If this does not get people's attention to move then I promise I will stop riding on the trails in my community & stick to riding on the roadways only. When I use this I will not sneak up people then hit the button. I will sound it with plenty of warning this way I am not startling people which could cause an a collision. I will also use it while riding in motor vehicle traffic as well.

I am going to use this because the bell I have is not enough to get their attention to move out of the way, neither does calling out "ON YOUR LEFT!" So on to the next step. If this does not work then I doubt anything will. Despite the posted rules of the trail people still insist on taking the whole thing up with their strollers, kids, dogs, etc. I don't mind if folks use the trails, that is what they are for. But people are not suppsed to spread out across the whole thing & when they stop move completely off of the trail.

Not to mention the people that use headphones while running or cycling. They can never hear me when I sound the bell or call out. This ought to get their attention.

Here is what I am going to use: http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/readitem.pl?Accessory=1015625493

Does anyone else have anything similar? How effective is it? What do you use it for?

I'll let you know how effective it is when I use it for the first time. I ought to receive it sometime next week.

I also bought a new bell too. But only because it has a nifty compass on it:
http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/readitem.pl?Accessory=1054061990

At 115db I say I'd use it for scaring dogs away. :) Or pedestrians who think they can walk in the road.

At that level of sound it should be heard very easily over anything. Though I would use this for a whole lot cheaper if I was going to get something. I used to have one but lost it. Its really really really loud.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E972J4/qid=1151762626/sr=8-3/ref=pd_bbs_3/104-0055000-7844737?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=1036592

I use my AirZound on nearly every ride thru town.
Stops offending cagers in their tracks.

I have AirZounds on every one of my bikes and swear by them. Motorists often snap their heads around thinking they are cutting off a truck and look perplexed to see a cycist on their right rear bumper. While they are a little expensive (I get a good deal on them at my LBS, mind you), in the end, they are cheaper with neither having to buy nor recharge batteries. I often fill them up at gas stations that have free air pumps, but they can be filled up with a good hand-pump as well.

I have AirZounds on every one of my bikes and swear by them. Motorists often snap their heads around thinking they are cutting off a truck and look perplexed to see a cycist on their right rear bumper. While they are a little expensive (I get a good deal on them at my LBS, mind you), in the end, they are cheaper with neither having to buy nor recharge batteries. I often fill them up at gas stations that have free air pumps, but they can be filled up with a good hand-pump as well.

When you fill them up a gas station with free air do you only do so if there is a pressure gauge? Or do you carry your own so you know not to overfill the AirZound & risk the bottle bursting? Or are pretty good at estimating how much air pressure you are putting when you use a gas station's air?

I am going to use this because the bell I have is not enough to get their attention to move out of the way, neither does calling out "ON YOUR LEFT!" So on to the next step. If this does not work then I doubt anything will. Despite the posted rules of the trail people still insist on taking the whole thing up with their strollers, kids, dogs, etc. I don't mind if folks use the trails, that is what they are for. But people are not suppsed to spread out across the whole thing & when they stop move completely off of the trail.

Not to mention the people that use headphones while running or cycling. They can never hear me when I sound the bell or call out. This ought to get their attention.

Does anyone else have anything similar? How effective is it? What do you use it for?

I'll let you know how effective it is when I use it for the first time. I ought to receive it sometime next week

I've had one for a month. I don't use it often but it is very loud. I'll use it on the MUP from at least 150 feet away when it's clear a mass of people are clogging both lanes. I've also used it to stir up some cagers that are busy not seeing me. I also use my voice and bell if the jogger/pedestrian is not moving in a straight line or there is oncomming traffic. When I pass someone with headpones jammed in their ears walking erratically I'm sorely tempted to let them have it.

I got mine from Amazon for about $19.

I was at my LBS today & saw they had one so I don't need to order one from Hostel Shoppe, just the bell with the nifty compass. Mounted it on my bike, filled it with air & when I pressed the button & sounded the horn my dog & wife about jumped through the ceiling. Dog was laying next to the bike, wife was standing next to me helping me install it. I did not realize it would be so loud. Can't wait to use it on my ride tomorrow.

When you fill them up a gas station with free air do you only do so if there is a pressure gauge? Or do you carry your own so you know not to overfill the AirZound & risk the bottle bursting? Or are pretty good at estimating how much air pressure you are putting when you use a gas station's air?

They advertise that they are impossible to overfill as they simply don't accept any more air. I have yet to break one or overfill one.

They advertise that they are impossible to overfill as they simply don't accept any more air. I have yet to break one or overfill one.
+1

Between my wife and I we have four. We always fill them at the petrol station and have had no problems with overfilling.

If you have a steel stem the compass will probably aim the wrong way.

I wonder if it runs out of air from use (likely in, say, NYC) if a CO2 cartridge would adequately serve as a quick refill. :D

If I commute regularly in NYC again (I mean as a daily get-to-work thing) I may splurge and get one. I'd likely use it on peds as much as drivers.

They advertise that they are impossible to overfill as they simply don't accept any more air. I have yet to break one or overfill one.

They (or any container/tire/etc.) stop accepting air when the pressure inside the bottle equals that of the compressor, usually around 100 psi.

I was at my LBS today & saw they had one so I don't need to order one from Hostel Shoppe, just the bell with the nifty compass. Mounted it on my bike, filled it with air & when I pressed the button & sounded the horn my dog & wife about jumped through the ceiling. Dog was laying next to the bike, wife was standing next to me helping me install it. I did not realize it would be so loud. Can't wait to use it on my ride tomorrow.

and you want to use this on a MUP? Folks don't like to be scared out of their shoes. My best advice, while on the MUP, slow down and be courteous. If you're in a hurry or training, get on the road.

They (or any container/tire/etc.) stop accepting air when the pressure inside the bottle equals that of the compressor, usually around 100 psi.

They stop at the pressure the compressor pressure switch is set at, what ever that may be. It may be 160. It may be 25.

The co2 cartridges fill a tire to pressure depending on the volume of the tire, the smaller the tire the higher the pressure. It depends on the size of the cartridge, and the size of the tire. Innovations has an approximate chart for tire sizes.
You know exactly what size tire the tank is equal to if any? If the volume of the tank is too small and the cartride is too big, you could go way over 100 psi. Who knows?

They advertise that they are impossible to overfill as they simply don't accept any more air. I have yet to break one or overfill one.

That claim makes no sense at all things don't work that way. With enough pressure you can burst the tank. If you rate a tank for 100 psi it's smart to have a much higher burst pressure for safety, for people who don't know what they are doing and overfill them. That makes sense.

Around here we have a lot of hiking trails and people have become accustomed to the sound of small cow-bells as mountain bikers come down the hill. I found one on the trail one day and used it on my bike. It rings continuously (as long as conditions aren't too smooth) and thus people can hear me coming and they pretty much know what I am (until they see it's a trike, then they get a surprise.)

I've got a yak bell from Nepal I'm thinking of using, too, because it's a bit louder and has a nicer tone. I've noticed that the rollerbladers have started wearing bells, too.

I'd think the Air Zound would be good for traffic. You need a real penetrating sound to get through the stereo system, air conditioning and rolled up windows. I'd think you'd make pedestrians jump out of their shoes and their baby's would start crying if you used that on the trail. But give it a try and tell us how it works.

I wonder if it runs out of air from use (likely in, say, NYC) if a CO2 cartridge would adequately serve as a quick refill. :D



C02 works fine... and because it's denser than air, makes for a lower pitch - sounds even scarier!

The Air Zound is great for cars and dogs, but a bit loud for peds on a MUP. I prefer to use a regular athletic whistle on paths.

For the times when I don't want to give up a water bottle cage to the Air ZoundI, I use one of these (http://www.falconsafety.com/safety/products/prod_detail.asp?id=154)small gas air horns clipped to my bar bag.

I have a vintage Acme whistle for "special occasions." All metal construction. That thing is probably as loud as the Airzound.

-Kurt

C02 works fine... and because it's denser than air, makes for a lower pitch - sounds even scarier!

Sweet! I should get a pair AirZounds to make a warning chord. :D

I used it for the first time yesterday when I rode my century. Used it both on the MUP, the city roadways & the state highway I rode on.

On the MUP I used it more for the oncoming trail users who were 2 abreast that apparently did not see me so they did not get over singlefile so we could pass safely. There was a couple of cyclists & a couple of roller bladders who either did not see me or thought they had more time to move over then they really did. I sent out a blast from the horn within about 150 feet after I realized they were not moving over. For those going the same direction as me on the MUP I sent out a blast from about 200 to 300 feet back so not to scare them & give them plenty of time to move.

The airzound was most effective when I used it because of idiot motorists though. Each time I used it the motorist either swerved away from me, looked in the mirror or over their shoulder at me with a look of utter confusion that a bike could make so much noise. There was on motorist who was on the cell phone when I sounded the horn at him he swerved away from me, looked his cell phone like something was wrong with it, then looked at me in the mirror. Most of the use was when I was on the highway, including the idiot on the cell phone. All of them were because they passed way to close.

For some reason the sound of a horn in such close proximety causes motorists to swerve away from the direction the sound of the horn is coming from. Is this a natural instinct in motorists? It is kind of like Pavlovs dog. Instead of a bell & their mouth watering when they hear it they swerve away from the sound of a horn when driving.

I also used it as a signal device to say hi to on coming cyclists who were on the same highway as I was when I was riding my century yesterday as well. This may be a waste of the air in the bottle but it is a cool way to say hi.

I have the bottle in a bottle cage which is mounted to the front frame boom tube of my Vision recumbent, the tube lightly wraps around the steering tube with the fill valve/trigger or button & horn mounted on the handle bars. I either have to fold down the steering tube or remove the trigger/button & horn where the valve is from the mount on the handle bars to fill it up with air. This will also make it easier to remove it when I transport the bike over long distances.

There was on motorist who was on the cell phone when I sounded the horn at him he swerved away from me, looked his cell phone like something was wrong with it, then looked at me in the mirror. Most of the use was when I was on the highway, including the idiot on the cell phone. All of them were because they passed way to close.

I'm not sure why this tickles me so, but it does. :D :D

I'm not sure why this tickles me so, but it does. :D :D

Heh, I'm laughing myself, reading that.

I believe the humor comes from the driver's misconception that the sound came from his phone. Then again, chances are all he hears are sounds from his phone due to his neverending use of it...

-Kurt