Buy A Bell

[Licramite]

When you learn to cycle, you learn to make microscopic adjustments constantly to keep your bike upright. If your bike starts tipping to the right, you'll turn the bars to the right truly instinctively - you wont be aware of this. This causes your bike to turn ever so slightly to the right and moves your bike back under you i.e upright

doing 40mph down a horrendous slope today , I was making no little adjustments, I just locked my arms (and my butt) and held it rock steady

 

[Hawk]

doing 40mph down a horrendous slope today , I was making no little adjustments, I just locked my arms (and my butt) and held it rock steady

doing 40mph down a horrendous slope today , I was making no little adjustments, I just locked my arms (and my butt) and held it rock steady

We're talking microscopic adjustments you literally wont be aware of making. Possibly bit less of an issue at speed due to stabilisation effect from fast rotating wheels, but you will be moving a few mm across the road surface for sure

 

[400bhp]

My bell came in handy along the TPT today, think I've even convinced 400bhp to get one

 

[Licramite]

well that is true but its more than microsopic , I was bouncing all over the road ! , I adopt a horse riding stance, stand on the pedals and keep your bum off the seat, head down arse up, you can take the shock in your legs, saves the bike abit too.
my old bell used to ring everytime I went over bump which could be redicularse over some roads (and they call it a road! ) my new bell or dinger is more stable , but is so loud its embarissing, I dinged a jogger and had to put my hand to dull it , it was so loud !.

of course going up the hill - long and steep between bishopstone and wilton - I was down to totally low , I couldn,t change down any further , and was hanging by my chinstrap, a younger fitter bloke passed me like I was standing still (which I nearly was!)
going down I might have had a chance , extra weight and all,
I,m a bit of a "Rolls Canhardly" - rolls down one hill and can hardly get up the other

 

[malcermie]

There is a shared foot and cycle path outside my house which is used by several mums on their way to and from a local school and I find a single 'ding' and a friendly 'thank you' always gets a smile clears a path as I cycle SLOWLY past.
Malc

 

[Crosstrailer]

To my local councils credit (and I really don't like giving them credit LOL) there are many miles of shared foot & cycle paths in my local area. I have used my bell at least a dozen times over the last month when approaching pedestrians from the rear. I know that on none of these occasions could I have made myself heard in time without shouting and therefore startling and/or annoying the person I was passing.There is not a chance I could give a pedestrian verbal instruction as to my approach and what side I was passing them on before I was upon them even at fairly slow speed - and what is the point when a quick bell ring lets them know I am approaching ?.

I would add that each time I have rung my bell at a decent distance from the ped, they have looked round, moved over and I have passed safely and at safe speed without having to brake heavily and slow down. Each time the pedestrian got a thank you, I have had positive feedback and never had negative feedback.

I think if you are riding on combined paths there is no excuse for not having a bell which costs next to nothing, no REAL excuse anyway, and I think they come in handy wherever you are riding. As I said earlier in the thread, its surely better to have one than not isn't it ?

 

[Herbie]

One issue with ringing a bell when coming up behind someone is that as soon as they hear your bell it makes them unpredictable, are they going to go left or right? Why not just slow down to a speed that you can pass without causing a backdraft and say a cheery 'good morning' as you pass? At least that way they are more inclined to stay where they are when you're passing them, rather than moving into your path.

This is exactly what do.

 

[Licramite]

its even mentioned in mike carters book "one man and his bike"
"all the way up the coast I had lamented not having a bell. With so many promenades and tracks shared with walkers, it would have been good to give them a friendly tinkle to let know I was behind them, who knows might work on sheep to"

its good book about one mans trip around britain, but it seams to miss the leaden muscles in the morning and hardly mentions the very sore arse at the end of day.
he must be a hardier cyclist than me. but the stiff sores muscles in the morning is standard for anyone - fit as you like.

 

[Phill057]

Having been cycling since I was a kid I was never fully convinced of the need nor its uses. As an adult I have one and I use it along with just saying politely to the pedestrian or cyclists that I am passing. I also can be heard by cars and they know that you are there and for them to have an odd glance in their mirrors. Very handy when round lorries

 

[david k]

its even mentioned in mike carters book "one man and his bike"
"all the way up the coast I had lamented not having a bell. With so many promenades and tracks shared with walkers, it would have been good to give them a friendly tinkle to let know I was behind them, who knows might work on sheep to"

its good book about one mans trip around britain, but it seams to miss the leaden muscles in the morning and hardly mentions the very sore arse at the end of day.
he must be a hardier cyclist than me. but the stiff sores muscles in the morning is standard for anyone - fit as you like.

very good book, made me laugh

i remember he did buy a bell

 

[Milo]

I just make a clacking noise with my brake hoods works for me.

 

[Bill-H]

i find a tinkle on bell as approach worksbut do thencall out a good morning passing you on right. it works a treat

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I was at the Paralympic road cycling at Brands Hatch the first couple of days, and the second day I met a guy with son who had a 2 tone bell.

I really wish I'd asked where he'd got it from as it would have been much appreciated.

It was a proper 'Ting tong' bell you see!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The Dad was wearing one of these:

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?typ=typ&fkid=16&ID=3220

......or a similar Vatenfall Hamburg top.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I was at the Paralympic road cycling at Brands Hatch the first couple of days, and the second day I met a guy with son who had a 2 tone bell.

I really wish I'd asked where he'd got it from as it would have been much appreciated.

It was a proper 'Ting tong' bell you see!

Was it one of these by chance? Link