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Accessories - misc
MKS Aero BellMKS Aero Bell

MKS Aero Bell

7
by Jon Burrage
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Feb 12, 2011

4
£19.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Works fine and looks nice but £20 seems steep, given that ping bells cost £3 or come free with new bikes.
Weight: 
28g
Contact: 
www.zyro.co.uk
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The name of the MKS Aero Bell says it all. It’s a bell. It’s aero – or aero-ish. Bikes have to be sold with bells in the UK, although you’re free to remove them afterwards. Owners of road bikes often do so, more because they ‘look out of place’ than because of the minimal weight added or the micro-seconds lost to increased air resistance.

At £20, the MKS Aero Bell isn’t cheap, but hey, nothing aero is. And it’s cheaper than the MKS Titanium Racing Bell, which is £35. It works fine and it doesn’t look bad either. It’s designed with a sleek, simple alloy body that sits directly in front of the pinger. It fits to any diameter of handlebar via a single, flexible strap that tightens with a threaded plastic wheel. (Tools aren’t required.)

How much benefit an aero bell will give over a non-aero version is debatable; clearly not much. Yet it does look the part on a road bike, which is surely the point, and road-crossing pedestrians and shared-path users will be glad you’ve got any kind of bell.

Verdict

Works fine and looks nice but £20 seems steep, given that ping bells cost £3 or come free with new bikes.

road.cc test report

Make and model: MKS Aero bell

Size tested: Silver

Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
8/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
5/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No, I have bells already that I don't use.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Probably not. £20 is a lot for a bell.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 5ft 10  Weight: 70kg

I usually ride: felt ar4  My best bike is: i like my felt and my orbea ora tt bike equally

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, mtb, triathlon

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4 comments

Avatar
amazon22 | 13 years ago
0 likes

Pray tell how a carbon fibre bell would sound - a dull little thud perhaps???? Ti is the only true way.

Avatar
simonmb replied to amazon22 | 13 years ago
0 likes
amazon22 wrote:

Ti is the only true way.

SHIIIIINEY 105

Avatar
BigDummy | 13 years ago
0 likes

I'd buy this. If it was made of aerospace grade carbon fibre, came in Team Sky colours and was considerably more expensive.

Avatar
amazon22 | 13 years ago
0 likes

The titanium version at £35 is sooooo much lighter - tempted to get one for my Van Nicholas ...

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