Listening to music while working out is scientifically proven to improve performance and prolong workouts. 

However, if you’re not careful (or too busy jamming), cycling or running on the road while wearing headphones or earphones can lead to unwanted accidents. Especially, if you’re wearing noise-canceling ones. 

Perhaps the danger that comes with cycling while jamming to your favorite tunes on a busy road is not a enough to discourage you, so here are some things you can do to improve your cycling-jamming safety, as compiled by CNET: 

Leave one earbud out

The easiest way to get the best of both beats and safety is to leave the ear facing the traffic open. This way you can still enjoy your music in one ear, while listening out for horns, bells, oncoming cars, sirens and all other road noises to guarantee your safe travel.

Read also: Stressed out? Lace up your shoes and run for your health

Keep the volume down

Turn down the volume and make sure your headphones or earphones still allow you to hear your surroundings. Do not risk wearing noise-canceling ones; you don’t want them to block all traffic sounds. 

Try bone conduction headphones

This high-tech gadget works by decoding sound waves and delivering them directly to your cochlea as vibrations through your cheekbones, bypassing the eardrum. 

The device sits in front of your ears. This way, you don’t need to plug your earphones into your ears at all. 

Clip on a Bluetooth speaker

An alternative to bone conduction headphones is getting a small Bluetooth speaker and clipping it to your backpack or clothing. Of course, others are going to hear your music as well, but this alternative is still better than high-risk jamming-cycling. 

Invest in a Bluetooth helmet

Helmets are required when cycling, therefore, wearing a Bluetooth-enabled helmet might be a good alternative to ensure both your safety and an enjoyable ride. 

Pull over when you need to adjust your music

Attempting to cycle while adjusting volume, switching songs, or fixing your earphones or speaker is a bad idea. Pull over to avoid unwanted accidents, and continue once you’re set to go. (vel/kes)