Best bike bells 2023 — make sure you get heard when you're cycling

Best bell for off-road riding: Granite Cricket Bell — Buy now from Merlin Cycles

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.

Read our review of the Granite Cricket Bell

Best posh bell: Spurcycle Original bell — Buy now from SJS Cycles

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.

Read our review of the Spurcycle bell

Best for drop handlebars: Trigger Bell — Buy now from Amazon

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.

Read our review of the Trigger Bell

Best space-saving bell: Acor Headset Spacer Bell — Buy now from Amazon for £9.47

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.

Best aero bell: MKS Aero Bell — Buy now from eBay

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. It has a simple aluminium body with a plastic ratchet strap to fit the handlebars.

Online this model currently only seems to be available from US vendors on eBay, so you may have to pay hefty delivery and customs fees if you want to make it your own. A titanium version costing around £55 is also available, but it'll ship from Japan so, again, freight adds a big whack. Still, titanium!

Read our review of the MKS Aero Bell

Best money-no-object bling bell: Van Nicholas Bell Titanium — Buy now from Van Nicholas for £82

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.

Another great compact bell: Lezyne Classic Brass Bell — Buy now from Sigma Sports

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.

Read our review of the Lezyne Classic Brass Bell

Best for easy fitting: BB Easyfit Bell — Buy now from Tredz

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.

Best posh (compact) bike bell: Spurcycle Compact Bell — buy now from Condor Cycles

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.

Read our review of the Spurcycle Compact Bell

A different drop handlebar solution: Canyon Ring Bar End Bell — buy now for £18.95 from Canyon

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. 

Read our review of the Canyon Ring Bar End Bell