Wearables

Mini-speakers for bike helmets let riders hear more than just their music

Mini-speakers for bike helmets let riders hear more than just their music
Otus Mini-Speakers are tiny speakers that mount on a bicycle helmet, reportedly allowing the rider to hear both their music and the environment around them
Otus Mini-Speakers are tiny speakers that mount on a bicycle helmet, reportedly allowing the rider to hear both their music and the environment around them
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Otis Mini-Speakers are applied above the user's ears, while the music player is mounted on the rear of the helmet
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Otis Mini-Speakers are applied above the user's ears, while the music player is mounted on the rear of the helmet
Otis Mini-Speakers, in place on a user's helmet
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Otis Mini-Speakers, in place on a user's helmet
Although they may look like earbuds, Otis Mini-Speakers do not go in the ears
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Although they may look like earbuds, Otis Mini-Speakers do not go in the ears
Otus Mini-Speakers are tiny speakers that mount on a bicycle helmet, reportedly allowing the rider to hear both their music and the environment around them
4/5
Otus Mini-Speakers are tiny speakers that mount on a bicycle helmet, reportedly allowing the rider to hear both their music and the environment around them
Otus Mini-Speakers are tiny speakers that mount on a bicycle helmet, reportedly allowing the rider to hear both their music and the environment around them
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Otus Mini-Speakers are tiny speakers that mount on a bicycle helmet, reportedly allowing the rider to hear both their music and the environment around them
View gallery - 5 images

While it can be nice to listen to motivating music while riding your bike, riding on the streets while wearing earbuds is ... well, crazy. In many places, it’s also illegal. One option is to wear non-sealing earHero earphones, which are claimed to allow both outside noise and music into the user’s ear canal. Another, however, is to attach some Otus Mini-Speakers to your helmet.

Although they do look like earbuds, the 15-watt output devices are not designed to go in the ears. Instead, they are applied to the “underhang” of the user’s cycling helmet via adhesive-backed Velcro pads, directly above the ears. Their wires are then tucked behind the helmet’s sizing pads and fed back through one of its rear ventilation holes, where they plug into the user’s Velcro-attached portable music player. Needless to say, a smaller player would work best.

If users want to play music from their smartphone, however, they can do so via an optional Bluetooth receiver. It attaches to the back of the helmet, while the phone itself can remain stowed in a hydration pack, saddle pack, or pocket.

Otis Mini-Speakers are applied above the user's ears, while the music player is mounted on the rear of the helmet
Otis Mini-Speakers are applied above the user's ears, while the music player is mounted on the rear of the helmet

Once the music starts playing, users are said to be able to hear both it, and whatever (or whoever) is making noise around them. Needless to say, the higher they turn up the volume, the less they will be able to hear anything but their music.

Otus Mini-Speakers are available via the company website, for US$35 a pair. While presumably any small Bluetooth receiver would work, Otus offers models by Jabra and Nokia, priced at $45 and $30, respectively.

Source: Otus

View gallery - 5 images
1 comment
1 comment
Mr Stiffy
15-watt????? At that range - so close to your ears, that would make you stone deaf in 5 minutes.
Sure it's not 0.15 Watts?
I found on my own system that 0.25 watt speakers about 100 - 120mm away from my ears, on my small back packs, shoulder straps, were WAY heaps loud when turned up - with motivational speakers talking away.
Something about Sound Pressure Level and the cube of the distance.
These being even closer to the ears.... and such tiny speakers and such a tiny little amplifier module and battery pack - perhaps using 3 or 4 x AAA batteries.....
Me thinks an error has been made.