As an inherently DIY-oriented bicycle traveller, I don’t normally post about new commercial products in the context of cycle touring and bikepacking.
But I do want to highlight a development in the personal entertainment industry that has changed the way I engage with digital audio on the road for the better, and which I think would benefit a great many more riders.
The headphones I’m testing out right now are the OpenRun model from Shokz, who seem to be leading the field right now. They rely on the principle of bone conduction to make possible a means of hearing that doesn’t involve blocking or covering your ears.
Having spent my entire life using earbud-style phones while travelling, and over-the-ear studio headphones while working (and DJing), it took a little while to get used to them – I initially felt a little nauseous while my inner ears got used to receiving sound waves from a different source, and the bass reproduction isn’t quite there yet – but once I did, that they truly were game-changing became undeniable.
The technology itself isn’t new, having long been used in hearing aids. What is relatively new is the crossover to leisure and sport applications. And although the main target market is running and fitness, it should be obvious why we cyclists – particularly when we’re sharing the road with motor traffic – cannot afford to compromise our situational awareness by blocking our ears.
Beyond safety, it’s worth mentioning that how we utilise audio while riding is also changing. We’re a long way past Walkmans and iPods: audio is increasingly used as an interface with the apps we use on cycle tours, as well as to control the devices themselves. It isn’t hard to imagine conducting most or all of your navigation through audio alone, both following navigational prompts and issuing route planning instructions (conserving battery power in the process with the screen switched off and your eyes on the road). Likewise, it isn’t hard to imagine having conversations using translation apps in audio mode to provide near-simultaneous interpretation. Indeed, you may already be doing this.
The video above elaborates my initial thoughts on bone conduction technology while cycle touring, particularly on the safety front. It’s early days, of course, and I’ll post more about my experiences with these Shokz OpenRun headphones as I continue to experiment.
In the meantime, if you have relevant experiences to share, or other ideas about how the technology could benefit the bicycle traveller, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d love to hear what you think!
Something to add?