AirZound = giant fail. Anyone have a "Hornit"?
 

Anyone have any additional info on the Hornit? Thinking about getting one, AirZound is a giant fail for my commute as it stops working below 30 degrees even if pumped to maximum. It's not the air pressure dropping in the cold, it's the diaphragm in the horn itself stiffening or something. I tested this by putting the horn and the bottle in the freezer separately. Cold bottle, warm horn = regular "PHOOORNK!" Cold horn, warm bottle = tiny "wheet?"

I use a moped horn + regular bell on my bike. Both sounds are recognizable and I apply one or other depending on situation. The moped horn - all metal - is pretty immune to the weather. The batteries that drive it have worked fine down to -20C. I had more problems with the regular bell that could froze over due to ice rain or other aftereffects of temperature changes.

I considered the moped/motorcycle horn + battery and discarded it as it was too heavy and bulky.

Here is a video of the Hornit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHy86DCDmHE

For those deaf-dumb-and-blind cagers, I would prefer the blast of an air-horn, but I like the compact form of the Hornit.

??So how does Hornit differ from a horn + battery??

The Hornit is the size and form factor of a small flashlight. A motorcycle horn is 4 inches in diameter, and requires a 12V battery sourcing 6 amps to run. Typically, this is a Sealed Lead Acid type (SLA) or something else equally heavy. If you have a moped horn plus battery that is the same size as the Hornit, or the same weight as the Airzound, I'm all ears.

I have this horn, something like 3" in diameter, run from 5 rechargeable AA batteries. More recently I bought such a horn from a US supplier, but don't have a receipt or web link at hand.

Also, this thread lists many bike horn options.

P.S. The US source is Herbach & Rademan.

140db is seriously loud! I'll have to check. AFAIK the legal limit in Canada is 110db but if not I'm interested. Have the same issue with the Airzound in the winter myself.

That horn is a maximum of 9 watts. Car horns are in the range of 100 watts.

My horn does what it is supposed to do - it makes drivers react. It is radiating into the open rather than under the car hood or body. And what does this have to do with Hornit??

There has been a bit of discussion of The Hornit over at the Cycling Chat forums (UK). Might be useful.

Andrew

The Hornit is (supposedly) 140dBA. A car horn at 100W is 110dBA-ish. Assuming the same efficiency of sound to power, the 6V horn you reference would be around 90dBA, which is pretty much exactly equal to simply yelling (88dBA) so it's not worth it to carry it around.

Don't have time for this :).

I got a Megalert Megahorn from a local shop, we tested it inside and our ears were ringing.

Due to some people saying it wasn't sealed all that well, I wrapped it in electrical tape and it has worked flawlessly in snow, cold, and rain, all places where the Airzound failed on me. It has saved me at least 5 times from being right hooked. I would consider using steel wire to attach the switch and horn as the stock mounting bands are a little weak.

The weight is around 2-3 oz.

So how does it sounds? Does one associate the sound with one coming from a vehicle?

Absolutely. It sounds like the horn of an ambulance/fire engine. Not the horn-horn, but that "blaaat!" that they use to get people out of their way when using the siren.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5Rz6i_Okw0

From a range of 20 yards I have watched it make a motorist's head snap around.

I think I'll be giving the Hornit a go soon. Raging cagers is the order of the day here and I dislike the look and rube-golbergness of the airzound and others.

My rube-goldberg horn back in the day was a 1-lb can of Freon topped with a chromed basketball horn (that's what we called 'em, dunno the real name. Marine warning horn?) I had to reach down to the seat tube bottle cage to trip it, but man.. even bus drivers heard that one.

The Hornit on video sounds really annoying. Forget about the Db rating -- the sound is grating, fingernails-on-chalkboard grating. Exactly what is needed for a warning horn. It'll be a while before I can spend on new thingies... things are tough all over, yes? Once I get it and get some reactions, I'll post observations.

I like the looks and form factor. It echoes the blaze 1-w headlight. Won't clutter up the bars any more than they already are for me. (light left, computer center, one-ding bell on right.)

It does, however, bring up the thought -- some of us already look like aliens, tall, gangly creatures on spidery frames of steel, cf or al.. strange-looking (to the uninitiated) clothing and helmets.. this thing, it sounds like a ray gun! :lol: Just what is needed to complete the alien transport device!

Is this a DOT standard? Got a reference for this "legal" limit?

But there are no lorries in NYC, just trucks, will that still work? ;) Yeah, the AirZound fails in low temps. I tried Galeforce electric horn, but while rated about the same, it's a lot quieter. Plus it's big, ugly and heavy and drains batteries really fast. And it kind of sounds like a police horn, which might get you in trouble in NYC, but pedestrians seem to pay more attention to it.

You go riding in -20C?! Respect!

I've been considering electric horns as well. The AirZound seemed good at first, but it's useless all winter. I ride regardless of conditions, down to -25F so far (-32C). AirZound seems to really have bitten the dust this winter. Actually trying to use it at cold temps seems to have damaged the thing and now even at warmer temps it's kind of breathy and weak.

Got my hornit from Bike works in Turlock CA... Well worth the money i paid for it.. Love the push button to engage the horn. It is very loud and will get peoples attention.