Coros SafeSound Road Helmet – Ride With Your Ears Open

I’ll be the first to admit, I, like many other cyclists, ride with music. It helps me get through long rides and amps me up for really hard efforts. When I do though, I only have one headphone in, and it is only ever on the shoulder side of the road (right side here in the States). I’ll never wear one on the road-side (left) because I wouldn’t be able to hear traffic. Coros believes they have a better solution with their SafeSound Road helmet, which uses speaker pods with directional technology to help you hear the road while you listen to your music and a built-in microphone, among other smart features.

This isn’t Coros’ first foray into helmets. In fact, their first product was the Linx, which unfortunately is no longer available. It was an early aero road helmet that featured bone conduction speakers and a front-mounted microphone built into the helmet. While it wasn’t the lightest, it was a pretty decent helmet and the microphone was crystal clear, even when riding at 20+ mph. The bone conduction speakers worked well enough but they needed to fit tightly against your face to work properly.

Next was the now-retired Omni road helmet that focused on ventilation while retaining the bone conduction speakers and microphone of the Linx. Additionally, it added an integrated rear light for visibility.

More recently, Coros released their SafeSound line of road, mountain, and urban cycling helmets. Each uses their newest audio system called Ear Opening Sound System, or EOSS. Instead of the bone conduction speakers of past helmets, EOSS uses directional speakers that sit close to your ears on the front strap. They have a little bit of adjustability in height to try and find the right position so you can enjoy your music or hear callers, while also keeping your ears open to the road. A more wind-resistant microphone is still mounted into the front of the helmet to round out the system.

The SafeSound line also includes a rear blinking light integrated into the control unit in the back of the helmets. This is where the power button is located, along with the micro-USB charging port.

Focusing on the Road helmet, since that is what we tested, the construction is pretty standard. It uses a polycarbonate shell with an EPS foam liner. The SafeSound Road features 16 vents with internal channeling to help move air around your head to stay cool. In the back, it uses the Coros’ Adjustable Fit System with a dial to snug up the fit and keep the helmet in place. Nylon straps with a splitter under each ear offers a small amount of adjustability for fit. Under the chin (or beard in my case), Coros uses a different material than the typical nylon strap to add some comfort and a premium touch. The buckle is common to what you’ll find on other helmets.

On the head, the SafeSound Road looks and feels like a standard helmet, aside from the EOSS pods connected to the front straps. It has a modern sleek shape over the top of the head, but maybe a touch wide. At 348g for my medium (55-59cm), it doesn’t feel heavy while riding and is actually pretty respectable when you factor in the electronics inside. As a reference, my first gen Lazer Bullitt helmet weighs in at 408g. The internal pads help keep it pretty comfortable, and the Adjustable Fit System holds it in place pretty well, but since it is not height adjustable, it doesn’t feel quite as solid as other helmets with height-adjustable retention systems. Unfortunately, it is not ponytail friendly like some other helmets that have a port for your hair to go through in the retention system. Not a deal-breaker, but it is something that I’ve come to enjoy with having long hair.

As for the EOSS system, I’m a little torn. Sound-wise, it is loud enough to hear when riding at high speed, to the point I had to turn it down a little bit to hear cars as they were approaching. I’m not expecting thumping bass, but it is very heavy on the highs and mids, with very little bass. A lot of it has to do with the design of the pods. For a reference, I typically ride with an Apple AirPod Pro in, so not super bass-heavy, but just enough for my liking if something with a beat drops. A lot of it has to do with how the AirPod Pro seals in your ear. For EOSS, sound is clear enough though, and the microphone continues to impress me, with crystal clear conversations at speed. When talking, the person on the other end could barely tell I was riding.

Battery life is claimed up to 10 hours, and I’d say it is pretty reasonable. I took it out on a few 3-4 hour rides, and it made a small dent in the battery life, even with music playing and the light on.

The SafeSound Road has two peripheral items as part of the system. One is the Smart Remote, and the other is the Coros app. The Smart Remote attaches to your bars or stem using rubber bands and a cradle and connects to the helmet to control your music, volume, and answer calls. The remote is removable so that you can take it with you off the bike. It has been pretty simple to use and helps you leave your phone in your pocket or bag.

The Coros app works with the SafeSound Road in two ways. Similar to the Specialized Ride app, it allows you to record your workouts in place of a cycling computer using your phone’s GPS. It tracks your speed, distance, and average speed, but does not allow you to connect any additional sensors like speed, cadence, heart rate, or power. It also has an SOS Emergency Alert system. If you crash, the system will alert up to three contacts that there has been an incident and will provide location information. All of this is dependant upon having a cellular signal since it runs through your phone, but that is a limitation of all systems like this. It’s still a great feature that I really appreciate. Also, in the event of an incident, the rear light will flash S.O.S. in Morse Code on the back of the helmet. Thankfully I never had to use this feature on the road.

Overall, the Coros SafeSound Road is a pretty decent helmet. Remove the electronics, and it would be a decent mid-level helmet. It doesn’t have any extra bling or lights that honestly aren’t needed. It looks pretty standard, giving it a stealthy look considering it has the electronics packed inside. The weight I can live with, and ventilation is good, but the retention system could use some improvements with making it height adjustable and also long hair friendly. At $199.99, it’s a pretty decent value if you are looking for a smart helmet. The EOSS pods provide adequate sound, but it would be hard for me to switch to it full time in place of my single AirPod Pro. But if the microphone and the built-in rear light is important to you, the SafeSound Road can’t be beaten. It can make for one less thing that you have to remember to charge if you use wireless headphones and rear blinking light.

https://www.coros.com