8 different devices simultaneously, and with on-ear controls, you can control volumes, attend incoming calls, or play/pause options. Also, Bluetooth range Class 2, Up to 10 meters/33 feet, yet it comes with a 3.5 mm cord for any wired listening. Plantronics BackBeat Headphone comes with a cord, micro USB cable, S/M/L occluding ear tips.

Performance

While the design of Plantronics BackBeat Headphone is fulfilling and remarkable, its performance is also delightful. Not only the headband is light in weight, but the porous material of foam allows airflow and breathability, which keeps the user's environment fresh. Furthermore, battery life is great, as you can go about two weeks between charges working out 4 or 5 times a week for about 45-60 minutes. The easy to use physical power switch is part of this, and you can't accidentally leave them on as easily as software buttons. In addition, these work perfectly with every Bluetooth device. Pairing is also pretty reliable but suffers from the usual Bluetooth problems. Sound is nice and immersive, but its only downside is that the lows and highs of sound tend to mix a little bit that causes frequent distortions in phone conversations audio and ultimately disconnects. The controls also seem to work well, and once you get used to the button placement, it's pretty easy. Moreover, it has a cheap appearance in relevance to the price.

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Best Running: Bose SoundSport Pulse Headphone

Ratings: 3.7/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

The bose soundsport remote earphones made up of squishy rubber were intended to be the go-to alternative for wellness fans. These Bose earphones mix structure and capacity in and a la mode and truly sturdy package. They're very lightweight, so you experience any complications during cycling sessions. The right earbud is the place you'll discover the power catch, battery life, and Bluetooth signal pointers. It's additionally where the smaller scale USB charging port lives. Moreover, the headset doesn't go into the ear canal, which means you won't be experiencing any fatigue even after using it for extended sessions. The headset comes in four different colors, including power red, black, citron, and aqua so you can choose from what you like. Additionally, the port spread is well-covered yet not hard to open and lays level and off the beaten path when not in use. The line that appends the two buds includes a rectangular board that houses the catches for controlling volume, calls, stopping music, and moving forward and backward on a playlist. In the box along with the SoundSport headset, you'll get three earbud tips, a USB charging cable, a carrying case and a manual.

Performance

Bose's SoundSport Pulse remote earphones have a clever stunt at their disposal. They accompany an implicit pulse sensor that sends information from your ticker to Bose's Connect app. Soundsport Pulse offers warm, bassy, and rich sound quality, as well as the headset, deliver up to the standards of its pricing, and it uses a volume-enhanced EQ. They've hydrophobic fabric that will oppose sweat and the climate evidence configuration guarantee you can do cycling. The microphone's recording and noise handling capabilities are somewhat similar to Anker's soundbuds, but it offers relatively better frequency response consistency and imaging. However, the soundstage and noise isolation aren't that impressive due to the typical design of in-ear headsets. You can use the headset for up to six hours as the battery can last for that long, and it has the charge time of 1.5 hr with a power-saving feature.

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Sennheiser Momentum Earbuds

Ratings: 3.7/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

Sennheiser Momentum Earbuds have the most distinctive, modern, and dandy design. The earbud offers wireless connection along with in-ear design. You wouldn't even feel it due to it's lightweight (0.64 ounces). The metallic construction on the outside enhances the durability of the earphone. Additionally, the magnetic design stops the earphone from falling out of your ears while both earbuds have L and R indications on them. The headset is made of high-grade aluminum with an installed microphone in them. Moreover, these earphones contain 2 lithium-ion batteries offering 6-8 hours of battery life. Premium and most important feature of this pair is its Intelligent voice control and smart assistants that allow you to use them without worrying about the battery life as, the second you remove them, the music stops and starts again when you put them back. Also, because of this feature, you don’t have to worry about them connecting to the device again after an interval or break you want to take from cycling or workout. Another fantastic characteristic of these headphones is their Transparent hearing technology through which you can keep yourself aware of the surroundings, talking to a person or a low volume without removing the earbuds.

Performance

Sennheiser Momentum is a mediocre earbud when it comes to performance. The earbuds provide some very nice audio quality while listening to music, but the lows, highs, and mids tend to continue even after they are finished. This causes the sound to be mixed a little bit. However, the bass has some nice kick to it. Talking about its battery, the claims of the product proved to be true, and when the earbuds are placed into the case, they go into a low power stand by state, and the case provides a trickle charge to keep the battery topped off. This way, they will power on and connect quickly when removed from the case. Starting with a fully charged case and headphone, it can have seven days of standby time for the case and earbuds to drain completely. Furthermore, these earbuds have a feature that ensures lag-free audio and perfect synchronization between left and right earbuds, but this claim is found to be false. Other than this problem, these work moderately good, turn on and sync up super fast, which is really nice. It comes with a compact charging case which provides two full extra charges. There is a fingertip control button on the right earbud, and through its intuitive touchpad technology, you can activate Google Assistant, Siri, and manage calls.

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Bone Conduction Headphones

Ratings: 3.6/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

The innovative design of Bone Conduction Earphones maximizes the overall performance. These are wireless headphones with Bluetooth 5.0 Vidonn technology. The headphones have a closed-back design but very small and compact in size, which allows your ears to be open to the surrounding sound, specially built for bikers and runners. Moreover, it has a large lithium battery of 180mAh with 2 hour recharge time while it can last up to 6 hours playing time, and it offers a standby time of 240 hours. You can easily tell if the set is being charged or not by its two lights; red light indicates charging, and a blue light indicates if it is fully charged. The headband is wrapped in titanium and alloy, which makes it flexible as well as durable, yet at the same time, its weight is also very light. It weighs 38 grams with a Frequency response of 20Hz~20KHz and a built-in high sensitivity microphone. Wireless connectivity is up to 10 meters and is sweat-resistant proof. Also, the package includes a set of headphones, a USB charging cable, a user manual, and two noise-proof plugs. Lastly, these come in grey color and 12 months warranty.

Performance

With its durable material and titanium alloy backbone making it flexible and portable. It is IPX5 waterproof, meaning that it endure some amount of water without being damaged. So these can be easily used during an intensive workout where you are more likely to sweat excessively than the normal routine. While these are waterproof, swimmers can also use this product. Its lightweight allows you to use them without any pressure on the head, back of the head and ears. Moreover, battery charges quickly and can be for three consecutive days of running one hour each time without having to recharge them. Sound quality is excellent and evident, great for phone calls, and lets you listen to music without blocking out ambient noise. However, If you're the kind of person who likes all sort of ambient sound to be blocked out when you're listening to music, these aren't for you, but if you have similar gripes with earbuds, these are perfect. They also feel very lightweight, yet durable due to the titanium frame. As far as sound quality goes, the highs and mids come through pretty clear, but the base is a little lacking. So, in conclusion, if you're thinking about trying a pair of bone conduction headphones, these are recommended as they are much cheaper than competing products with a titanium frame. The only gripe it has with the design is how the volume buttons are facing down so that it's kind of a pain to access when you're wearing them other than that the earphones are excellent.

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Jabra Elite 65T Earbuds

Ratings: 3.6/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

Among the most expensive in the list, the Jabra Elite Active 65T earbuds come with excellent features which are so good that you'll be compelled to try it out. The headset has in-ear design and fits perfectly without causing any sort of fatigue even after the use of extended sessions. Moreover, it comes in two different colors, including Copper Blue and Copper red, and along with that, you'll be getting the same colored charging case, which is tremendous to enhance the battery life. The buds contain clear branding of the company, and the same goes for the charging case. It fits perfectly in your lifestyle, and when it comes to cycling and sports, it's on the top due to its excellent stability and scenario friendly features. Unlike other earbuds, you won't be needing any stability fins as the design offers it all. Furthermore, the control scheme is impressive and allows you to control the volume, calls, and has a talk-through feature. Due to in-ear design, the breathability and airflow are exceptionally good. Although the buds are highly portable, still, you'll get a carrying protective case to avoid minor damages. In the package along with the headset, you'll get three earbud tips of different sizes, a charging case, a USB charging cable and a manual.

Performance

The sound reproduction of the in-ear headset is excellent along with deep and punchy bass backed by impressive treble. Additionally, the mid-range is well-balanced and even but the earphone lacks a bit in terms of rumble, which is negligible considering the other factors. The highs might seem muddy at instances, and the treble could be sharp at S and Ts. Moreover, the frequency response consistency is excellent and is far by the best among the list, and the same goes for imaging. However, it lacks in terms of soundstage due to out-of-head soundstage and the closed-back design. The total harmonic distortion is relatively better than most of the earbuds, but when it comes to sound leakage, there's no match of 65T in the list. Furthermore, the noise isolation offered by the earphone is excellent, and the recording quality, as well as noise handling of the microphone, are impressive too. Also, the battery of the headset can last for up to five hours with a charge time of nearly two hours. It also comes with an auto-off timer as a power-saving feature and the app support known as Jabra Sound+ which enhances the overall experience for the users. Although its an expensive headset but if you are serious about it and want the best then you should go for it.

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BeatsX Cycling Earbuds

Ratings: 3.4/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

BeatsX Cycling Earbuds have a very sleek and slim design. Moreover, it offers a comfortable in-ear style, so the earbuds sit perfectly in ears without any irritability when you have to use it for long sessions. Built-in quality of earbuds is excellent, making them durable and long-lasting while flex cable, which attaches both of the earbuds, is flexible and elastic, making it comfortable and portable. Furthermore, its battery can last for about 8 hours. Meanwhile, if the battery is low, you can use fast fuel, and 5 minutes of charge will add 2 hours of playback. In addition, it has a microphone that is installed in flex cable. It comes in three different colors; black, satin, and silver and its package includes BeatsX earphones, eartips with four size options, Lightning to USB-A charging cable, quick start guide, warranty card.

Performance

BeatsX Cycling Earbuds is an average sounding pair of earphones. As beats claim to have a connectivity range of 30 feet, but it has proved to be wrong because, as soon as you move 15-16 feet away from the connected device, it begins to distort the sound. However, it is an excellent product if you listen to music as it distinguishes highs and lows, but for phone calls, it is not recommended. The design of these headphones is flawed all the way around. Regardless of which size of earphones I used (there are four different sizes that you can interchange), they would always fall out of ears even during minimal movements. The control buttons awkwardly hang from the wire which plugs into the left ear. Moreover, it clearly adds additional weight, which constantly pulls down on the left earphone wire. Furthermore, the awkward placing of the control buttons also causes the remaining cord to constantly swing about (again due to the added weight of the control buttons) and slap me on the chin or jaw. It's annoying and a distraction if you're focusing on your run or exercise activity. But, it has an internal battery that is rechargeable, takes about 30 minutes to charge fully, and it needs an Apple lightning charge cord to charge them.

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Powerbeats3 Wireless Earbuds

Ratings: 4.3/5 | Type: Wireless

Design

If you are looking for a sleek, light weighed, earbuds with ergonomic design and dynamic sound powered by dual-driver acoustics, these earbuds should be your pick. Powerbeats 3 comes with multiple ear tips for a personalized and comfortable fit. The buds are excellently built, which makes them long-lasting, durable along with providing comfort and portability. The manufacturer claims the battery timing up to twelve hours. Moreover, the sweat-resistant feature enables you to work out and run for hours without fearing to lose another pair of earbuds. Furthermore, the rechargeable battery lets you allow listen to your favorite music without worrying about plugging in. The three-light indicators are also there to let you know if you are connected or not. Additionally, they are available in Black, White, Defiant Black-Red, Flash Blue, Shock Yellow, Siren Red colors. This pair of earbuds weigh only 1.9 pounds.

Performance

The most important feature of the earbuds by Beats is that with Apple W1 chip, these are supported by Apple's iPhone, which is a plus point. There are many products out there that are not supported by Apple. Hence, we get way fewer sales and annoyed Apple users. So if you are an Apple Phone user and you are looking for a pair of earbuds that not only connect but also have a dynamic acoustic sound system. Moreover, just charge these for five minutes and enjoy a long hour workout. Furthermore, the Remote Talk feature enables you to take calls and talk as the mic is also present. Additionally, you can also adjust the volume while calling or listening to music. Lastly, you can also activate Siri.

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If you wish to go for waterproof headsets in a reasonable price then we've got a comparison table for that as well. Check out the best waterproof headphones in 2021 here.