The Bell Thread

Tarckives Bikes
1

I just got a free bell from the LBS that I normally hate cause they gouge prices. I went in and saw a basket of unmarked bells and other accessories and grabbed it. No way that would fit on my bars but I don’t want it there anyways. Slapped it on the top of my stem and am loving every minute of it.

Bells are so fucking awesome, they are the antithesis of car horns in that in every use they spread joy and positivity (okay not when you’re in a bike shop ringing them or something). If you don’t own at least one bike with a bell, I don’t know what to say. They are courteous and jolly, not to mention tarck as fuck:

DSC00534.jpg479×638

3

Ding
on your left
ding.

4

I just yell

5

I have one of those brass bells from Velo Orange, love it. Doesn’t fit on road bars however so I’ve been on the lookout for something to make a mount out of.

6

Every time I use my bell it scares people. I think my bell is broken, it is not spreading joy :frowning:

7

Bells get the ladies!
ding ding
heeeeeeeey!
least thats how I do it.

8

I use these:

They are very nice and have a pleasant sound.

9

bells annoy people. i just say excuse me or yell depending on the neighborhood

10

[flash=500,400]http://www.youtube.com/v/rtv2_-2mHck&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

11

I have a pretty good assortment of different bells on my bikes. My favorite are the ding dong ones, but they’re so huge and heavy they are no good for tarck.

12

cool video! hahah. very funny.

13

On my commute I have a choice between riding on the (shitty) grating over a bridge where cars routinely do 40 or riding on the sidewalk on the same bridge. I take the sidewalk.*

It’s a fucking narrow sidewalk. The only way to pass a ped is if they step out of the way, which means they have to know you’re coming. There’s always somebody walking or running with headphones on. The bell is the only thing that gets people’s attention that doesn’t totally freak them out. The key is to start ringing early (like 30-40 feet away) and keep ringing.

*Both options suck, but the alternatives to taking this bridge are riding about as far out of my way as my commute is long to take a different bridge or walking my bike over the locks (or risk being ticketed), which would also double my commute time.

14

just put in my order for their 52mm fenders, that bell a pletscher kickstand.

15

as barba pointed out, this is what you want:

http://velo-orange.com/spbemo.html
17

Love the video.

18

[quote=“bold”]as barba pointed out, this is what you want:

http://velo-orange.com/spbemo.html[/quote]

Great idea but that seems to move the bell a little far from the bar tops. I have a situation similar to Tarckee’s where there’s a pedestrian/bike path that crosses a bridge. It ends in a spiral ramp that drops you into downtown and ringing the bell every few seconds works best for alerting people.

I found one of those plastic reflector mounts that I’m going to try to bolt it to that’ll fit next to the bar tape on the tops.

I have this one, the model Gerund posted looks easier to use:

19

I got a brakelever actuated bell on my alien. Once I get my new stem I’m going to switch out the bell to one of these:

20

I’ve got an Adjustibell. It’s on a zip tie so it’ll mount anywhere you want it to go. I’ve got it snug up against the stem and I love it.

21

this?

22

I love bells, and I always miss ringing them on the bikes I don’t have them on. My current favorite is the compass/bell combo that I got from a Cannondale touring bike. It looks something like this.

My other favorite is the Incredibell Big Brass, which is impossible to mount on anything, but sounds great.

Finally, I’m planning on ordering one of these for my new Raleigh conversion.