Bicycle Bells.

[MickL]

I have a bell on my Subway, cycling down the towpaths to and from work there are some bridges and tunnels with blind bends on the exit so I ring my bell, saved me and few other cyclist an early bath in the cut also I use it to let dog walkers I know Im approaching from behind.

 

[Venod]

out with two of my charges today and some snotty woman used sarcasum ,by saying ding ding repetedly as the lads road past,they are age 7 and 8 both with mobility issuse,s and lerning difficultys. if it was a fair world id be allowed to slap her.

Completely agree with that, I don't use a bell a polite excuse me and thank you has always worked for me, I came up behind a large group of walkers and shouted excuse me and thanked them as they let me past the were all polite except one woman who repeated ding ding as I past her, WTF.

 

[Licramite]

being uncool anyway I don't have to worry about such things, I have degressed to one of those dingers as opposed to a proper ring ring bell. my mountain bike sports a compass on top which has come in usefull when lost in the woods.

I rarely use it , but like my seat belt and airbag in the car or horn or fog lights , I rarely use those too (or the jack and spare tyre) but I would sure miss them if they weren't there when I did need them.

my main quarry is horses, - they got nuts if you just swish by them from behind, and an upset horse is liable to jump on you or dump the rider on you , so I don't pass until the rider is well aware, so several dings as I approach ussually works, I would shout but going uphill I would be lucky to get a desperate croak out !

Maybe its me (hearing has been impared by a history of load bangs) but I cannot hear bikes coming up from behind me, they scare the s-t out of me when they just appear on your elbow. If I ever overtake anyone I have vowed to give them a ding first - but it is yet to happen.

 

[Licramite]

no bell, i just shout DING DING

no wonder they get out the way , they think next you will use your DONG

 

[snorri]

Don't understand this "cool" "uncool" stuff. I ride a bike (or walk or drive) with kit that is practical and suitable to my needs and b****r what any snobby snots think. .

You must be really old.

 

[Cush]

You must be really old.

Going up Hartside from Alston on Saturday, being passed by all those other old B****rs on 5000 cc what do you call them's (and one or two decent youngsters on proper bikes, who I loved seeing pass me and all the c2c's coming down I felt bloody old). but I certainly wasn't cool I was sweating like the proverbial. Now I have to get that hedge cut so I can get a ride tonight.

 

[on the road]

its an odd world, people are horrified at the idea of a bell on their bike, yet you suggest they don't have brakes or pedals and they think your nuts.
its a tool, just like the other bits, it has a function, just like the other bits.

you could say , well lights are really uncool, so don't have any at night, - but then lights are for their protection, a bell is to warn other people, could that be it

A bell won't make any difference on the road with all the traffic noise, no one will hear it, whereas lights make you visible at night.

 

[Licramite]

seams to work in holland, lots of bells out there, and just as many cars.
true about the lights - if they are on,passed a cyclist the other evening, about 10pm, he had lights just not on ! doh. he was obviousl waiting for it to get really dark.