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What do you recommend for a bell?

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What do you recommend for a bell?

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Old 05-27-17 | 12:37 PM
  #51  
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horn

I will put another plug for airzounds. It actually makes people laugh. They don't expect it from a bike.
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Old 05-31-17 | 01:27 PM
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Originally Posted by FrontRanger
The Spurcycle bell is the finest I've used. Really expensive, but it may just be the perfect bell.

Best bell out there!
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Old 06-01-17 | 11:31 AM
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3 of my IGH bikes have a Mirrycle Grip bell on the opposite side.

Incredibell Grip Bell ? Mirrycle Corporation
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Old 06-01-17 | 11:37 AM
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Another vote for Spurcycle bell.
I purchased the clone from Amazon and the actual Spurcycle bell from their website. Equal amount of use, the clone bell just gave up the ghost. The Spurcycle bell is still going strong.
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Old 06-14-17 | 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by noglider
I'm taking a chance on this $3 bell which claims to be brass. I don't see how it can be true, but I've got $3 to burn. It will take a while to arrive from China.
Has it arrived yet?

Of all things, I'm overthinking this. I like the Crane, but for NYC street riding I feel like single-ding bells just don't get enough attention. You've seen and maybe heard the cheapo bell I have on my International, it has the classic r-r-r-ring-r-r-ring sound (no idea how else to describe it) and that seems to get more attention. The one I have has plastic innards so one of these days it's going to give up, but they're cheap - I could buy 3 for the price of a Crane.

The bicycle rickshaw guys use another kind of bell that's reasonably loud with a two-tone ding-dong that's noticeable.
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Old 06-14-17 | 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by ascherer
Has it arrived yet?

Of all things, I'm overthinking this. I like the Crane, but for NYC street riding I feel like single-ding bells just don't get enough attention. You've seen and maybe heard the cheapo bell I have on my International, it has the classic r-r-r-ring-r-r-ring sound (no idea how else to describe it) and that seems to get more attention. The one I have has plastic innards so one of these days it's going to give up, but they're cheap - I could buy 3 for the price of a Crane.

The bicycle rickshaw guys use another kind of bell that's reasonably loud with a two-tone ding-dong that's noticeable.
I haven't installed the $3 bell on a bike yet, but I've held it in my hands and rung it, and it seems every bit as good as a Crane. I recommend it highly.

I know what you mean. The brrrring-brrrrring bell is easier to modulate and easier for the pedestrian to understand. But practice with the Crane, as if it's a musical instrument, pays off. Since it's loud and vibrates for a good long time, I can ring it from 30 feet back, and it's still ringing while I'm passing the pedestrian, so it serves the purpose. I wait to see them turn their heads or otherwise acknowledge hearing it. If I see no sign, I assume they'll act erratically, and I pass them very slowly.
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Old 06-14-17 | 07:21 PM
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Originally Posted by noglider
I haven't installed the $3 bell on a bike yet, but I've held it in my hands and rung it, and it seems every bit as good as a Crane. I recommend it highly.
Sold out.
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Old 06-14-17 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by ascherer
Sold out.
It's my fault.
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Old 06-14-17 | 07:34 PM
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If I have a noisemaker mounted at all, it's an Airzound. Almost all of my riding is on high speed (60 MPH) roads. There's only a small part of my current route where pedestrians are even a possibility, and I've never seen more than 2 or 3 a day. For cars, bells are useless.
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Old 06-14-17 | 07:54 PM
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Yet another vote for the Spurcycle bell.
It's incredibly well made - in the good ol' US of A!
Sounds great, no false rings going over rough terrain, fits any handle bar diameter, and a super-secure attachment mechanism that stays put.
The all metal (brass and stainless steel) materials used in it's construction show no signs of corrosion after three seasons of sweat and precipitation.
I think it looks great too!


Last edited by KLiNCK; 06-14-17 at 07:57 PM.
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Old 06-14-17 | 08:25 PM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by BobbyG
For cars and headphone-wearing obliviots I use my AirZound Airhorn "obnoxious blaster" as CankleCat aptly called it.
Originally Posted by canklecat
Cars can't hear any bicycle bell. Nor can most pedestrians, joggers or cyclists wearing earbuds. For those you need an AirZound or similarly obnoxious blaster.
Originally Posted by fietsbob
Originally Posted by b_young
I will put another plug for airzounds. It actually makes people laugh. They don't expect it from a bike.
Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
If I have a noisemaker mounted at all, it's an Airzound...For cars, bells are useless.
Just a quick sampling of opinions agreeing with mine!
I've used one of these for years, and I have found it very effective in traffic. I don't know about it making people laugh, as suggested ^^, but I think cars definitely do not expect this loud a sound from a bike, so they respond as if they think they've failed to notice another car. Results can be fairly dramatic.
FTR, mine is a "Blast", which I got from BioLogic (BioLogic Blast Airhorn | Premium Bike Gear). I believe it is a re-branded AirZound.

Two recommendations:
1) mount the horn where you can reach it *while* braking, and
2) always leave yourself an "out"... the horn is not an airbag.
Steve
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Old 06-15-17 | 07:28 AM
  #62  
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The Spurcycle bell looks and sounds awesome. It's kind of expensive.
My wife is getting me on for Father's day.
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Old 06-15-17 | 09:48 AM
  #63  
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I had a squeeze horn back in 1981 when I was living in Boston and working in Cambridge, MA. Remember those? Mine had three horns pointing forward, and it made a dissonant chord. Twice it saved my butt, and they were amusing. Once, a car driver tried to right-hook me, and I honked, and he stopped, and I proceeded. When he saw I was "only" on a bike, he honked back. The other time, two pedestrians stepped off the curb against the light. I honked, and in unison, they JUMPED BACKWARDS back onto the curb!

The horn looks silly and childish, but it works. The trouble is, you can't find a well made one any more.

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Old 06-15-17 | 11:05 AM
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I recommend trying electric bell with built-in headlight. People seem to hear it better if you are behind them
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