AfterShokz Sportz M2 Open Ear Sport Headphones with Mic Review

Product Description From The Aftershokz Website

"With 21 total improvements over the first generation, AfterShokz Sportz M2 open ear headphones are designed to safely keep joggers, bike riders, skateboarders, hikers and other athletes connected to their music and social life while remaining active. Featuring military special ops bone conduction technology, AfterShokz Mobile headphones sit comfortably in front of the ear, keeping your ears open, while delivering stereophonic sound through the listener’s cheekbones to the inner ear, permitting users to hear ambient noises such as oncoming traffic, car horns, ambulances or other warning noises."


 I have to start this review by saying that I took on this testing with the firm view that headphones should NEVER be worn while riding your bike. UK roads are a dangerous place and deriving yourself of one of your key senses is asking for trouble.

I first became fully aware of Aftershokz at the London Bike Show when their stand was across the corridor from our Nrg4 stand.We got chatting and they explained the benefits of the product with the main one being that they allow you to hear exterior ambient noise while listening to your music essentially through your cheekbones. I was skeptical to say the least but was more than happy to do a review at their request.

Getting Started
Upon getting home I opened the very nice packaging to be greeted by a sweet storage case. I unzipped it and inside were my headphones,USB charging cable, instructions and adapter cable.  The 1st thing you need to remember with these headphones is that the technology requires you to charge them before use. Aftershokz claim you get 12hours playing time from a full charge so no problem for today's 50 mile cafe run.

The morning of the 1st test ride arrived and after getting kitted up I unplugged them from the charger to get them set up. 

This is extremely simple with the headphone plug going into your phone or MP3 player, the controller box where the mic and controls are situated clips onto the collar of my jersey and the headphones fit nicely around your ears.The 1st ride was a very cold brisk affair so my winter gloves were required which was to prove a little bit of a problem later on in the ride. 

The first pleasing thing was that they did not interfere with my Kali Phenom helmet whatsoever, in fact if it wasnt for the music I wouldnt be very aware I had them on at all.

First Ride

So as I started off rolling along with music clearly ringing in my ears I was more than a little nervous as I waited for the first vehicle to brush me with its wing mirrors.Much to my surprise I clearly heard the first car approach from behind well before it was on me. This increased my confidence massively and I reached straight for the volume control on the control box. It quickly became apparent that my thick winter gloves and the little buttons on the control box were not going to be good bedfellows. The control box has a number of key controls at your finger tips so you dont have to remove your phone from your back pocket.

• On / off Switch
• Added volume control
• Answer Calls button
• Microphone 
• Built-in micro USB charging port
• Play / pause / advance / rewind music
• Smaller lithium ion battery with 12 hours playtime

Obviously the control box has to be compact and small but it does mean that locating the little buttons with thick gloves on is impossible so I pulled over, removed my gloves and upped the volume to max.On later rides where I used fingerless gloves this was not a problem whatsoever.

As I now entered the busy roads of Preston I was astonished to how aware I was of all the noises around me even though I could clearly hear my music pumping away. The bone conduction technology really works in transferring the music so that you can hear it. The headphones don't sit anywhere near your ears as you can clearly see from the picture I took below when I eventually arrived at my cafe stop.Your ears are completely left free to hear all ambient noise around you.

I was wearing the Aftershokz headphones on the video below on one of the test rides and you can clearly see that they don't have any issues with my road helmet and sit nicely around my ears.

 
Even when I was riding along a quiet country lane in my own little world completely lost in my music I could still hear a car approaching from behind well in advance of it arriving.

In an ideal world I prefer to ride with a group of friends and enjoy the social side of my cycling. Sometimes that isn't always possible and you have to train alone or as in my case at the moment im riding alone while I try to get my fitness back so I can slot back into a group and not be a liability. Having some music to listen to when riding solo on a long ride can be a real help in enjoying the ride and I believe with the right music can actually improve your performance.

Music Quality 
Trust me when I say that you will be very surprised at how well you can hear music through your cheekbones. Is it as crystal clear as having conventional headphones stuck in your ears.... NO.. Is it clear enough to really enjoy the music as you ride along...absolutely YES.

In Closing
Having used the product for 2 months now I highly recommend the Aftershokz headphones if you want to enjoy listening to music while out on your bike and stay safe around traffic.With them being sweat and waterproof they are perfect for all outdoor activity's as well as cycling.

Also as a side issue and worth noting is that I have found these make a fantastic hands free kit for your car or for using on skype calls. 

The M2s that I used have an RRP of £69.99 and are available from multiple online and high street stockists

Aftershokz have a brand new bluetooth version coming very soon which have multiple improvements and I am looking forward to testing those for another review in the coming months. 

Pros

• Enjoy Music while riding your bike
• Still be able to hear ambient sounds like traffic and feel safe
• No fit problems in your ears or earphones continually falling out of your ears
• No lasting damage to your eardrum through listening to loud music
• A healthier way of hearing

Cons

• You do have to remember to charge them up
• Control box buttons are too small for thick winter gloves.

OVERALL RATING
     9/10

Aerozine Bottom Brackets

The Bottom Bracket is a fairly uninspiring but vitally important component on your bike.

Most of us, (including me in the past) when we need a new one go online and purchase the part that suits your particular groupset of choice.

The question is can your bottom bracket do more for your performance than you realise and at an affordable price?

The answer with Aerozine Ceramic BBs is without doubt YES and you have the added bonus of being able to personalise your bike with a choice of colours.

Now normally the mere mention of ceramic bearings makes your wallet groan and baulk at the prospect of separating with a 3 figure sum. Well that needn't be the case with the Aerozine ceramic bearing bottom brackets available from NRG4 Dealers. Lets be clear about one thing, ceramic bearings are significantly better than standard bearings and will help your performance, its not going to turn you into Chris Froome but every bit helps...... right.

Aerozine bottom brackets are available in Road & Mountain Bike versions and I am working closely with Aerozine right now through NRG4 to produce bottom brackets using washers that will fit both MTB & Road #clever. They come in 2 versions with standard bearings and ceramic bearings in a multitude of anodised colour options to bling up your bike to make it stand out from the crowd.

Since becoming a shareholder in Nrg4 I have said to many people that I believe the Aerozine brand is a hidden gem of the cycling industry, when people actually see the products the penny drops with the quality of the finish and craftsmanship shining through.

Aerozine Standard Steel Bearings have an RRP of £19.99.
Aerozine Ceramic Bearings have an RRP of a staggering £44.99.

Is it going to last as long as a Hope or Chris King Ceramic BB..... No but at this price you shouldnt expect it to. A Chris King ceramic BB can set you back as much as £195

If you maintain your bike well after wet dirty rides and dont just throw it in the garage then these BBs will give you lots of ceramic miles for your money. With all the anodised colours at your disposal you can also pimp your ride and make it totally unique to you. My Black Red Onix RH Pro has been fitted with Red Aerozine BB, QR titanium skewers, spacers and chainring bolts that really made a difference to the bling factor.

So if you want to make that little extra difference to your performance and the look of your bike then you wont go far wrong with these on your mountain or road bike.
You can find your nearest dealer here and if they dont have any in stock they will be able to order one for you and you can browse more of the excellent Aerozine Range here.

Thats it for now.

Ride Strong

Craig