Prior to my first ride with SG NC7, I never considered getting a communications set since I usually ride alone. When I do ride in groups, we managed fine with just hand signs. I took the plunge to getting the duo (one for another helmet)… and here’s what I felt.
I bought the set through Chong Aik’s Shopee page at $859 (with some vouchers, I paid $852.75). It’s not the cheapest rate I found for a duo, but that’s alright. Chong Aik’s the main distributor in Singapore, hence there is not much variation in price.
I had to install the set myself, which took a little bit of struggle. Since my usual helmet is a modular one, I used the boom mic for the microphone attachment. After much prodding and prying, the wires manage to hold up. If you don’t want to set the Cardo yourself, you can purchase it in person from Chong Aik and have them install for you.
Before you proceed in reading my review, please note that I’m sharing my thoughts as a casual rider!
Compatibility with your helmet
First, you do need to make sure that the speaker pads can fit your helmet. Currently I can only find this link for helmet compatibility with Cardo Slim. However it doesn’t mean that the speaker and microphone will not fit the helmet. Some bike apparel shops also do some hard adjustments to the helmets that you may have to enlarge the hole to fit the set. *note: this may compromise the integrity of your helmet’s shell so do at your own risk.
FYI: I am currently using a HJC Alpha 90S (modular).
Usually I just scour Reddit to find first-hand information on whether the helmet I am using is compatible with the Cardo I am installing.
Installing the App and Getting it to work
This is pretty straightforward. Download it from Google Playstore or Apple’s App Store.
The Cardo unit will connect to your phone via Bluetooth.
My Feelings
Connection to my phone is pretty seamless. Some units definitely feel more sensitive than the other. For example, the boom microphone on my Lazer helmet is more sensitive than my HJC unit, which gets annoying since the HJC helmet is my daily helmet to work. It activates the radio or mutes my music when I am singing in my helmet but not even saying “Hey Cardo”. I think it’s an isolated incident though, since the unit on Lazer helmet works fine.
If you’re asking me if it’s worth the investment, it’s a yes if you listen to music all the time but still require listening to the ambient noise for traffic. I don’t fancy the audio sensitivity when I answer calls – it 99% doesn’t work as well as a bluetooth earpiece or normal voice call. Maybe it works for others, but it doesn’t for me.
It is also a yes if you go touring with friends. There’s a Sena and Cardo camp, but increasingly people are choosing the Cardo because of the mesh capabilities up to 10 users or something like that. I’m not very particular, since it has worked for the touring activities I have done so far.
It is a little pricey though, so I would advice you to wait for promotions and stack any vouchers whenever Shopee gives them out. Had I not started touring, I would have been a little more desperate to get it cheaper around $350 per unit or so.
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