[Closed] Bone conduction headphones

I have some (aftershock something Bluetooth from memory) for exactly that use. I find it easy to get to a volume where you can still hear traffic, but my commute is mostly quiet (along a busy road the whole time might be tougher). I don't notice any wind noise (there might be some, but I haven't noticed). Music quality is ok - obviously normal headphones at the same price would be better - and the button for answering calls/next track is large enough to get with thinish gloves, tough with big thick winter mitts (but I'm often wearing earmuffs then instead anyway)

Trekz Titanium Aftershokz - don't expect hi-fi quality, but you can adjust the volume that you can still hear ambient noise / traffic / conversation with the music playing. I use mine for running mainly - wearing under a buff / headband will probably help keep out the wind noise on a bike.

Another aftershox user.

Better sound quality than a single ear plug in.

Great for staying aware of your surroundings.

I can remember the original Bonephone device being advertised in some of the US MX mags back in the 80's
Didn't realise it was still a thing.
I've experienced some all over body sound standing next to a massive speaker stack in a small factory unit back in the 90's but not convinced something that just transmits a small bit of vibration would be the same experience.😁

Bone conductor headphones are superb, they work brilliantly IME unless you're an audiophile. I use them for running, listening to podcasts as I doze off in bed, off road biking and whenever I'm pottering doing gardening, house chores, DIY, log chopping, that kind of thing. 70pc podcast/audio book-30pc Music. (To me 'normal' headphones sound way better for music, but I'm not fussy enough to care.)

I'm on my third set of Chinese jobs, the latest (and best) of which are these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DL5PLP5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've had no problem with wind noise but I only use them off road at 15-20km/h.

Moving Traffic completely drowns them out IME, unless you wear the ear plugs (provided with them) but that defeats the point of having ear conductors. Having said all that if the traffic is loud enough to drown out bone conductors, isn't it loud enough that you're aware of it wearing normal headphones? ...and could you hold a normal conversation with someone else in that situation? One of my standard runs involves 5 km of roads which intersect with a busy dual carriageway twice. At the intersections I can hear nothing much from the headphones, 100pc drowned out by the noise reaching my eardrums. 20 metres away normality resumes. Music's better because somehow your brain fills in the gaps in the snatches you can hear.

I think they're *so* good it's well worth you buying a cheap pair of wired bone conductors to try the concept.

not convinced something that just transmits a small bit of vibration would be the same experience

They work and plenty of sound is certainly transmitted through flesh and bone. However, I strongly suspect that your ears are also picking up a ton of sound from the noisy 'bone conducting speakers' which just happen to be 5mm away from the ear.

Another Aftershokz user here, indeed have just replaced my original Aftershockz bluez 2 with the new(er) air model. Love them both, but obviously the air is much lighter and more comfortable than the original Bluez 2 (which will be going on Gumtree soon).
Use them for my walk to work as when wearing full headphones always feel a bit uneasy not being able my surroundings, and of course for cycling, as others have said you can hear the music fine while the noise of any approaching cars are also easily heard.
As others have said, they are not the best sounding headphones ever made, but they do provide a decent sound - I like my rock and punk with loads of bass and find these 'phones perfectly acceptable for a few hours an a bike 🙂
Top marks from me...

I’ve got the Trekz Titanium ones; the sound quality is pretty disappointing IMHO - ok for podcasts but not really good for music. Volume is also a bit limited - if you turn them up to hear over loud traffic noise they just vibrate against your head. People with other bone structures may have different experiences, YMMV etc. I use them mainly for running where the sweat in the ears can be a problem with in-the-ear phones. When walking I use Plantronic Backbeat Fits, which I think give a better compromise between sound quality and ability to hear external noise. Both suffer from wind noise when cycling at any speed.

outofbreath.
Won't feel like a full on sound system in an industrial unit that's been "borrowed for the night" though will it. 😲

I'm a fan of my Trekz Titanium. As mentioned, sound quality definitely lacks compared to regular earphones, but the safety is a worthwhile compromise. I also like them for voice calls on my phone, as I don't much like talking with inner ear canal earphones in my ears.

Only weakness I've found is that sometimes with my phone in a rear jersey pocket you can "outrun" the bluetooth signal and it breaks up above a certain speed. That could well be a weak signal from my phone, and it's not a problem for commuting when I can put my phone closer to the headphones in a rucksack pocket.