A classic debate: to ride with or without music? For those who enjoy a podcast or playlist while you pedal, there’s no denying that having a “friend” in your ear makes the miles tick by faster. What is arguable, however, is how safe it is to ride with your ears plugged or covered.
Over the years, various solutions have emerged to address this issue, each with differing levels of success. From wireless Bluetooth earbuds, which can be worn in one ear (and have, on more than one occasion, fallen out and disappeared into the roadside abyss), to bone-conduction headphones (yet another thing to get tangled up with my helmet straps). Enter a new option to the sound smorgasbord: the Aleck Punks.
Aleck, a company launched in 2014 to bring audio to ski and snowboard helmets, has now packaged its technology for warmer climes and helmets for cycling.
Construction
Unpackaging the Aleck Punks, the box reveals a left and right speaker, a dual charging cable and microfiber bag. Each speaker measures 5.7 x 2.7 x 1 cm, which is certainly not large but I wouldn’t describe them as small either. At 16 grams, the weight of each speaker is comparable to four AirPods.
The speakers are mounted to the helmet straps intuitively by slipping the front bike helmet strap through a “claw” at the top and bottom of each speaker. At first glance, this “claw” design seemed fragile yet it's proven to be quite durable, withstanding regular use as well as being dropped and jostled around in my gear bag. The attachment system has worked well: I haven’t experienced any mid-ride movement of the speaker, yet positioning has is easily adjustable.
Each speaker features a glove-friendly button at the back to turn audio on and off. I really liked the form factor of an actual button compared to the tap-to-control system found on some earbuds, which can be difficult to use with a strap in the way or when wearing gloves.
With speakers mounted and helmet on, the Aleck Punks were very noticeable. Reactions from others observing the speakers have ranged from “what is that?” to “are you wearing those wind block things?” to “wow, those look…big”. So if you’re the type of rider who matches your socks to your vest to your sunglasses, these speakers might not fit your sleek aesthetic. That said, despite the look, the speakers felt inconspicuous. Once I was wearing my helmet, I could hardly feel the Punks at all, and my initial impression of the hefty hand feel of the speakers disappeared.
The Specs
- Material: Plastic
- Size: 5.7 cm x 2.7 cm x 1 cm (1.25 in x 1 in x 0.5 in)
- Weight: 16 grams for each side
- Helmet compatibility: open face helmets with straps up to 15 mm wide
- Headphone style: Open ear
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2 True Wireless
- Charging time: 1 hour. 10-minute quick charge provides 1 hour of use
- Battery life: up to 12 hours
- Weather proofing: IP65 rated. Water resistant, sweat resistant, dust proof
- Included in box: left and right Aleck Punks headphones, dual charging USB-C cable, and microfiber drawstring pouch
- MSRP: $79.95 / RRP: £129.99
The Ride
The Aleck Punks have been living on one of my helmets for a few months now, and I’m not mad about it. They have been so quick and easy to pair up with my iPhone. And because they have been almost permanently attached to my helmet straps, I’ve found myself using them for most of my rides, whether I’m playing just a song or two on a quick trip to the grocery store or catching up on hours of podcasts on a long weekend solo ride.
The Aleck Punks have an IP65 rating, meaning the speakers should be dust-tight and water-resistant. Aleck markets the Punks as “resistant to sweat, dust, and rain”, and as their original products were meant for winter sports, I’d expect them to know a thing or two about weatherproofing. In the few months of testing, my Punks were exposed to hours of sweat, alpine desert and even a few good ol’ Pacific Northwest summer rains. All in all, they’ve held up admirably with no apparent wear or loss of functionality.
The sound clarity of the Aleck Punks was better than I expected for a near-ear system. You may not get the crispness of a quality in-ear device, but I think tradeoffs are very worth it. With the Punks, I could enjoy my music and podcasts in the rain, over gravel, through windy conditions and descents and, most importantly, near traffic. I live in an urban area that becomes rural very quickly, so it’s important to me to be able to hear auto traffic in the city and avoid being snuck up on in more remote areas, as well. Before using the Punks, my preferred method of tapping into Spotify was to have a single earbud in my right ear so I could still listen for traffic with the open ear, but I often struggled to hear the audio while riding near highways or descending. The Punks have been great at offering the best of both worlds, allowing me to enjoy something to listen to without sacrificing spatial awareness on the road or trail. And, unlike my earbuds, I never lose them or forget them, because they practically live on my helmet straps.
One disadvantage to the Punks is that they leak sound. Unlike a bone-induction system that would sit on or near your temples, the Punks ‘dangle’ from the helmet strap near your ear. While using the Punks, people near me could definitely join in on my Taylor Swift jamfest. This was not a dealbreaker for me as I generally choose to use audio when I’m not riding with others, but it’s certainly something to be aware of.
Value and Conclusion
When I first acquired the Punks to review, the MSRP for a pair was listed at $149.95 or £129.99, which is a bit steep. They have since come down to a new lower MSRP of $79.95 (in the U.S. anyway), I think the Aleck Punks are a great value.
Because of the helmet-strap attachment, these speakers can only be used while wearing a helmet. Initially, I was skeptical about owning a pair of headphones only for cycling, especially when there are other options that work for multiple activities. As a result, the Punks weren't something I would have considered purchasing for myself. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much I use them, and I believe the Punks would make a great gift item for the practical cyclist in your life. If you can get past their bulky aesthetic, the benefits of this near-ear system are worth checking out.
