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BUYER'S GUIDE

Best bike bells 2024 — make sure you get heard when you're cycling

Let people know you're there with a friendly 'ding!' by choosing from one of the best bells for your bike

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A bicycle bell is the traditional way of letting other road and cycle path users know that you're there, and it's doubly useful when there are lots of people on foot about. Bells may not be glamorous, but they've had a bit of a renaissance in recent years as accessory makers come up with bells that are more reliable, and look and sound better. Here's our pick of the best bike bells.


Here in the UK, you're not legally obliged to have a bicycle bell, but they can be a handy way to give a friendly warning of your approach. We favour a pleasant tone and the option to have the bell sound constantly. 

There's a huge range out there, from tiny, cheap pingers to spendy titanium units and even (allegedly) aerodynamic bells! Don't wait till you're almost on top of someone to sound your bell; startled pedestrians quite reasonably take umbrage, so make a small investment and let people know you're there with a cheery ding ding... 

The best bike bells: our top picks

Crane Bell E-Ne Revolver - Stealth Black

Crane Bell E-Ne Revolver - Stealth Black

9
Best bike bell overall
Buy now for £28.99 from Bike Inn
Lovely musical tone
Really easy to use
Only fits 22.2-25.4mm bars

The Crane E-Ne Revolver bell has a lovely, musical tone according to our reviewer, and it sung well enough to bag itself a road.cc Recommends award from us last year. 

Its unusual rotary mechanism means you can fit it wherever on your handlebar suits best. It's very well made with a machined aluminium clamp and brass dome, which looks very classy. 

While this bell is not cheap, this Japanese bell make is renowned for the volume and tone of its bells for a reason, and the E-Ne Revolver is no exception. When you turn the outer ring it produces a cheery sequence of ching-ching sounds that are a super polite way of announcing your presence. If that matters to you, and you also want a bell that is easy to fit and looks great, this is the one for you! 

Granite Cricket Bell

Granite Cricket Bell

9
Best bell for off-road riding
Buy now for £18.9 from Amazon UK
Can be set to ring continuously

The Granite Cricket Bell looks like a classic bicycle bell but has a handy cowbell feature so it can be set to ring continuously, and can be mounted to a range of bar sizes. It works flawlessly and is well priced. If you need to alert other folks on shared-use paths and trails of your presence, this is a solid option. Its versatility and suitability for off-road use means it comes high on our list of recommendations.

Spurcycle Bell

Spurcycle Original

8
Best posh bell
Buy now for £64.99 from Condor Cycles
Looks amazing
Pleasant-sounding
Expensive

Made in the US, the Spurcycle bell was successfully funded through Kickstarter. It’s an all-metal design with a metal strap fitting to any diameter handlebar and uses a brass dinger to create a sound that the manufacturer says is three times louder than a conventional bell.

We found the ring the ring to be really impressive, clearly cutting through external noise and resonating well after the hammer hits. It even managed to get the attention of people listening to headphones, which is something that doesn't happen too often with a regular bell. According to a sound meter phone app, the ring was consistently between 88-100 decibels, which is certainly enough to get people's attention.

Trigger Bell

Trigger Bell

9
Best for drop handlebars
Buy now for £8.99 from Amazon UK
Affordable
Ideal for road bikes

The Trigger Bell is a small but very well-designed bell that works on a very broad range of handlebars, intended to allow you to work the bell without moving your hand from where it naturally sits to operate the brakes and gears. Effective and good value, it sets a high bar for other bells to reach.

Acor Headset Spacer Bell

Acor Headset Spacer Bell

10
Best space-saving bell
Buy now for £6.53 from Amazon

If you don’t have space on your handlebar to fit a bicycle bell, this clever Acor Headset Spacer Bell could be the perfect solution. It simply replaces a 10mm spacer above or below your stem and will fit a 1 1/8in steerer tube.

Hornit dB140 with Garmin Style Mount

Hornit dB140 with Garmin Style Mount

7
Best for sheer volume
Buy now for £29.99 from Amazon
Very loud
Garmin-style mount
Light
Easy to fit
Easy to use
Even the quieter setting is over-loud for cycle paths and pedestrians

Ok, so the Hornit DB140 technically isn't a bell... but it is a very loud alternative to one, the loudest bicycle horn in the world in fact, if that's what your particular type of riding demands. 

As the name suggests, it can blast out 140 decibels of noise to alert everyone in the vicinity (and some probably out of it) of your presence. While our reviewer found it too loud for cycle paths and pedestrian-heavy areas, even on the quieter setting, it does make sense if a lot of your riding is in heavy traffic. The Garmin-style mount is also great, holding the horn very securely without taking up too much space.

MKS Aero Bell

MKS Aero Bell

7
Best bell for aero gains (apparently)
Buy now for £32 from Freshtripe
Looks great
Aero (so we're told)
Pricey

Got an aero bike and don’t want to fit a bicycle bell because it might generate unwanted drag? Here’s the MKS Aero Bell, which has an aero shape and a plastic ratchet strap to fit it the handlebars.

It certainly looks the part, according to our reviewer at the time, plus it works fine, even if it is a bit pricey. Online it's only available in the fancy titanium version, with all the less expensive alloy ones out of stock at the time of writing. Still, titanium!

Van Nicholas Bell Titanium

Van Nicholas Bell Titanium

10
Best money-no-object bling bike bell
Buy now for £81 from Van Nicholas

If you want to add a bit of titanium bling to your bike look no further than the Van Nicholas titanium bell. It would go well with a matching Van Nicholas bicycle but we reckon it’ll look good on most bicycles. It’s available in 22.2 and 31.8mm diameters.

Lezyne Classic Brass Bell

Lezyne Classic Brass Bell

8
Another great compact bell
Buy now for £11.24 from Tweeks Cycles
Simple and effective
Small size
Not the loudest

Bike bells no longer need to be the size of a wagon wheel to be effective, like something you'd see on a Raleigh Chopper, and they don't need to break the bank either. This Lezyne bell is a case in point. It is a simple design that works well – a base with two hooks for a rubber band to hold it to the bar, and a spring attached to the hammer that, when flicked, hits the dome to ding – and comes in at a decent price.

BB Easyfit Bell

BB Easyfit Bell

10
Best for easy fitting
Buy now for £7.64 from Amazon
Loud

If you want a simple and cheap bell, the BBB EasyFit Bell doesn’t require any tools for installation. Instead, you get a selection of rubber bands to wrap around any size handlebar. At around a fiver it’s one of the most affordable bicycle bells in this roundup. It comes in a choice of colours to match your bike.

Spurcycle Compact Bell

Spurcycle Compact Bell

7
Best posh (compact) bike bell
Buy now for £34.99 from Condor Cycles
Good looking
High quality
Doesn't take up much space
Loud
Pricey
Only fits 22.2mm bars
Not quite as loud as the original Spurcycle

As the name suggests, the compact version of Spurcycle's Class bell aims to do the same job but in a smaller package. It's designed with flat bar commuter bikes and mountain bikes in mind, taking up as little bar space as possible without compromising on volume. Our reviewer found that it mostly delivered, although the sound isn't quite as loud as Spurcycle's original bell. It's also quite expensive, but then again this is a quality product that should outlive numerous bikes, so worth the investment to those who want a timeless yet space-saving accessory.

Canyon Road Cycling Bell

Canyon Road Cycling Bell

7
A different drop handlebar solution
Buy now for £18.95 from Canyon
Easy to fit
Unobtrusive
Nice ping
Expensive
Bar end position can be awkward to reach

The Canyon Ring Bar End Bell (careful how you say it!) differs from almost every other bike bell because it fits on the end of a dropped handlebar rather than clamping onto the outside by the stem. Its light weight and position make it beautifully inconspicuous and a really interesting choice for road cyclists who don't want any extra bar clutter. 

You have the option of left or right-side mounting, it weighs just 40g and has a nice definitive 'ping'. Our reviewer did find it a bit awkward to access as you need to reach down to it while you're riding, which might not be ideal; so while it won't be for everyone, it's definitely a solution worth considering for road cyclists. 

Some bonus bike bell info

faq-icon
What types of bike bell are there?

If you do want to fit a bicycle bell, there are now many choices on the market as plenty of bike brands have responded to the challenge of designing a compact and stylish bell that is highly audible. Want to run one on your road bike? Look for a lightweight bell made from brass alloy, or consider a very compact and discreet solution like Canyon's Ring bar end bell. If you're after something that will suit your commuter or retro bike, there are still lots of more traditional-looking options too.

faq-icon
Do I need to have a bell on my bike?

“Where's your bell?!” It’s a line you’ve probably heard many times, usually after you’ve shouted a cheery hello. But do cyclists have to have bells? In the UK a bike has to be sold with a bell fitted, but there’s no legal obligation to keep it on your new bike once you get it home from the shop. Other jurisdictions have different rules. In New South Wales, Australia, under its legal principle of Treat Cyclists As Vermin So They Stop Riding, you can be fined AU$106 (£57) for not having a bell.

The Highway Code only recommends a bicycle bell be fitted. “Be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted.”

Bicycle bells can be a sensible addition to your bike though, whether cycling along shared-used paths or quiet country lanes with horse riders and dog walkers that might not hear a cyclist approaching.

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

Add new comment

11 comments

Avatar
andystow | 1 month ago
1 like

I've just bought and installed the Crane, and it does sound lovely, especially compared to the crappy one that came on my Trek District 4. I won't get a chance to ride that bike until the snow melts, though.

Avatar
andystow replied to andystow | 1 week ago
3 likes

The Crane goes completely dead after being out in a moderate amount of rain if mounted horizontally. The spinner is basically a cup, and fills with water.

I modified it today by drilling some holes in it.

I was surprised to find out that the part is made of metal, not plastic.

I put a piece of scrap behind it so that I wouldn't scratch my bar, but I didn't bother with niceties like punching or spacing them exactly when nobody will see them.

Image: 
Avatar
miekwidnes | 2 months ago
3 likes

I mostly use my bell to warn walkers that I am approaching so I find it needs to be as friendly a sound as possible

plus it needs more than a single short ding - especially for groups who may be chatting

Which is why a review of bells - and web sites that are trying to sell them - need audio files

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 2 months ago
2 likes

I have a trigger bell and love it fits anywhere on a drop bar and nice and loud.  Rarely use it however as I find a friendly hello or Morning! is better received.

Avatar
MarkH21 | 2 months ago
0 likes

Shame you didn't review the Knog bell - these bells look fantastic and are very practical. I love the design and I have one in copper which looks smart. They include cable grips if you are fitting to a drop bar bike with cables exiting the handlebar tape which makes fitting close to the tape in really easy which is a bonus. 

Avatar
mark1a replied to MarkH21 | 2 months ago
1 like

I was a backer on Kickstarter for the Knog Oi in 2016, and got one in titanium. I agree, it's a great looking bell with a very pleasant ding, but I ended up removing it as it's just too quiet to be practical. It's currently in a drawer somewhere.

Avatar
giff77 | 2 months ago
0 likes

A bell is a legal requirement in Northern Ireland. It would though take a highly officious peeler to fine you. Mind you if you were being gobby with them the might toss that fine in for good measure. My dad was fined back in the sixties by an eagle eyed peeler who was walking past at a junction. 

Avatar
the infamous grouse | 2 months ago
2 likes

a gas air horn is required for the earpod/earphone using pedestrians - the ones who are voluntarily oblivious

Avatar
thax1 replied to the infamous grouse | 2 months ago
2 likes

My front disc offers similar auditory performance in damp conditions, and yes, I like it like that;)

Avatar
IanGlasgow | 2 months ago
3 likes

What's the point of reviewing bells if there's no audio files or videos?

 

Avatar
AidanR replied to IanGlasgow | 2 months ago
5 likes

You'll just have to close your eyes and imagine the 'ding'