Having tried and tested most of the world’s most popular headphones, my current go-to music makers are the Sonos Ace. These excellent noise-cancelling cans continue to impress thanks to their incredibly comfortable fit, super lightweight design, long battery life and stunning sound. Wherever I travel, the Ace are in my bag, but I’ve been trying something different for the last month.

Dyson’s OnTrac headphones come hot on the heels of the UK firm’s whacky Zone headphones, which were created to play music while also filtering the air we all breathe, a Covid-era concern addressed via tech. The Zone were a pretty strange creation that never really took off, but everyone that used them – including Express.co.uk – all agreed they sounded very, very good.

Luckily, Dyson’s new OnTrac cans have ditched the weird air-filtering face mask and focused on that already-good audio instead. So, with the Sonos Ace tucked safely in my cupboard, how do the Dyson OnTrac stack up, and should you invest?

Having worn them on planes, trains, in the office and at home, I’ve been left pretty impressed. Considering Dyson is famed for vacuum cleaners, fans and hairdryers – not audio products – the team from Malmesbury have done a stellar job.

They sound mighty and are easily as good as alternatives from more established rivals such as Bose and Sony. I’ve had no issues enjoying all types of music, with everything sounding rich with detail and crystal clear along with offering just the right levels of bass. Dyson has packed custom-built 40mm neodymium drivers inside with things tilted at an angle of 13 degrees towards the ear and it all works incredibly well.

There’s also some excellent Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which means you only hear the audio and not the hustle and bustle of the world around you.

A total of eight Active Noise Cancelling microphones are built into the OnTrac, which can sense outside sounds 384,000 times a second to fine-tune the effectiveness. Having tested them on packed London Underground trains, noisy cafes and even a long-haul flight to New York, I’ve been really impressed by how well the ANC works and how little you hear other than your playlists.

Battery life is also ridiculously good, with Dyson promising over 52 hours on a single charge. That’s no exaggeration, and during my time with them, I’ve never come close to running low on juice when travelling.

Of course, I can’t write about OnTrac without mentioning the unique design. Dyson created these cans to offer loads of customisation.

That means you can change the colour of the cups or switch out the plates that cover the sides of these headphones at point of purchase or by buying extra accessories.

It’s pretty easy to adapt things which means you can constantly change the style to suit your mood or outfit. The OnTrac are definitely not subtle, and the design will certainly polarise opinion, but it’s nice to see something a little different arrive on the market.

You can also design your look – including changing the colour of the headband – when buying them online which, if nothing else, is quite good fun.

The only thing to note is the price of the accessories. At £449 the OnTrac are already ludicrously expensive and adding extra cups or those colourful outer caps will cost you an extra £50 each – ouch!

So, if you buy the OnTrac and add a couple of extra cups and plates, you could end up with a bill of over £649.

Things get even more expensive if you want to plug them into a headphone port or plane entertainment system as the audio cable isn’t included and adds an extra £20 to the bill.

Other features I’ve enjoyed – aside from that cost – are the simple controls for adjusting volume, pausing tracks, and switching off the ANC.

The Dyson app offers plenty of sound settings, so you can adjust things to suit your tastes. The headphones switch off automatically when you remove them from your ears, fold flat for easy storage and will even warn you if things are too loud.

So yes, I’ve been left impressed by Dyson’s OnTrac but there are some issues that can’t be overlooked. Although they are comfortable to wear and sound great, they are pretty heavy and that weight won’t suit everyone.

The supplied travel case feels very cheap considering the high price of the cans, and they only connect to one device at a time, which means you can’t quickly switch from your phone to a tablet or laptop to a Bluetooth music player.

Multi-device support is something I’ve got used to on other headphones, such as the AirPods Pro 2 and Sonos Ace, and it’s a glaring omission from Dyson.

As we mentioned before, the £449 price is stupendously high, and the unique look might not be to everyone’s tastes.

So, will I return to my Sonos Ace, or will Dyson’s OnTrac take pride of place on my head? I’ve got to be honest; I was expecting to revert back to the Ace pretty quickly, but I’ve actually enjoyed using Dyson’s headphones.

They sound epic, have decent ANC, neat customisation options, and near-endless battery life.

It’s a solid effort from Dyson’s audio team, but I do have issues with the weight, price and lack of multi-device connectivity. The design is also much like Marmite, and the styling won’t suit everyone – these are anything but subtle.

My Sonos Ace aren’t going to be replaced by the OnTrac, but these headphones are way better than I was expecting and if you fancy something a little more unique that stands out from the crowd, they won’t disappoint.

Cycling has many health benefits, exercising your legs, lungs and mind as you travel. But tricky terrain or a distance that’s just a bit too far can put you off. Which is where an e-bike comes in.

Let’s be clear, the Ampler Stout isn’t a way of cheating: e-bikes still require you to work, which is why they’re called pedal-assist, but they take the edge off the effort you need, meaning you may get in the saddle more often when you know that unavoidable hill is no longer a strain. Some studies have shown that e-bike riders get more exercise than regular bikers.

Loads of e-bikes have telltale piles of batteries above the rear wheel or attached to the frame, for instance. But Ampler prides itself on building bikes that look just like regular cycles – unless they know, nobody will have a clue that the Ampler is helping you out.

Ampler, which hand-builds its ebikes in Talinn, Estonia, disguises its electrical capabilities by cramming the battery into the downtube of the frame, which means that the Ampler Stout looks just like a classic city bike.

The Stout is now on to its second generation and I’ve tried both the older model and the newer one (some first-gen Stout bikes are still available at lower prices). Both offer a comfortable, upright seating position and a smooth drive across nine gears—the Ampler range includes “fixies” with just one fixed gear as well, if that’s what you prefer, but for everyday use, the Stout is a versatile, go-anywhere choice.

It has a comfortable, upright seating position which works well both in the city or for gentle Sunday outings on the downs.

One of the key changes between the first- and second-gen models is the addition of an integrated black-and-white display which sits in the top tube of the frame.

Press the power button, now conveniently placed on the underside of the top tube, and the screen shows the battery level and how much power assist you’re using. You can choose from Level 2, Level 1 and no power assistance (although the power is so appealing, you may never switch it off).

Also in the display is other information, such as statistics for your trips and – crucially – the remaining battery range. The power button also turns the lights on and off.

Another upgrade is GPS. Absent from the first models, the Stout knows where you’ve parked. Using the Ampler app, you can lock and unlock the bike remotely, which is a highly useful security benefit, especially for city riders.

The 250-watt rear hub motor assists you for speeds up to 15.5 miles per hour. Any faster, and you’re on your own. In practice, it’s a seamlessly smooth ride, gently boosting you from standing still with enough oomph to make a difference, but never a harsh acceleration to jolt you.

It’s at its most effective helping you take a steep hill where you glide (gratefully and gracefully) away, past sweating cyclists on regular bikes. If only they knew you had electric assistance.

In tests, I found the range to be around 45 miles, edging to 50 miles or more on flatter terrain. Recharging the bike takes around 2 hours 30 minutes, which is fast enough to be convenient.

Ebikes can be heavy, but the Stout clocks in at 17.8kg, meaning that you can easily heave it up a few steps, but living on the third floor would make it a chore to carry. Even so, as e-bikes go, it’s relatively light.

It comes in two frame sizes, 58cm for riders 5 feet 5 inches up to 6 feet 6 inches, and a 55cm one for those between 5 feet 4 inches and 6 feet tall. There are two slick but subtle colors, Meteor Ash which is a deep, dark grey and Pearl Black which has a darker, quietly gleaming feel to it. Both have an appealing, demure and understated look.

By the way, the Ampler Stellar is similar to the Stout but has a step-through frame, if you prefer that.

Ampler Stout Gen 2 is available from amplerbikes.com and costs £3,190. The earlier Stout G1 model is available in an Anniversary edition and costs £2,290.

Both are great, but the second-generation model is sublime: a spectacularly enjoyable ride with a subtle but effective electric boost.

And if you are tempted to cycle more, there are several accessories you shouldn’t do without. Living in Britain you need protection from the rain: Transit Trousers from the pleasantly named Showers Pass are impressively waterproof and make a big difference. Currently on offer at £92.

Keeping your tyres well inflated will help guard against punctures. Best is a stand pump like the excellent Topeak Joe Blow Sport EX, currently on special offer from Tredz for £29. And finally everywhere but especially in urban environments, a decent lock is essential. Kryptonite makes reliable and incredibly sturdy locks in its New York range. The Standard Lock is highly effective – £82.99 from Halfords (which may sound expensive until the second after a cheaper lock proves no match for the thieves).