Bells..

[CanucksTraveller]

No one seems to get grumpy when i use my bell... It's only on CC I've read that some consider them aggressive.

Gosh have you never got that occasional look after a ping, that one where they glance you up and down in an exaggerated, comically overacted "offended" way and do the Daily Mail sour face like you've burgled their house on Christmas eve? I've seen it a few times, not terribly often but I do see it! 😄

 

[Polocini]

I've got hide my bell garmin/wahoo mounts on my bikes. If you ride Roubaix cobbles they make a bit of noise and also once in epic wet weather sounded a bit dead but I highly recommend them.

AL

 

[Littgull]

Gosh have you never got that occasional look after a ping, that one where they glance you up and down in an exaggerated, comically overacted "offended" way and do the Daily Mail sour face like you've burgled their house on Christmas eve? I've seen it a few times, not terribly often but I do see it! 😄

As per @MontyVeda, I've never had an aggressive response to a timely bell ping. In fact usually a thanks or smile of appreciation. Occasionally just expressionless indifference, but virtually always a considerate move to the side to let me pass safely. Also numerous comments of "thanks, I wish all cyclists had and used a bell".

 

[BoldonLad]

As per @MontyVeda, I've never had an aggressive response to a timely bell ping. In fact usually a thanks or smile of appreciation. Occasionally just expressionless indifference, but virtually always a considerate move to the side to let me pass safely. Also numerous comments of "thanks, I wish all cyclists had and used a bell".

I wouldn't say "never", there are a few grumpy walkers, dog walkers, and cyclists, but, in general, I would agree.

 

[rogerzilla]

The correct response to walkers moaning about the ping of a bell should be, "OK, I'll get an Air Zound instead". Those are noise terrorism.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Don't understand why anyone apart from staying legal would want a bell, it just promote the aggressive cyclist image, get out of my way, coming through, whats wrong with slowly down & asking people to move?

That's why I like (and have) a timber bell. it's just a more convenient version of the miniature cow bells for bikes you find so popular in the Alp bike parks

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAbzmlURNjY

 

[ColinJ]

As per @MontyVeda, I've never had an aggressive response to a timely bell ping. In fact usually a thanks or smile of appreciation. Occasionally just expressionless indifference, but virtually always a considerate move to the side to let me pass safely. Also numerous comments of "thanks, I wish all cyclists had and used a bell".

I think it does depend on the sound of the bell and how it is used. Your bell sounds pleasantly mellow and rings for a long time so one ping will gradually percolate into the consciousness of any pedestrian that you are approaching. A harsh-sounding bell with a short ring time being rung repeatedly can seem very hard, intrusive and insistent!

Donnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng vs RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!

I don't use a bell these days but had some people glare at me when I used a strident bell to warn of my approach.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

As per @MontyVeda, Also numerous comments of "thanks, I wish all cyclists had and used a bell".

  Never in 50 years of cycling have I ever heard that

 

[MontyVeda]

  Never in 50 years of cycling have I ever heard that

probably because you don't use your bell?

Anyway you can save some weight and remove them from your bikes now you know they're not a legal requirement

ps... when editing a quote, please use [...] to show where you've removed text. Your edited quote above is very misleading.

 

[Smudge]

I have a bell on all my bikes and i always use them to let pedestrians know of my approach when coming up behind them. I think the ting of a bicycle bell is a totally non threatening sound and i've never had anyone get arsey about me using it. Sometimes they dont hear you, but thats almost always down to smartphone use and you have to voice your presence.
But where i live i seem to be in the minority of using a bell, hardly any other cyclists do, and the only time people know they're there is when they come past them, some at a fair speed. Which is reckless and irresponsible on a shared path with pedestrians.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I have a bell on all my bikes and i always use them to let pedestrians know of my approach when coming up behind them. I think the ting of a bicycle bell is a totally non threatening sound and i've never had anyone get arsey about me using it. Sometimes they dont hear you, but thats almost always down to smartphone use and you have to voice your presence.
But where i live i seem to be in the minority of using a bell, hardly any other cyclists do, and the only time people know they're there is when they come past them, some at a fair speed. Which is reckless and irresponsible on a shared path with pedestrians.

LOL says the man who puts megaphones on his motorbikes in the misguided belief that motorists can hear him approaching

 

[Smudge]

LOL says the man who puts megaphones on his motorbikes in the misguided belief that motorists can hear him approaching

Well, i dont know what that has to do with bicycle bells.
Maybe start a thread on motorcycle exhausts if you want to discuss that.

 

[Venod]

Bells, shouting, foghorn, nothing penetrates loud headphones, I usually give two or three warnings then scare them to death as I pass.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Well, i dont know what that has to do with bicycle bells.
Maybe start a thread on motorcycle exhausts if you want to discuss that.

Thought we'd been on that roundabout before hence the

 

[Brads]

Strangely , I rode Porty Prom today and rang my bell to let other know I was there.
One guy jumped about , arms out ranting about me having plenty room to get by, as if I had wanted him to move out my way.

Fannies everywhere !