How to Keep Ears Warm Under Bike Helmet

As the winter season is in full swing, cyclists are getting out their bikes and preparing for a new season. In case you don’t know, cycling is a great workout in any season.

You know how enjoyable it is to cycle through snow, slush, sleet, rain, and hail. But what about your ears when it’s cold outside? They remain exposed even when you are wearing a bike helmet. How to keep ears warm under bike helmet?

There are many ways to keep your ears warm while cycling in cold weather. In this blog post, we will go over 7 different ways to help you stay comfortable on your bike no matter how chilly it is outside.

7 Ways to Keep Ears Warm Under Bike Helmet

You can keep your ears warm under a bike helmet by following these 7 tips.

1. Wear a Hat under the Helmet

Wear a hat under the helmet to keep your ears warm. An excellent choice for this purpose is a winter cycling cap with ear flaps. If you don’t have these things available, you can also wear an alternative head covering, such as a buff or ski mask.

Either way, wearing something on your head will help protect your ears from the cold wind while cycling in the cold weather.

When wearing a hat underneath the bike helmet, make sure it is fitted snugly on top of the head and around the forehead area. Over time, it may be uncomfortable if there are any gaps between your ears and where a hat would press against them.

2. Put on Earmuffs

A second option is to wear earmuffs under your helmet. I think this would be a great idea for cyclists who have their helmets on and off during the winter. You can use them to protect your ears from the cold wind, but you can also take them off if you need to stop at a traffic light, for instance.

There are many advantages to using earmuffs when cycling during colder months. They’re comfortable and easy to carry around with you wherever you go, they will fit underneath most helmets without issue, and they don’t interfere with hearing necessary traffic.

There are many different styles of earmuffs available online or in most general retail stores. Make sure the earmuffs fit snugly under your bike helmet before you use them.

3. Wear Headband with your Helmet

Keeping your ears warm in cold weather can also be accomplished by wearing a headband with your helmet. It’s basically like wearing earmuffs, except that it doesn’t cover your entire ear.

You wear this around the lower half of your head and let the top part of your hair fall under your bike helmet, which will provide a little extra warmth for cycling in the winter.

Additionally, most headbands are also made using soft materials, so they shouldn’t feel uncomfortable against skin or cause any irritation while riding on a bicycle.

The only potential downside to wearing these under helmets is that if you’re biking fast enough, e.g., racing, there might be some excess wind noise due to the headband flapping around in the wind.

4. Use Headphones and wear them over the Ears

Alternatively, you could wear regular headphones underneath your helmet if that works better for you. It would help if you didn’t cover up too much of the ventilation system because your bicycle helmet needs to breathe.

There are several different kinds of headphones designed specifically for outdoor sports, such as running and biking. These types of equipment usually have some ear-hook design so they can rest on top of your ears without causing discomfort or interfering with helmets in any way.

Besides being extremely comfortable, this is also a good choice because you may also listen to music, and it will help block out some of the sounds from your surroundings that might otherwise distract or annoy you. Don’t let your device fall out when you’re riding at high speeds.

5. Purchase an Ear Warmer Set

Next, you can purchase an ear warmer set to keep your ears warm under your helmet. Many companies make these types of things specifically for cycling, and if you buy one of them, you’ll know that it will work perfectly with your bike helmet without any problems.

Sets like this typically include three components: a headband-style design, two or more pads (one for each ear), and sometimes even matching gloves.

Wearing these around your neck area will help protect your neck from cold winter winds as well, regardless of the type you choose.

6. Use a Balaclava

Balaclavas are another great way to keep your ears warm while cycling in the winter. This particular type of headwear is excellent for keeping your entire face protected from cold winter winds.

You can use it with most bike helmets without any issues, but at first, you might feel a little uncomfortable if you haven’t used one before.

Using this kind of gear will probably make it harder for you to hear other cyclists on the road giving instructions, so if there are particularly busy roads nearby, earmuffs might be a better option.

Additionally, you will need to make sure that the fabric you choose is breathable since too thick clothing is uncomfortable to wear.

7. Cover Ears with Skull Cap or Beanie

Lastly, you can keep your ears warm while riding by covering them with a skull cap or beanie. It is similar to wearing a headband under your bike helmet but covers more of the top part of your head for extra warmth and protection from windy conditions.

The majority of beanies available on the market are usually pretty breathable, so wearing one while biking won’t be an issue.

Despite this, the biggest downside to this gear may be excessive wind noise with high-speed biking. So these are better suited for cycling slower in colder seasons when speed isn’t as much of an issue.

Final Words

You can keep your ears warm while biking during the colder seasons by wearing a variety of different items. The above options will work for most cyclists, but you may find that combining two is the best way to keep your ear areas protected and comfortable without being too loud or causing any discomfort while wearing a helmet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Does covering your head make you warmer?
A. Many cyclists wonder if wearing hats will actually help them stay warm on their rides, and the answer is yes. The reason for this has nothing to do with trapping in body heat, and it’s all about stopping cold winds from getting into ears.

It might seem counterintuitive, but wind chill can make other parts of the body feel colder than they usually would.

Q. How do Beanies keep you warm?
A. The beanies are perfect for keeping ears warm under helmets. They keep your head warm and, at the same time, keep it protected during cycling.

The biggest problem with this is that they can also create an uncomfortable sweat if worn too long. As such, these aren’t recommended to be worn with other types of clothing underneath them, but many people recommend using balaclavas instead of these to avoid this issue.

Q. Can you wear a hat under a bike helmet?
A. This is another question that cyclists wonder about quite often, and the answer will vary depending on what type of headwear it is. For instance, some helmets won’t fit properly if anything else is worn underneath. Be sure to check the specifications of your specific gear before heading out on any ride.

On the other hand, wearing something like a hat can help keep ears warm while cycling even when worn directly against helmets because it is designed to be thin enough not to cause discomfort in these situations.