Bluetooth for helmets. Opinions?

[kenb]

Been looking at Bluant F4. Seems like a good system from what I have read. Looking for what others have and what they think. I really don't want to drop $200+ and be disappointed. Thanks!

[chainsaw]

I ride to get away from the phone.

[poppy]

I ride to get away from the phone.

I agree...I just check my phone occasionally and stop if necessary! Not much help to the original question though! http://s2.images.proboards.com/tongue.gif

[Top Cat]

I have a Cardo-Scala Q2 system.
It is paired with my cell. Works for me.
Never heard of the system you are refering to.

[Blue Rebel]

I've read that with these Bluetooth helmets, not only can you use them with a phone, but your IPod and to talk with your passenger or fellow biker if within 1500 ft. (of course they'll need a Bluetooth helmet as well).

[dougster]

We bought the Cardo Scala Q2 system this spring. Just used them extensively on our long trip. Worked great. Works great with the phone and as intercom. Has FM, also, but I don't use it much. I haven't been as impressed with the iPod hooked up. But that is because the bike is loud. It would work better to use earbuds with the iPod. I highly recommend the system.

[thedude]

My Wife and I wear the Sena SMH-10 headsets. We both paired our iphones with the sets, so I can listen to music, make and receive calls, ect. while she can do the same. I like that I can hear my music and she plays hers. Also, we can use them as a intercom to talk to each other. I guess we could even call each other for that matter. Less than $300 for both headsets.

[chuckster131]

I would like to have something small and simple to pair with my Tom Tom rider gps as well.

[roox]

I have the scala Q2 multiset. Works great with the phone and bike to bike (if both bikes have windshields) or to passenger. But I put one on a friends helmet when we went to a trip and found that because he does not have a windshield he could not hear me at highway speeds. I could hear him no problem but the wind noise in his helmet was too much. he would have to slow down to ~ 45mph so we could talk. Also at higher speeds the noise in his helmet would activate the system and I would get a blast of what he was hearing with the wind, not nice. I would have to frequently deactivate the system on my end or els hear his wind noise!

[wiz]

We use a pair of BlueAnt Interphone Helmet headsets to communicate between bikes or if Amelia is riding on the back of mine. They work quite well but the battery life is maybe 5 hours on a really good day and the real range is about line of sight. The open face helmet frequently turns on the VOX transmit with wind noise. I'd like to find something better. I've never used it with my phone because I have no interest on answering my phone while I'm riding.

Wiz. Is their an accessory earbud with push to talk switch for your BlueAnt unit? If so you could still use the VOX with that. I, know that this would not be the best thing but it would cure the wind noise problem. Otherwise will just have to turn VOX off and on as needed.

Wiz. On my radio's the VOX can be set for how loud you have to talk to get it to transmit. you could try turning this setting up so the wind does not turn it on and just talk louder to activate the VOX.

[dougster]

I have the scala Q2 multiset. Works great with the phone and bike to bike (if both bikes have windshields) or to passenger. But I put one on a friends helmet when we went to a trip and found that because he does not have a windshield he could not hear me at highway speeds. I could hear him no problem but the wind noise in his helmet was too much. he would have to slow down to ~ 45mph so we could talk. Also at higher speeds the noise in his helmet would activate the system and I would get a blast of what he was hearing with the wind, not nice. I would have to frequently deactivate the system on my end or els hear his wind noise!

I have the same set, and on our trip, we did not have this problem. At 75-80mph, we could hear and talk OK. Did you and your friend have the mike oriented the right way? On the Scalas, you have to make sure the flat of the microphone is toward your mouth, or you will not hear as clearly. That happened a couple of times on our trip, where Mike had his microphone boom either too far away from his mouth, or had it turned so the flat part was not in front of his mouth. Then, it was hard for me to hear him. As soon as he put the microphone in the right place, I heard him just fine.

And, it is always possible you have a faulty unit, I suppose.

[roox]

I have the scala Q2 multiset. Works great with the phone and bike to bike (if both bikes have windshields) or to passenger. But I put one on a friends helmet when we went to a trip and found that because he does not have a windshield he could not hear me at highway speeds. I could hear him no problem but the wind noise in his helmet was too much. he would have to slow down to ~ 45mph so we could talk. Also at higher speeds the noise in his helmet would activate the system and I would get a blast of what he was hearing with the wind, not nice. I would have to frequently deactivate the system on my end or els hear his wind noise!

I have the same set, and on our trip, we did not have this problem. At 75-80mph, we could hear and talk OK. Did you and your friend have the mike oriented the right way? On the Scalas, you have to make sure the flat of the microphone is toward your mouth, or you will not hear as clearly. That happened a couple of times on our trip, where Mike had his microphone boom either too far away from his mouth, or had it turned so the flat part was not in front of his mouth. Then, it was hard for me to hear him. As soon as he put the microphone in the right place, I heard him just fine.

And, it is always possible you have a faulty unit, I suppose.

Good idea, I'll check

[wiz]

Wiz. On my radio's the VOX can be set for how loud you have to talk to get it to transmit. you could try turning this setting up so the wind does not turn it on and just talk louder to activate the VOX.

Unfortunately the VOX on the BlueAnt Interphone is not adjustable or possible to turn off - it is just on when the unit is active. An adjustable VOX setting or a push to talk would be nice, but neither is an option for the BlueAnt Interphone units we have. Lessons learned for next time: Adjustable VOX and Push to talk options are needed.

[fakebikerdude59]

We use the Scala Team Rider Set. It gives us Bluetooth Intercom, MP3 Hookup and I have my phone paired to it. We both wear earplugs and modular helmets and the volume is more than loud enough even at highway speeds. I don't use the cell phone option much because the answer buttons on both the Scala unit and the phone are hard to press with gloves on. And I usually stop often enough and check my voice mail to see if it's something important enough to interrupt my ride. Only real drawback is the advertised talk/standby time for the battery is about 50% of real world, so we keep a dual charger on the Nomad and at home. Price was about $230 last summer. Here is the link:

http://www.cardosystems.com/scala-rider/scala-rider-teamset

[skeeter]

Do they work with text?

[Top Cat]

We use the Scala Q2 Set. It gives us Bluetooth Intercom, MP3 Hookup and I have my phone paired to it. The volume is more than loud enough even at highway speeds. The cell phone option you just say a word, any word and it connects to the call. The advertised talk/standby time for the battery is about right on. I have run them all day ( 10 hours ) without them going dead.