Ding! Ding!
 

I'm looking for a bell that won't take up any handlebar room.

Part of my commute is on a MUP. It is nice because it's through a large park but there are so many joggers, dog walkers, children and the elderly that it makes for a good obstacle course.

I try to ride safely and am happy that these people are out getting exercise but it would be nice if they made some effort to share the path.

I'd rather not continue to use "on your left" because no one really knows how to respond to that.

I'm ready to become a real commuter and... get a bell.

Unfortunately, I already have a cyclocomputer, a back up head light mount, and main head light mount, on my 44 cm drop bars.

I need a bell that can mount either at my bar ends, on the stem (upside down) or on the top tube (upside down).

I've looked around but I can't find a bell that has a large enough diameter mount.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Where do you mount your bell?

Well, I have a Cannondale MTB with oversized tubing. I am able to mount my bell on the bull horns on the end of my handlbars. It's easy to get to but also out of the way.

It seems like I have to make every bracket I need for that Cannondale!

And it depends on how crappy looking a job you can live with. Hose clamps work fine, but makes your bike look more like a beater. Wood works fine too, and it's fairly easy to work with.

Be creative!

Ummm... "real" commuters don't use bells. They use air horns. ;)

Seriously, though, there are many bell options out there, (like the Incredibell http://www.performancebike.com/produ...75/37_6653.jpg)
but most of them will take up some space on the handle bars for accessibility's sake.

But, you could always add a "Space Bar" and mount the bell on it, if you are out of room:

http://www.performancebike.com/produ...50/40_0585.jpg

My Tricross came with an incredibell. It's actually mounted on one of my sissy brakes, so it takes no room on my handlebars!

I use an Incredibell, it's loud, small, and takes a little space.

hmmm, I hadn't thought of that. We have a bell on our tandem because on trails it was so fast - and not terribly agile in dodging walkers. I wonder if cows would react well to a bell?

I bought an incredibell, but it doesnt fit on my handlebar :(

Bar is too large a diameter and the only spots it narrows (center) is already taken up with the stem, inline brakes.

Flipped4bikes, take some photos so i can see how they mounted your bell to your brake handle :)

This works, very light.
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

As seen here:

http://www.sterling-ranch.com/Commuter/01.jpg

Ya, I have a bell for pedestrians (and dogs react as well,) but for motorists, I've always needed either a loud horn or whistle. The whistle is illegal in most places, but I've never had a police officer stop me for it, in spite of them hearing me use it.

Yell "DING" really loud. Then say "(bat)" under your breath.

Is this what you use?

I've been tempted to get this as I have space on the end of my bullhorn bars, seems nearly invisible and out of the way. I do rarely have a need for a bell though.


Al

Where can one buy a bell like that?

And what size bar will it fit?

I used to mount a regular bell on the end of my drops. It was arranged so I could pull the lever with my pinky when I was on the drops. I had to do a bit of bending on the mounting bracket and use longer screws. I now shout for pedestrians or use Fox-40 whistle for motor vehicles.

If i were to get one of those I'd have to get 2. One that was mounted at the top and one that was mounted on the actual handle bar, because i spend a great part of my time in what is called the drops i believe. Namely on the curve of the handles

Bicycle bell is about safety. It is more important than e.g. a computer. If you place the bell away from your hands, you lose time searching for the bell while your eyes are fixed on the forthcoming emergency. Thus, I suggest that you get a spacebar and move other stuff out while putting the bell next to your fingers.

There are tons of various lousy bells with some examples already give in the responses. Hearing some ding, people react just about as to the 'On your left.', that is: 'Did I hear something?' The bell's sound has to be loud and persistent. In terms of those qualities and reliability nothing beats the Chinese ('Bee') rotary bells that now, fortunately, have become widely available:

http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?item...CT&itemID=1560

http://www.biria.com/parts/bells/

http://store.bicyclerevolution.com/bebeecyre.html

I've seen those bells mounted on stems, but I do not recommend that.

Is it wrapped around the brake handle or is it somehow mounted to the pivot pin?

My incedibell only has a tube type mount, with a rubber strip so it can fit 2 diameters of tubing. Hows the brake mount system work ?

When I feel the situation warrents it...
I just yell, BEEP BEEP, YOUR ASS!

But mostly, I just go wide and around.

About the only thing that would work around
here is an AIR HORN but I am afraid I would
take my eye off the road to use it and crash.

Adjust your front brake so when you lightly squeeze it, the pads squeal. It is hard to adjust it just right, but if you do, it won’t hurt your real braking. The squeal of a brake moves people out of the way faster than any bell ever will.

I have found the squeaking front brake very effective, people look around to see where you are coming from and then get out of the way.

I'd love to get an airhorn, but I don't have enough room on my bike for more than one water bottle carrier, and the handlebars and seat tube are too thick for the mounts (like Profile Design). Since I need that waterbottle cage for my light, I'm out of luck.

Koffee

Okay, color me stupid, but are those brake levers I see in the middle of that picture? One of the things that has kept me from buying a new road bike is because I prefer those "suicide," brake levers. If those are brake levers, that opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for me!:)

I agree with 2_i in that people don't recongnize or know what the high pitched, soft 'ding' is from the 'spring & hit once' bells. A conventional cartoon sound effect 'ring ring' bell is most effective. Saying 'on your left' is just about as useless as having a mini bell. I find that an extra loud (and deep-voiced if you're a guy) almost aggrevated sounding "EXCUSE ME!" even gets people on their cell phones to turn around and see who dares to yell at them. Squeaking brakes work well too, but I find them to be embarrassing when i'm around other cyclists. That and you can't sneak around very well either.

Yeah, I think I saw someone around here call them "interrupter" brake levers yesterday. That bike probably has two sets of brake levers. Down in the drops are brifters, combo brake/shifters. The cables coming out of those are the shifting cables. The brake cables are run along the handlebar under the tape, you can kind of see a bulge under the tape there. The cables lead into those little levers up top, through and then out to the brakes. The result is that pulling on either of the brake levers pulls on the cable to the brake.

NOTE I've never set one up or even looked carefully at one, other than that picture, so I could be wrong, but that's my understanding going from some comments I've seen here and that picture.

EDIT: AHA! Looking a touch more carefully at the picture, I see that those brake levers are very clever indeed. If I'm seeing correctly, they're holding the end of the sheath, and pulling on them moves the sheath. The cable going on to the end is held still, so pulling on the sheath also applies the brake. Neat, and simple!

Hey LBM, did I see you in a recumbent with a whistle next to the PATH the other day?