We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want replaceable gel ear cushions that keep existing earmuffs comfortable for long sessions and are built for noise isolation, choose PROHEAR GEP02; if you need a self-contained open-ear audio system for riding with full awareness of traffic, choose EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds.
• PROHEAR GEP02 — biggest strength: Grooved gel cushions that reduce pressure between the muff and your ear, plus a snap-in design that makes swapping pads quick instead of messy.
• PROHEAR GEP02 — biggest trade-off: It is not audio gear at all. It only makes sense if you already own a compatible earmuff, and it does nothing for music, calls or navigation.
• EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds — biggest strength: A complete wireless listening setup with ear hooks, Bluetooth, 90 hours of total playtime from the case and an open design that lets ambient sound in.
• EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds — biggest trade-off: Open-ear audio means you give up isolation. There is no active noise control here, and sound leakage into your environment is part of the deal.
• Who each pick is for: PROHEAR GEP02 is for someone upgrading the comfort of earmuffs they already use. EEXXYZ is for a cyclist who wants music and calls while still hearing the road.
The PROHEAR GEP02 is a pair of replacement gel ear pads, not a headphone. Its job is simple: sit between your ears and a compatible earmuff so that the clamping force stops digging in. The groove design is the whole point — it spreads pressure away from the ear itself, which is what makes long wear tolerable instead of something you keep adjusting.
The second thing worth knowing is the material. These cushions use an ultra-thin polyurethane skin over gel rather than faux leather or vinyl, which is why PROHEAR frames them as lasting several years of normal use and less prone to cracking. They are also anti-sweat and wipe clean with soapy water — with one caveat the listing is honest about: do not submerge them, because there is a pinhole-sized air vent on the side that has to keep working.
Compatibility is the gatekeeper. PROHEAR lists these for Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Sport, Pro, Sync, Leightning and Professional models, ZOHAN EM054, PROHEAR's own 030, 036, 066 and 016, and awesafe electronic shooting earmuffs. If your muff is not on that list, skip it. If it is, and the original pads have gone stiff, sweaty or cracked, this is a cheap way to reset comfort. Installation is snap-in rather than glue, so you pop the old ones out and press the new ones in. Noise control is sound isolation — that is the earmuff doing its job, not the pad.
Who should skip it? Anyone shopping for cycling audio. There is no speaker, no battery and no Bluetooth in this product.
The EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds are the opposite kind of product: a full wireless system built specifically around outdoor movement. Each bud weighs about 5g, and the open-ear shape sits outside the ear canal rather than plugging it. That is the design decision that matters most for riding — no pressure, no itching, and your ears stay open to the world around you.
And that openness is the safety feature, not a compromise. EEXXYZ describes it as air conduction delivering high-fidelity sound while you remain aware of your surroundings, so you can hear oncoming traffic and ambient noise. For anyone who has ever pulled a bud out at a junction to check for cars, that is the entire appeal.
Fit is handled by ergonomic ear hooks in a skin-friendly material. They are designed to hold through sprinting and jumping, work with glasses, and not slip when you sweat. Battery is the headline number: up to 5 hours on a single charge, plus a 400mAh charging case that EEXXYZ totals at 90 hours, with a Type-C port that refills in about 1.5 hours.
Wireless is Bluetooth 6.1, which EEXXYZ says pairs twice as fast and holds a 50% more stable connection than earlier versions, with a stated range of 33 feet. Calls run through optimized mics with noise reduction, and touch controls on the bud handle music, calls and voice assistants. It pairs with iOS, Android and Windows, and the box includes two earbuds, the charging case, a Type-C cable and a manual.
Who should skip it? Riders who want to block wind and traffic noise entirely. There is no noise cancellation here — noise control is listed as none, and the open design is deliberately transparent to your environment.
• Best for cycling with awareness of traffic → EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds. The open-ear, air-conduction design is the whole reason it exists.
• Best for long rides and multi-day battery → EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds. 5 hours per charge plus a case EEXXYZ rates at 90 hours total.
• Best for helmet-and-glasses wearers → EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds. The ear hooks are built to sit alongside glasses without slipping.
• Best for calls on the move → EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds. Optimized mics with noise reduction plus touch controls, no phone in hand.
• Best for comfort on existing earmuffs → PROHEAR GEP02. Grooved gel takes the pressure off your ears during long sessions.
• Best for replacing worn-out pads → PROHEAR GEP02. Snap-in fitting, no glue, and a polyurethane skin that resists the cracking you get from vinyl.
• Best for easy cleaning → PROHEAR GEP02. Soapy water on the outer surface, as long as you never submerge them because of the air vent.
• Best if you want to hear nothing at all → PROHEAR GEP02. Sound isolation is the point; EEXXYZ gives you no isolation by design.
If your question is genuinely about cycling headphones, I would buy the EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds. The open-ear shape, ear hooks, 90-hour case and Bluetooth 6.1 add up to a product whose whole design brief is riding and training outdoors while staying aware of what is around you. In my opinion, that awareness matters more on a bike than sound quality does.
The PROHEAR GEP02 is excellent at what it does — but what it does is make earmuffs more comfortable, not play music. Buy it only if you already own a compatible muff and want to fix the comfort problem.
can you bike with headphones
Yes, and the design you pick changes the experience. Open-ear models like the EEXXYZ sit outside the ear canal and let ambient sound in, which keeps traffic audible. Sealed or noise-cancelling buds block that sound and are a worse match for riding near cars.
how to bike with headphones
Keep the volume low enough that you can still hear engines and horns, and use a design that does not seal your ear. The EEXXYZ ear hooks hold through sweat and movement and work with glasses, and its touch controls let you change tracks or take a call without reaching for your phone.
what are the best cycling headphones
In my opinion, for cycling the best option is an open-ear design, because awareness is the priority. The EEXXYZ Open Ear Earbuds fit that brief with a 5g-per-bud fit, ear hooks, 5 hours per charge and a case EEXXYZ rates at 90 hours. If you want isolation instead, that is a different product category entirely — the PROHEAR GEP02 is gel padding for earmuffs, not a headphone.
can cyclists wear headphones
They can, and plenty do. The practical limit is awareness: an open-ear set that lets in road noise is a very different risk profile from sealed buds. The EEXXYZ is built for exactly that trade-off, while the PROHEAR GEP02 does not apply here at all since it produces no audio.
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