Bells on bikes...

[HLaB]

I've got a Bell on my hybrid (a mini flick one) but not on my roadbikes, to be honest I'd rather slow down and let the ped hear me in their own time, their reactions are more predictable; whereas its a bit irratic sometimes with the bell and occaisionally its interpeted as 'how rude'. I do tend to avoid shared use paths though. Alternatively when I have needed to give a warning (ie before SMIDSY knocks me over) my voice has been more usefull.

 

[Ravenbait]

Do not, under any circumstances, brandish your frame pump and bear down on the people blocking your path at speed, whilst shouting "VALHALLA!"

Awwww.

You spoil all my fun.



Sam

 

[guitarpete247]

What's wrong with "Oi! Shift" . I've not had a bell since I was at primary school. Cycling proficiency test insited on having one IIRC.

 

[BSRU]

You could always attach playing cards with clothes pegs so your wheels are nice and noisy.

 

[jimboalee]

What do you do when a ped steps out in front of you?

Ride into them and shout "What the f**k you doing? Playing frigging Frogger?"

 

[marinyork]

I just don't see the value in bells in nearly any situation you're likely to encounter. They are used badly. To me it signifies mild impatience and aggression - they aren't really used to warn in an appropriate manner, vastly overused. When the forum has talked about bells before it's been fairly split on their usefulness and whether they do sound irritating or not. I'm not going to spend a great deal of time worrying about it.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

I'm a +1 for the bell - I didn't used to have one and was a bit too shy to say "excuse me" so my preferred option was to just wait behind patiently at walking pace until there was an easy option for overtaking (this is on the short part of towpath that I use).

Time and time again people would spot me and get really over arsey and say "where's your bell" even though I was happy to wait.

Now I do a little "ting ting" and they move out of the way and I say "thank you" and everybody is as happy as commuters in Birmingham in the rain are ever going to get!!!

 

[fossyant]

I am not putting a bell on my bikes - they didn't come with one (including my year old bike - no wheel reflectors either).

"Excuse me", "thank you" works well !

 

[Davidc]

A bell followed by a loud clear thank you and I've never had any problems.

Likewise

 

[jonny jeez]

Not a fan of bells (or whistles for that matter) they always sound more aggressive than they intend to (in my opinion). I often think we should have two horns on our cars for the same reason, one for a polite "look out" and another for a less polite exchange.

Most times I’ve ever sounded my horn in the car it has been met with indignation and aggression from others when all I am trying to do is let people know I'm there (which is the actual function of a car horn I seem to recall). So I can only imagine a bike bell doing the same.

just call out, its easier and conveys your attitude/expression far better

 

[ferret fur]

I'm sorry but I think if you have problems with a correctly used bell then it says more about you than the person using the bell.

 

[jimboalee]

Yet another reason why the Raleigh Twenty is the best commute bike. I bounch a few times on these ( and its enough to wake the dead ) and peds look round to find out what all the creaking noise is.

The don't realise its deliberate. They think its a knackered old Raleigh Twenty. They feel sorry pity and let me through.

 

[marinyork]

I'm sorry but I think if you have problems with a correctly used bell then it says more about you than the person using the bell.

The issue being what is a correctly used bell. I would say most of the uses quoted and I encounter are inappropriate. The sort of correct use for a bell is the sort of thing User describes on a tow path or blind corner - don't have a problem with that at all, it's very radically different to what is being described on this thread though.

 

[Trumpettom001]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned campagnolo hubs yet - I don't bother with "bells" or "excuse me" lark - a second or two of loud freewheeling makes them think you're slowing down for them... but it's not rude!

p.s. 400th post!

 

[As Easy As Riding A Bike]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned campagnolo hubs yet

Hopes are even louder! They come in very handy on my mountain bike.