Earbuds for glasses wearers and for cycling
The problem
The arms of your glasses and the straps of a bike helmet sit exactly where a hook goes. The result is pressure on the ear and buds that shift.
Clip-on earbuds
The TESNA Ola 1 clip onto the rim of the ear with a C-shaped clip and do not go into it. The slim arm clears glasses and helmet straps. They weigh 6.8 g a bud, are IPX5 and last 9 hours per charge, plus 27 from the case.
On a bike, hearing is safety
On a bike you need to hear cars and horns. Open-ear buds leave the ear free. If you take calls while riding, the TESNA Open2 have three mics on each side that cut wind noise, and IP56 protection against dust and powerful water jets.
Prescription glasses, sunglasses and safety glasses
The arms of your glasses sit exactly where the hook of a sport bud sits, behind the ear. When you wear both, one of them lifts, and after an hour you feel the pressure. It is worse with thick frames and with sports sunglasses that grip the head.
Clip buds solve it differently: they do not go behind the ear but hold on to its rim, so the arm of the glasses has its own place. The Ola 1, at only 6.8 g a bud, is made for exactly this.
If you still prefer a hook, put the buds on first and then the glasses, with the arm over the hook rather than under it. That way the glasses do not lift the driver away from the ear.
On the bike: wind, helmet and traffic
On the bike, wind is the biggest enemy of sound and of calls. At speed, the air rushing past your ear covers the music, and the temptation is to turn it up. Do not: on the road you need to hear cars, horns and other cyclists.
The Open2 has three microphones on each side, which help your voice come through clearly on calls even in the wind. Its 18 mm drivers give more bass than most open-ear buds, useful when the wind steals the low notes.
Check the local rules on headphones in traffic too; they differ from country to country. On cycle paths and in parks, open-ear buds at moderate volume are the safest way to have music.
Battery and toughness for long rides
A full-day ride can run past five or six hours. The Ola 1 lasts 9 hours on a charge plus 27 with the case, and the Open2 11 hours plus 33. For rides over several days, take the case with you; it also charges from a power bank.
For rain and road dust, the Open2 is rated IP56, with dust protection, and the Ola 1 IPX5, resistant to water jets. Both wipe clean easily after the ride.
In winter, under a hat
In winter the hat or ear band goes over the buds. With clip buds such as the Ola 1 the fabric does not push anything behind the ear, so they stay in place. With hook buds, pull the hat on gently from the top down so it does not catch the hook.
Cold shortens the battery life of any device a little. On long winter rides, keep the case in an inside pocket, close to your body.
A few rules for traffic
On the road, keep the volume low enough to hear a car coming up behind you. Do not take long calls at junctions or on busy stretches; pull over.
An open-ear or clip bud lets you hear the traffic, but it does not replace paying attention. In tunnels and on bridges, where the noise rises, it is safer to pause the music.
In short
You wear glasses all day: the Ola 1. You ride a lot and take calls: the Open2. You do sprints and jumps: hook buds such as the GOG100 hold more firmly.
Every model is in the shop, under open-ear sport earbuds.