Welcome to the Cyclingnews LIVE roundup of Black Friday headphones deals.
With just hours to go until Black Friday officially arrives, we've been well and truly plugged-in to the various sales to curate our roundup of Black Friday bike deals, as well as a dozen or so other hubs.
In doing so, we've had our ear to the ground on headphones deals and spotted that those of all styles, brands and price points are getting ear-resistable savings. It's not even Black Friday yet and we've already found a best-ever price on Apple AirPods Pro 2, for example, as well as huge deals on Bose, Shokz, Beats, JLab and more.
But "How will they make my riding more fun?" I hear you ask...
Importantly, we're not advocating wearing them on the road with Green Day blasting at full volume - that really would make you an American Idiot - but if you're looking to add a podcast as you pedal down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, or you want to say Good Riddance to the boredom while riding indoors, then add any of these deals to your online Basket (Case).
If you ride indoors, there's a good chance you use Zwift or a training platform like TrainerRoad. While indoor cycling apps nowadays are more immersive (to varying degrees) than they used to be, they don't add much in the way of audio. Peloton, for those of you who prefer live classes, goes one better but in my opinion there's nothing quite like drowning out the whir of your drivetrain with an early-noughties punk band telling you to Keep on Rollin' baby. Science doesn't lie.
Also, when I ride outdoors on my own, I find it can get boring. So I like to pop in one of the wireless earbuds - usually the left one, if you care, because here in the UK that's away from the road - and listen to a podcast or an audiobook.
Some quick guidance before we get into it though: look for noise-cancelling features for indoor rides, hear-through modes if you're planning to use them outdoors, and as high a waterproof rating as you can find to keep out the sweat if you'll use them on the indoor trainer.
Apple AirPods Pro 2: $249 $153.99 at Amazon
38% off - There are usually several strong Apple AirPod deals during Black Friday. This is straightaway a best-ever price for the Pro 2's, but they have been cheaper on Amazon this year. It might be worth waiting a little longer if you are shopping, they may be discounted further soon.
Beats Studio buds+:$169.95 $129.99 at Amazon 12% off - You can enjoy up to 36 hours of total battery life with the Beats Studio Buds +. They are packed with tech including active noise cancelling neutralizes unwanted sounds and you can choose to allow some external noises in via transparency mode to keep you safer and more in touch with your surroundings.
Apple AirPods 3rd Gen: $169.00 $94 at Walmart
$75 off - A nice 75 bucks off the 3rd Gen AirPods here. They feature 30 hours of battery life, spatial audio, and are sweat and water-resistant. This is one of, if not the best, price around right now.
Apple AirPods 2nd Gen: $129.99 $89.00 at Amazon
$40 off - The 2nd Gen of the base model AirPods might have a slightly less premium sound quality and come with a slightly shorter feature list compared to the Pro, but if you're after a more affordable option, they're still a great pair. This is a decent deal, but we have seen this model for slightly less.
Beats Studio Buds wireless earbuds: $149.99 $79.99 at Best Buy $70 off - $50 off the Beats By Dre noise cancelling earbuds with up to 8 hours of playtime and 24 hours of recharge time from the case, which is USB-C compatible. They're IPX4-rated, so they'll cope with a not-too-sweaty workout. These are another pair of headphones which may be reduced further, we have seen them for slightly less.
Apple AirPods Max: $549 $399 at Amazon
27% Off - If you care about sound quality above all else, then the Airpods Max with their over-the-head style and larger drivers are what you want. These Max models have been on Amazon for less, so we would recommend keeping an eye on the price for now if you are keen.
Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones: $348 $198 at Amazon
43% off - The premium 1000XM4 headphones from Sony have actually been cheaper, but there is still a hefty 43% discount right now, they may be available for less yet. They pack a 30-hour battery life, touch sensor controls and offer multi-device pairing.
Beats Solo 3: $199 $99 at Walmart $100 off - Save a cool 50% on these Beats Solo 3 headphones from Amazon in four colours. The Solo 3 gains 3 hours of playback time from just five minutes of charging!
JBL Live 660NC:$199.99 $79.95 at Amazon 60% off - Team UAE Emirates are sponsored by JBL and Tadej Pogacar and his teammates use its headphones when warming up. We aren't sure if Tadej uses this exact pair but they feature 40mm drivers, adaptive noise cancelling tech, and you can manage incoming calls with the buttons on the ears.
Black Friday headphones deals UK
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2:£219 £185.99 at Amazon
14% off - We make this the lowest price the Pro 2 Google Pixel buds have been. They are designed to be very comfortable in ear and connect seamlessly with the Pixel smartphone. Four colours are currently on offer.
Jabra Elite 8 Active: £199.99 £185 at Amazon
20% off - CN Associate Editor Josh Croxton has been testing out these headphones recently and has been impressed with them. We make this the cheapest the Elite 8's have been.
Sony WF-C500: £54.99 £44.49 at Amazon
19% off - These quality Sony wireless earbuds are discounted in the white, blue and yellow colours. Like the Anker's above, you can use the Sony app to manage them and they have a total battery life of 22 hours between the case and the earbuds themselves.
Anker Soundcore P20i: £29.99 £15.99 at Amazon
47% off: These neat earbuds from Anker are 43% off right now with the black version carrying the biggest discount. You can also use the Soundcore app to customise the headphone's functions and charge them using the case.
Sony WH-1000XM5: £379.00 £245.00 at Amazon
35% off - If you are happy with the silver colourway you can enjoy nearly 30% off these WH-1000XM5 headphones from Sony. This model sits in the premium bracket and is Sony's premium model. Sound quality is going to be excellent, there's a 30-hour battery life and AI-based noise cancellation.
Bose QuietComfort headphones: £349.95 £218.46 at Amazon
38% off - These QuietComfort headphones from Bose represent a step up in quality. They have noise-cancelling technology for a purer listening experience and can run for a whole day on a single charge. They come with a microphone cord and protective case
Sennheiser Momentum 4: £279.00 £179.99 at Amazon
36% off - If great battery life is important to you, the Momentum 4 headphones offer a huge 60 hours of playback time. Adaptive noise cancellation aids the listener experience and powerful microphones make it easier to handle calls.
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Can music make cycling easier?
Music doesn’t just make workouts more enjoyable, it can actually enhance your physical performance and mental experience. Research proves it.
If you're training for an event, and you want to eke out every performance gain, then training with music could be the difference. According to a 2017 study by Brooks et al, people with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can reduce their shortness of breath simply by listening to music, and their tolerance to high-intensity exercise was higher.
Meanwhile, a 2016 study by Stork et al found athletes enjoyed sprint interval training more when music was involved.
In indoor cycling sessions, music’s rhythmic qualities can regulate cadence and distract from discomfort. Outdoors, music can reduces stress and improve your motivation during longer rides. Some studies even suggest that music can influence brain chemistry, triggering dopamine release, which boosts focus and reward sensations.
Waterproof ratings explained
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If you’re like me, headphones have become an essential part of cycling. Whether it’s blocking out the drudgery of turbo sessions, staying entertained through long outdoor rides, or adding a soundtrack to dusty gravel adventures. But not all headphones are built to handle the challenges of cycling environments.
That’s where IP (Ingress Protection) ratings come in.
These ratings tell you how well a device is protected against the elements, including solids (like dust) and liquids (like sweat or rain).
They’re displayed as two numbers, such as IP67 - where the first digit reflects protection against dust, and the second against water. It might sound technical, but understanding the basics can help you avoid ruining a perfectly good set of headphones.
Sweat is the obvious enemy during indoor sessions. The higher the protection, the better, of course. But I'd recommend a water-resistance rating of at least IPX4, which handles splashes or drips. Go for IPX5 or IPX6 if you know you’ll be pushing through particularly intense sessions, better safe than sorry when sweat is involved.
Outdoors, water resistance becomes even more important. Riding in the rain is inevitable, especially if you live in the UK like I do and doubly so if you’re training through winter.
A rating of IPX4 offers basic protection against splashes, but I'd go for at least IPX5 to ensure my headphones can shrug off a downpour or an accidental drop in a puddle. Even if you’re not planning to ride through storms, the extra peace of mind is worth it.
For those of you riding off-road, dust is a different challenge altogether. It's bad enough finishing a day on the trails and picking mud out of your ears, eyes and nose, but you don't want your headphones clogged with fine dirt too.
That’s where the first digit of the IP rating comes into play. A rating of 5 or 6 indicates solid protection, with 6 being completely dustproof. Personally, I’d aim for IP67 or IP68 for gravel rides. Not only are these headphones fully dustproof, but they’re also highly water-resistant, making them versatile for any conditions.
Ultimately, the right IP rating depends on where and how you ride. If you’re sweating buckets indoors, hammering through rain outdoors, or kicking up dust on gravel roads, the bigger the numbers, the better the protection.
Investing in the right pair of headphones means less worry about damage.
First up - to reiterate something I mentioned at the top, we do not advocate wearing headphones on your bike in such a way that your safety is affected.
Cars are bigger than you, and they really hurt if they hit you. Hearing one coming might not stop it from hitting you, especially if the driver is too busy texting to notice you, but it might give you forewarning enough to take evasive action.
As a vulnerable road user, being aware of your surroundings is important.
When I'm out in the wilderness on a gravel bike or on quiet lanes, then I'll happily listen to a podcast in one ear.
My main use for headphones though is indoor cycling, where I can either listen to music or watch TV while completing a workout.
Hello and welcome to the live blog section of this roundup. The deals above are the best of what we've found so far, and the following section will form something of a hybrid between helpful advice, a stream of consciousness, and a place for me to get away with writing terrible puns. Sorry in advance.
