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I never expected that cycling to a jam session on an early afternoon in September 2018 while listening to some inspirational music in one ear with earbuds would change dramatically the way I approach cycling, safety, and how I live my life. After getting t-boned in a busy intersection through no fault of my own by a young and admittedly inexperienced driver, I was forced to sit down for quite some time.
While I was undergoing recovery and following due process with the driver, I could not stop thinking about how lucky I was to have gone through such a dangerous auto-cyclist collision. Because of the partial situational awareness of what was happening around me, I was fortunate enough to come out of the accident almost unscathed (besides road rash and some light trauma).
Cycling went from my main mode of transportation to an integral part of my mental health in my early 20s. The utilitarian aspect of the bike, paired with the health benefits of bike riding in the short and long term hooked me into going through life on two wheels. Because of this, after my accident, quitting my bike was not a realistic option. However, the experience forced me to reconsider my type of riding, route planning, and more important than ever, my awareness of the road. I have been known as an avid music fan and someone who will go the extra mile for good quality audio and a wholesome music listening experience and now, I was faced with a hard truth: If I wanted to be out on the road, I have to put safety first and compromise on my audio experience.
I refused to accept that truth though, and I knew there had to be a better way out there! After some research and overhearing about bone conduction technology on a podcast, I found out about Shokz headphones and the experience of riding a bike changed completely for me.
My first encounter with Air open-ear headphones gave me all the information and assurance I needed to finally be excited to jump back on the bike after my accident. They felt light and always fit securely outside of my ears, without compromising on frequency range and sound quality, and still allowing me to hear everything around me.
After the first three months of using Shokz, they went from my designated cycling headphones to my number one go-to wireless headphones for any experience that requires digital audio. Having a pair of Air headphones with me at all times became second nature, to the point where I would wear them for hours while at work, with my manager and coworkers aware of me having them on and knowing that my productivity had not decreased while I wore them.
I am also a big fan of how seamlessly they interact with my iPhone and how easy they work with Siri for hands-free accessibility to ensure that I have no loss of focus on the road ahead and that I am totally aware of every sound and moving object within eyes and ears reach. Now that I am on my third pair of Shokz Air, they are my number one recommendation for every cyclist I see out on the road and everyone I know who engages in outdoor activities. They’re also the only wireless Bluetooth headphones I own.
In the future, I see myself closely following Shokz’s advances in bone conduction technology in the hopes that more cyclists and like-minded audio enthusiasts will also be ready to welcome the life-changing experience that is open-ear listening. In my opinion, Shokz bone conduction headphones are the safest way to enjoy your audio while outdoors!
About The Author
Alex Mites is a 27-year-old technology, engineering, and cycling enthusiast, content creator for @anotherbikechannel from Quito-Ecuador, currently living in Oakland, California.
