What's your bell?

My stock Kona one just isn't cutting it. Wanted a brass Japanese bell but not sure of how loud it sounds.

I just threw out my WalMart Schwinn "bell", it's was kinda lame. I was too embarrassed to use it.

Well, that's what I mean. The bell that I have now not only sounds weak and cheap but it rattles. Almost louder than it dings.

( Laugh ), really hard to....Here I just SCREAM at them, the ( cars ) you F%$#$Kg , ( Jerks ), and if I had a bell on my bike, and they saw it !!They would probably just scream back to to me ( DORK )...for having one. Story, my son and me
are riding to a fishing hole, some punk kids in a 4 wheel drive pass by us and throw some kinda trash towards us. A few hours later we end up at the same spot...Well they have to notice us right away, but I remembered the truck, I asked them, are the fish biting ? They were packed up and gone in five minutes...( LOL ), not a dig, but we all live
in different situations....Richard

I use one of these. It is plenty loud enough for people who are not wearing headphones to hear at a decent distance. No bell will be loud enough for those who are wearing headphones, nothing short of an air horn is loud enough for them and even then if they have the volume cranked.... So I give Mr and Ms iPod as wide a berth as possible and if my sudden appearance in their peripheral vision as I pass causes them to soil their pants, it does. I don't think there is anything that can be done for them if you don't want to carry an air horn. Mostly I think you buy a bell based on style, some are louder than others but not enough so to make a significant difference very often. Richard, a bell is of no use at all in warning cars, for them you do need an air horn.

Ken

+1


It's almost comical to see the iPods jump when you pass them. Even when you are going slow. Darwin in action...

Chris

Geeze, that's scary and unexpected, glad that you didn't get hit by the trash or your son. Nothing like a surprise object hitting you to make you panic and possibly crash....

I ride the Kona on the MUP. We have a very large network of paved trails. There are areas that pass behind schools and the teenagers use it to walk home. There is also a dog park off the side of one of the trails so we have a lot of people with those loooooong retractable leashes.

Khutch, I've seen those incredibells around. I never gave them a second look (I guess because of the colorful kiddie versions that were right next to them). I should go by again and give them a ring.

I have some big giant chrome bell on my Breezer that makes a loud "BLING BLONG" sound. Wish I could remember who made it... The guy at the LBS pulled it out of a box from under the front counter when I asked for the biggest bell they sold.

Works great when during the summer the MUPs are packed. This last month its little more than a decoration item as I seem to be the only person who regularly makes use of the MUP...

Here's my weapon:

Incredibell

My Norco has a Tektro brake lever with integrated bell:



It's not as loud as the Incredibell knock-offs that I have on my other bikes, but it looks way cooler. I use an Airzound to get the attention of those who can't hear (or ignore) my bell. It even works on the MUP - I once used the horn to warn a city worker who was clearing clippings from the path with a gas-powered leaf blower while wearing ear protection. Two short blasts and he jumped out of the way with a deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face. Airzounds rock!

The Denver B-Cycle bikes has those brake lever/bell integrated things. They suck. So many of them have the little plastic hammer broken off.

hum.. i recently removed mine. but then again, i don't really drive in walking paths or on sidewalks. A little bell would do me little good against a car.

AirZound

I also have the incredibell. I like it for its small size but big sound.

On my Cantondale Mamachari, I have a Tea Pot bell.

Skebbe!! Where did you get it?? How does that sound?? I want that!! Oh wait...I won't be able to get one, huh? ....

I can haz tea kettle bell too?

Teapot bells... https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...s.php?id=29736
Ding ding. To be honest they aren't good in the rain. Seriously, they tend to hold the water so you only get a dull "dong"

I have the exact same bell on my Electra Townie. It's nice and loud (for a bell), has a great tone, is a pleasure to use, and (of course) looks great.

I just took off my Kona bell off. It started rattling like crazy. Every time I hit a bump, it would ding. Drove my GF crazy.

Would be better if it held tea, huh?

I think I need to look into this more. Thanks a bunch!

So it's not just MY Kona bell, eh? When I first heard the rattling, I was searching all over for the source. I was tightening EVERYTHING that I can in the vicinity. Then I think one day I was holding the bar with the bell under my hand and I 'felt' it....