[nostromo]

Like all good riders I take all the crap off my new bike when I get it home. The wheel and frame reflectors ‘naturally’ and of course, the bell.

For a retailer, all bikes have to be fitted with a bell before they are sold. But for riders, there’s no legal requirement to have one fitted. I’m not making an argument for the law to be changed here, just proffering a personal opinion.

Locally, I only ride quiet country lanes, interspersed by some busier A and B roads. I’m not the speediest on a bike by any means, but I still overtake other road users, be they walkers, horseriders and cyclists. Sometimes I feel it would be worthwhile letting them know I am coming. I’ve even taken to sounding a short, hard whistle, which is ridiculous when you think about it. I usually say to them something like: “just letting you know I was there” or some other nonsense as I go past.

So the thinking goes, if I’m going to continue making this much effort I might as well fit a bell.

But there’s something ‘wrong’ about having a bell on a bike these days isn’t there. When did it become so uncool? And why?

Nevertheless, I think I’m going to give it a go – if I can find a cool enough bell (road.cc buyers’ guide dept take note).

No way I’m putting the wheel and frame reflectors back on though. They may be the cheapest, most-effective life saving bits of plastic you can stick on your bike, but that’s a step too far! 😉

Topic

[matthewn5]

I ride down a too-narrow
I ride down a too-narrow protected bike lane every day that has nowhere to go if a pedestrian steps into it. I’ve god a Cateye bell mounted on the left, just below the STI, that I can operate with my left thumb while braking. I’ve used it a lot, often while braking, just too many idiots walking off the pavement into a bike lane without looking.

[chrisl]

Ah the lion bellworks ones, I
Ah the lion bellworks ones, I saw them a while ago and wanted one, great! Thanks for posting! To buy with my Christmas bike-pressie money (was simpler than specifying the exact items) 🙂

[daviddb]

Father Christmas bought me a
Father Christmas bought me a Lion Bell Works brass beauty. I am one happy rabbit.

[Cyclist]

)))))on your right/left
)))))on your right/left mate-nice one thanks((((( always works for me.

[RedfishUK]

..very useful on the canal
..very useful on the canal path, especially a couple of bridges coming into Leeds where you can’t see oncoming walkers or cyclists..

[OldRidgeback]

Just taken a pinger type off
Just taken a pinger type off my son’s race bike but I might fit it on my old MTB that I use on-road.

[Shades]

If you’re going to encounter
If you’re going to encounter pedestrians then fit a bell; it’s just polite and, if they’re not listening, at least you’ve made an effort to warn them. Not sure why one of the oldest cycling accessories is seen as a bit ‘uncool’? Rapha! – make a bell; it’ll be on every road bike in the country before you know it!

[wellcoordinated]

Who said bells are uncool? I
Who said bells are uncool? I mean titanium that’s always cool – isn’t it?

http://www.vannicholas.com/componentsdetails.aspx?id=114

And at that price it really is cool – right?

[oddbydefault]

Saw some spacer mounted bells
Saw some spacer mounted bells in my LBS…

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.System-EX-A-Headset-Spacer-Bell_62128.htm

[brakesmadly]

BBB wrote:I have a loud Hope

BBB wrote:

I have a loud Hope 2 rear hub and a small ping bell with an o-ring (attaches anywhere in a second).
If none of them have any effect, I use my “enforcer” – 120dB Airzound B-)
Although VERY LOUD (even in traffic), with a bit of practice it can be used gently or in a intimidating way, depending on a situation.

Same here, although I find that pedestrians are confused by such a loud sound coming from a bike and tend to look in every direction except the one I want!

[BBB]

I have a loud Hope 2 rear hub
I have a loud Hope 2 rear hub and a small ping bell with an o-ring (attaches anywhere in a second).
If none of them have any effect, I use my “enforcer” – 120dB Airzound B-)
Although VERY LOUD (even in traffic), with a bit of practice it can be used gently or in a intimidating way, depending on a situation.

[dunnoh]

The single ring bell works
The single ring bell works really well. I have one on my hybrid and I can be 100 yds from people and they hear it. No idea why but they do – just seems to cut through the background noise and as a single ‘ting’ it doesn’t seem to annoy people

[paulrbarnard]

I have a bell on my commuting
I have a bell on my commuting bike. I’ve had the same one for about 15 years now, it’s seen 3 different bikes. It has a smiley face floating in oil and it is also a compass as it always looks to the north. My daughters gave it to me as a fathers day present and I would never swap it for another. Fortunately it makes a very in tune ding.

As others have said though ringing the bell often has no effect at all as walkers tend to be plugged into iPods etch and completely oblivious.

[paslemeilleur]

We have our work bikes fitted
We have our work bikes fitted with two bells each. The classic Dutch 80mm ding dong on one side, traditional dring dring on the other. Very useful when signalling, especially on descents. The variety is enjoyable, you can mute them with the palm of your hand if you want to, or ring them together for a hell of a noise; all good for the streets of Croydon. Surprisingly, we’ve never had any complaints from pedestrians or cars, though the foxes get terrified…..

[PJ McNally]

Bell on the seat tube, in my
Bell on the seat tube, in my case!

[Author]

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