Hi.

I've realised I need a bell to warn pedestrians of my imminent arrival in their personal space.
Does anyone know of bells that fit well on drop bars, or have any clever mounting suggestions?
I'd like something akin to a Spurcycles type jobbie. I had a Knog Oi, but it just wasn't loud enough to be useful, shame as the design was nice.
Also, I use a bar roll in a harness and a pair of AK Stemcells, so mounting on the flats or stem area is going to be tricky, without some innovation.

I fitted my Spurcycle today - it doesn’t take up much space and it’s really loud and clear for such a small bell. If space is really at a premium Lindarets do a bar end mount for it

Vocal chords take up no bar space and are the lightest option.

Some bells have a hood mounting version.
I used a Knog Oi just by the stem on drops.

Used my timber!bell next to the stem with bar bag in the new forest, worked well because of its friendly ting-aling-aling sound. Doesn't cost £50.

£50 for a bell

Most modern bells are tha same size as that I tend to mount mine on the bars and on the stem if it gets in the way of bags
Its further to reach but its rarely a surprise when you need to use your bell and I then default to vocal chords

IME people ,in general not all, respond better to a bell than anything you say.

Some pedestrians complain if you use a bell, some pedestrians complain if you don’t use a bell, some pedestrians just like to complain

Ive got the fake chinese version of the spurcycle bell, its nowhere near as nice as the real thing. I do like the fact its silent when just riding allong though, not rattling about making a racket.

Worth £50, debatable. Its nicely made, it wont rust, it sounds nice. So its certainly better than anything else. But hard to justify being £40 better.

I use a fake spurcycle as well, I have them on all my bikes and they have lasted well. The one on the mtb is looking a bit old having got scratched sliding along the tarmac last January but came off no worse than my Hope brake lever or my elbow for that matter. I've even manged to find a picture of one on the drop bar bike.



Instead of the supplied self-adhesive rubber bar protector I just put some heat-shrink on the mounting band. That way it makes it easy to move about to suit, depending on where the straps for the luggage are. It would normally be right next to the stem but has been moved along the bar to miss the strap.

Crane ENE bells are good - ~£20 and loud with a loud, long tone. The note is lower too, more of a shop doorbell sound, seems to be heard by older folks more easily. I gave up on the spur copy as it just wasn't that effective, put it on the Brompton where it was a major upgrade over the tinkerbell it came with

I put the bell on the upper bend above the levers or right at the drop end sometimes if space is limited, there's usually a good angle where it's accessible and not in the way.

I too like the Timber bell as the jingle jangle seems less 'pointed' or 'aimed', so people don't seem to take quite as much offence.

If you are buying one make sure it works in the rain.
(Don't get me started about bells that don't work in the rain grrrrrr and breath.)
Some of the (cheap) dome type bells are mounted on a pillar that fills up with rain
and will only produce a dull clunk when wet instead of a piercing piiiiiiiiiiiing.
A Knog Oi is only marginally better when wet.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:59 am I too like the Timber bell as the jingle jangle seems less 'pointed' or 'aimed', so people don't seem to take quite as much offence.

I’ve one of those too. When it works well it’s ace and people get a good gentle warning of your approach. However you can’t get around the fact that a significant minority of people (whether in a car, on a bike or on foot) are completely oblivious to there surroundings and the Timber! is just a little too subtle.
It sits nicely on my Jones bar bike but I find it hard to accommodate it sensibly on a bike with drops and the full compliment of bags.

The Spurcycle bells are lovely but mega$$.. A Cane Bell is the next best thing & much better vfm..

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2020 9:11 pm Vocal chords take up no bar space and are the lightest option.

Yep. I haven't had a bell on a bike since I was about 8 (apart from the bell end riding it LOL). A simple "morning!" or "excuse me please guys" has always done the trick.

In Reverse wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 5:09 pm Yep. I haven't had a bell on a bike since I was about 8 (apart from the bell end riding it LOL). A simple "morning!" or "excuse me please guys" has always done the trick.

I find that doesn't work well in a busy or 'urban' setting though. Been cycling in London with & without a bell this last week, much prefer having a bell. Peeps identify the sound of a bell with a bicycle so know what to expect without having to turn round. The sound travels better with a good bell, plus they're handy when approaching things like blind corners or junctions..

I always thought a bell was mandatory?

gloryhallelujahAl wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 6:22 pm I always thought a bell was mandatory?

Only at the point of sale for a complete bike. There's no rule to have it fitted in use on UK highways, except in Northern Ireland.

Let's not mess about

whitestone wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 6:32 pm

gloryhallelujahAl wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 6:22 pm I always thought a bell was mandatory?

Only at the point of sale for a complete bike. There's no rule to have it fitted in use on UK highways, except in Northern Ireland.

It also opens up an option for a v. cheap or free bell- they normally have loads knocking about at lbs's. They're usually rubbish though & just rattle to pieces if used off road..

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 6:36 pm Let's not mess about

I'm sure John Climber had one of those!

Wotsits wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 5:46 pm

In Reverse wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 5:09 pm Yep. I haven't had a bell on a bike since I was about 8 (apart from the bell end riding it LOL). A simple "morning!" or "excuse me please guys" has always done the trick.

I find that doesn't work well in a busy or 'urban' setting though. Been cycling in London with & without a bell this last week, much prefer having a bell. Peeps identify the sound of a bell with a bicycle so know what to expect without having to turn round. The sound travels better with a good bell, plus they're handy when approaching things like blind corners or junctions..

You do have a very insipid voice and a simpleton's accent though. Those pedestrians in London probably thought you were doing some sort of performance art.

In Reverse wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 5:09 pm I haven't had a bell on a bike since I was about 8 (apart from the bell end riding it LOL).

Never a truer word said in jest

In Reverse wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:34 am

Wotsits wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 5:46 pm

In Reverse wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 5:09 pm Yep. I haven't had a bell on a bike since I was about 8 (apart from the bell end riding it LOL). A simple "morning!" or "excuse me please guys" has always done the trick.

I find that doesn't work well in a busy or 'urban' setting though. Been cycling in London with & without a bell this last week, much prefer having a bell. Peeps identify the sound of a bell with a bicycle so know what to expect without having to turn round. The sound travels better with a good bell, plus they're handy when approaching things like blind corners or junctions..

You do have a very insipid voice and a simpleton's accent though. Those pedestrians in London probably thought you were doing some sort of performance art.

Yep .

It's like watching a much more amusing version of Stadler and Waldorf or Newman/Baddiel's "That's You That Is"!

No pictures of the panda bell Reg?