While headphones and cycling will always be met with mixed opinions, I honestly feel that bone conducting headphones are the olive branch reaching out to both camps. The ability to listen to whatever audio you like - whilst keeping your ears open to ambient noise - is a win all round. Best of all, a pair of my favourite bone conducting headphones is now on a Black Friday sale.
These Haylou PurFree BC01 headphones punched well above their weight on test, with the obvious comparison being the Shockz Open Run, which come with a very similar design.
In fact, the only obvious difference was the lack of carry case, which for the significantly cheaper price tag can easily be glossed over.
When it comes to riding with sound, I flip between the want to be either totally immersed in digital noise or at peace with the sound of nature - and the Haylou PurFree BC01 have managed to deliver the best of both worlds.
Using the PurFree BC01 headphones allows you to keep your ears open while at the same time delivering sound via vibrations through your jaw. It’s a slightly bizarre sensation and I guarantee you will spend the first five minutes of sound play asking “can you hear this” to anyone in theoretical listening distance.
I found there was less sound bleed on these than even traditional headphones - and they were a lot more comfortable than having something either in your ear or on it for extended durations.
I’ve even taken to wearing these headphones in the house while cooking dinner or washing up. This allows me to meet my adult listening needs (AKA 90’s music) or even have an actual real live phone call - as they allow me to dial in to what's playing on the headphones whilst Netflix or computer games are played in the background...
They also prevent the endless hand-washing-then-earbud-removal in order to respond to a cry of “Muuummmmmm”, as well as significantly reducing the ear bud ‘plop’ risk factor when washing up.
The biggest life hack, however, has only recently been discovered. While I was very aware of how clear listening is on the bike, it was only when testing the brand’s brand new PurFree Lite bone conducting headphones that I realised how brilliant they are and any form of interval training.
Using an app that provides an audible beep for stop and start of an interval duration totally takes away the requirement to look down at a bike computer or smart watch to determine when to go or stop - whilst also being able to keep my wits about me - was a revelation. I’m just kicking myself that it’s taken until now to unearth such a usable training aide.
For more of the best deals we've found so far, check out our Black Friday main hub page, where we're compiling the best discounts across tech, accessories, clothing and more. For more detail on the best headphones for cycling, check out our buyer's guide here.
