Helmet comms

[TerryV6]

When we ride together it’s really tough to talk back and forth. I did a general search and saw helmets with mic and speakers built in . One company mentioned was Sena. Has anyone used a helmet system and have any recommendations?

 

[Browneye]

SENA is excellent.
Just make sure all that chatter is something you truly desire while riding. I would rather shoot myself.

 

[GaryRFM]

We use Sena helmet's cycling R1 Evo mesh design $159.00us
Range is about 1/4 mile at best
Over all love them and recommend .
Problems
- Sizing is a little off, M= 56cm max (try it on if you can)
- Sometimes get random voice commands not a big deal
- customer service is very slow
- example Jan 24 started a return for exchange of helmet due to size received new helmet March 20 (snow helmet)
- snow helmet's are a whole new game sizing is off again S=56cm
- now trying to work with customer service to see if i can get Snow helmet to talk to R1 Evo helmet (sure this will take 30 days )

This is what sold me on them

 

[6zfshdb]

+1 on the Sena helmets, my wife and I love them. I even bought a third for guests to use when they ride with us. You can even pair with your smartphone to make calls or listen to music.

My only complaint is the woefully small sun visor. It's totally inadequate for low sun angles in early AM or late PM. Luckily, a Bell visor attached with Velcro solves the problem.

 

[antboy]

I was considering a helmet comms solution, but decided to stick with walkie talkies.

Less expensive, have more range, and can be used in non-biking situations, with a lot of mic/earpiece solutions.

 

[6zfshdb]

I was considering a helmet comms solution, but decided to stick with walkie talkies.

Less expensive, have more range, and can be used in non-biking situations, with a lot of mic/earpiece solutions.

I've been using my Motorola T6300 series walkie talkies for many years while biking. I still do with fellow riders who don't own helmet comms. We usually wear them with neck lanyards. While they are definitely handy for other uses, I don't like taking one hand off the bars to use the push to talk switch. The VOX feature on many talkies is often false triggered by wind noise which makes that feature almost useless.

I did rig a PTT switch on the handlebars with helmet mounted speaker & mic at one point but without Bluetooth, the wiring became too cumbersome. Talkies are still better than nothing when no other option exists but you just can't beat the full duplex Bluetooth helmet comms.

Another option I've seen rider groups use are smartphones. They set up a conference call and use jawbones clipped to their helmets. The idea works well in areas with good cell coverage and for those with unlimited talk & text plans.

 

[Browneye]

Evidently some of you DO like all that chatter! LOL

 

[6zfshdb]

Evidently some of you DO like all that chatter! LOL

Not really. In my case, most of my riding is done solo and I enjoy the solitude. I do ride with groups though and communication is often necessary.

 

[antboy]

Evidently some of you DO like all that chatter! LOL

Not me.

When I first got the e-bike, I thought in-helmet comms would be great, and was looking at the Sena helmets, or the attachable units.

In the end though, we just stuck with walkies.

While the VOX setting works okay on our Midlands when we shield the mic (she has the acoustic tube with lapel mic), we turned it off since the communication is minimal. Directions etc.

Many of my friends have their own walkies, so we just pick a channel and we're golden.

Plus, when this apocalypse goes full bore, they're good for about 1.5 - 2 km in the city, and further in the flat lands of suburbia.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Could you recommend the helmet of these specifications:

1. Focused on smartphone use: Receiving phone calls, full Bluetooth connectivity for BT Audio;
2. The size 60-61 cm;
3. If possible, winter and summer versions.

Intercom not needed.

 

[6zfshdb]

Could you recommend the helmet of these specifications:

1. Focused on smartphone use: Receiving phone calls, full Bluetooth connectivity for BT Audio;
2. The size 60-61 cm;
3. If possible, winter and summer versions.

Intercom not needed.

You might take a look at these Stefan:

My wife and I tried these Terrano X communicators before buying Sena helmets. The Terrano's have the bluetooth connectivity you're looking for and attach to almost any helmet. It has the intercom feature but obviously, you don't have to use it.

Terrano Store - Terrano

Ride Far. Stay Connected. Terrano Systems offers bicycle riding communication through a safe, open ear system. Keep your phone away and your ears open with Terrano.

www.terranosystems.com

Functionally, the Terrano's work fine but they require some skill to install properly on a helmet. It gets a bit cumbersome when swapping from helmet to helmet. Ultimately, I returned them and opted for the Sena's. The Sena's are a bit heavy and can be warm in summer but for my wife and I, the convenience of having the speakers & mic built into the helmet outweighs the minor discomfort.

 

[Browneye]

Could you recommend the helmet of these specifications:

1. Focused on smartphone use: Receiving phone calls, full Bluetooth connectivity for BT Audio;
2. The size 60-61 cm;
3. If possible, winter and summer versions.

Intercom not needed.

SENA also has several models to retrofit an existing helmet. But most bicycle helmets don't cover your ears, and that is where the speakers mount with Velcro. Boom microphone.

We had the smh-5's, they were great - paid $180 for the pair. The newer fancier ones have better range for bike-to-bike com. But for pilot and passenger you don't need the range. The better models also allow for connecting in several riders.

I won a model 20 at an event raffle, but when I found out it was going to cost me $450 to get a second one, I sold it. Somebody got a really good deal! Lol

A lot of the adventure-bike riders that cover Baja do use them, due to speed and distances, and distances between riders.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I would be happy to have the headphones and the mic integrated.

 

[TerryV6]

That is what I ended up thinking as well. When we ride, I always end up a bit ahead and turn around to see where she is. I ordered some Sena R1 helmets last night. All reviews say they are pretty good. We will see...

 

[DWATSON]

Do they have for is with bigher heads 4xl motor cross style. My xl bike only fits my back of my head tip top an a 2xl an 3xl I can't get over my ears? Any info would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Delta]

I have two of the Sena R1 helmets. My friend and I use them and they are excellent. The speaking sound is very good and if your want to listen to FM radio the sound is not bad, not great, but not too bad. The helmet receives phone calls and it is easy to hear the caller.

 

[FezUSA]

You might take a look at these Stefan:

My wife and I tried these Terrano X communicators before buying Sena helmets. The Terrano's have the bluetooth connectivity you're looking for and attach to almost any helmet. It has the intercom feature but obviously, you don't have to use it.

Terrano Store - Terrano

Ride Far. Stay Connected. Terrano Systems offers bicycle riding communication through a safe, open ear system. Keep your phone away and your ears open with Terrano.

www.terranosystems.com

Functionally, the Terrano's work fine but they require some skill to install properly on a helmet. It gets a bit cumbersome when swapping from helmet to helmet. Ultimately, I returned them and opted for the Sena's. The Sena's are a bit heavy and can be warm in summer but for my wife and I, the convenience of having the speakers & mic built into the helmet outweighs the minor discomfort.

When you say that you returned them for the Sena's, do you mean a Sena helmet with built-in comms, or the Sena headset that will work independent of a helmet? Thx

 

[6zfshdb]

When you say that you returned them for the Sena's, do you mean a Sena helmet with built-in comms, or the Sena headset that will work independent of a helmet? Thx

I returned the Teranno headsets and bought a pair of the Sena X1 helmets with built in Bluetooth communicators. The X1 model has since been replaced with the R1 and R1 Evo models. From reviews I've read, the R1 Evo has the speakers in the helmet chinstraps and may not be very durable. I would suggest the X1's (if you can find them) or the R1's if you plan to buy.

I have no knowledge of the Sena headsets.