Sena S1 Smart Cycling Helmet Review: Listen to Everything

One of the astir important senses we person arsenic motorcycle riders is our hearing. Whether you're successful a group ride, wherever different riders are calling retired roadworthy and postulation hazards, aliases alone, to support ears retired for vehicles aliases different rides coming from our rear, our ears are astir arsenic basal arsenic our eyes.

Bone-conduction headphones—which beryllium extracurricular nan ears and present sound done vibration—have been astir for immoderate time. But Irvine, California-based Sena has consistently raised nan barroom connected bicycling helmets pinch integrated speakers. Their newest offering, nan S1, blends Sena’s audio exertion pinch nan aerodynamic advantages craved by truthful galore roadworthy cyclists.

Wind Resistance

With a soft outer shell, nan Sena S1 looks, fits, and feels each spot nan aero roadworthy helmet that has boomed successful fame complete nan past decade. It’s sleek, pinch a quintet of front-facing vents and a brace retired nan backmost to support your caput cool during basking rides. Its substance of level and gloss finishes gives nan helmet a modern contrasting style that would look astatine location successful nan Tour de France peloton.

It’s light, weighing conscionable 360 grams, and astatine $229, it’s priced for illustration a higher-end aero helmet, contempt nan truth that it’s equipped pinch a brace of over-ear speakers and a microphone, Bluetooth connectivity, a built-in taillight, and Sena’s proprietary Mesh Intercom system, which allows you to pass pinch different riders wearing immoderate assortment of Sena helmets.

I tested nan Sena S1 connected 1 of nan stupidest rides I’ve done successful a agelong time: that is, erstwhile I group retired to thrust a 100 miles astir a quarter-mile asphalt way adjacent my home. (I’m not totally insane. I committedness I was doing it for different story.) For a thrust arsenic boring and monotonous arsenic nan ¼-mile period I was group to undertake, I needed a spot of distraction. Luckily, I had a Sena S1 sitting successful my office.

I’ve ne'er really messed pinch immoderate benignant of headphones while connected my motorcycle for a fewer reasons. First and foremost, safety. I for illustration to perceive what’s happening astir me, particularly erstwhile riding connected nan road. Second, arsenic acold arsenic I’m concerned, proceeding nan upwind successful my ears, nan birds chirp supra my head, my tires cruising smoothly complete nan pavement aliases crunching nan ungraded beneath my wheels, is arsenic overmuch a portion of nan bike-riding acquisition arsenic turning my pedals. Third, we unrecorded successful an property successful which we’re each taxable to a changeless onslaught of content. The motorcycle is my sanctuary from each that, a spot wherever nary Instagram Reel aliases basking return connected a podcast tin find me.