It’s not enough to just ride a bike these days — you’ve got to be able to take calls, check the GPS and skip tracks on a playlist. But with one hand on a gadget and the other on the handlebars, you’re asking for an accident. The new Cardo BK-1 is a two-speaker Bluetooth headset that mounts on your bike helmet so you can control your portable gadgets and keep in touch with other riders — without taking a spill.
Designed by the same company that outfits huge motorcycle crews with in-helmet communication, the BK-1 is made for people who like to ride the distance. The headset doubles as a walkie-talkie that will keep you in touch with up to two other riders at a distance of just under 800m. When you’re not gabbing away with your fellow riders, the headset is a bike-based entertainment system with voice-controls so you can control your smartphone, GPS receiver or MP3 player without ever taking your hands off the handlebars. And don’t worry, it’s not illegal or dangerous because the speakers don’t actually cover your ears — they hover just beyond them. So even if you’re rocking out to tunes, you just might hear that oncoming bus. [Cardo via Gizmag]