[Closed] bells off road...

a) no
b) additional weight impacts my Strava times.

I did some research on the use of a bell when I was a ranger in a local country park. Half the walkers/ramblers thought they should be compulsory and the other half thought they should be banned.

Personally, I favour the "slow-down and speak" approach.

Old people often ask if I have a bell. I cannot be bothered to point out that I do, and I rang it, and you are as deaf as a post.

b) additional weight impacts my Strava times.

a) Do you have a bell?

b) if not, what's your spurious excuse for not having one

I had loads of people ignore it or fail to hear it, and some folks get confused by it and end up all over the place, then I had one guy go absolutely mental at me for ringing it, so I thought sod it, not playing- a cheerful hello/excuse me/goodbye works better IMO.

+1 patriotpro

Bell on one of my bikes, loud proII on the other. It's true what scotroutes says IME - a subset of walkers do appear irritated by them.

NW +1 you can't win on the bell front, so I given up playing.
Occasionally if a walker grumbles, I'll stop and explain why I don't use one.

Always fit a bell, always using it.

That way no one can complain.

More people seem to be upset by a polite "excuse me" than by a ping.

No, if I was walking it would wind me up, it feels like the bell pinger is saying "clear out my right of way", and we don't have right of way over walkers.

I can see the value as an early warning for horses.

Where is the best place to fit a bell on a horse?

Yeah, I've been favouring the cheery hello which apparently they can't hear. Which is probably louder than my bell...Probably best to just not really care to much what people say and continue being as polite as possible!

a) No
b) "RING RING" is that good enough? I tend to find saying excuse me is much more polite - engage irritatingly nice mode

If you are on a public right of way, there is no legal requirement to carry a bell, horn, or any other form of warning device on a bicycle. The Highway Code [i]recommends[/i] that you do, but it isn't enforceable.

The only legal requirement is that a complete bicycle must be sold with an audible warning device.

I find that a large set of lungs, functioning vocal chords and a big mouth, employed in the formation of the words "bike up!" in an authoratative yet friendly manner to be adequate.

Oh yeah, meant to add- my commuter has a proper bell on it, not one of those irritating modern "ting" numbers but a big oldschool ratchet thing. It just sounds so incredibly cheerful, people seem to react better to it (or maybe they just think I must be an 8 year old girl or something)

I had one (until last month when it broke). I found it really useful, and if you get one of the ones that come on new bikes you can mount it under the bar.

I find that a lot of walkers get it, but even those that approve of bells hear them so irregularly these days that they don't realise they've heard a bell and think it's something else. So in the end it's not much of a help and I'm not replacing mine. It is far more effective than "excuse me" though because it can be heard from a long way away and it seems the majority of walkers want you to have one. If you don't and just rely on politeness it gets their backs up 🙄

Whatever the situation a bell gives you the moral high ground.
Last week a dinged a lady and her dog so I could pass.
Her response was ," just because you ring your bell doesn't give you right of way".
I was able to stop and very politely put her right in her place. No bell would have left me at a disadvantage.
Then an old boy was walking his dog. I dinged him and he didn't get out of the way. He's either deaf or hates bikes. So when it was safe and wide I passed him.
" Why don't you ring your bell?" I told him I did he said I didn't ,I asked him why I would lie when I pointed out my bell.
" Im a bit deaf" he eventually confirmed. It ended up with him patting me on the back and saying sorry. Without a bell both situations would have meant walkers adding points to their hate score.
Be polite ,have a bell and they can't really moan.

Always fit a bell, always using it.

That way no one can complain.

AND it annoys the vain riders. Which is a huge ++++ in my book.

I did, but got told by some old boy that he couldn't hear it after me ringing it for mearly 3 mins from about a yard behind him.

I have now fitted the nice yellow accessory to my SS, worked a treat on Sunday around the reservoirs, also raised a smile with most people too 😀 :

[img] [/img]

(ignore the rest of the stuff on the bike - first bikepacking adventure)

I have a rachet bell too, goes drrring drring drring. If I didn't have one when cycling on the canal I would soon get very tired of shouting 'excuse me' or 'WATCH OUT.' Also I like to tring it for fun when coming up behind my mate or going past some dazed teenagers stumbling out of a smoke filled fiesta in the middle of the night. Sometimes I ring it at cows but they tend not to listen and generally may just lift their tail and shit, is this a comment on my bell or riding I'm not sure.

a) Yes. On all my bikes.

IMO, shouting from a distance to give adequate warning will usually sound aggressive, walkers, horsies and doggists seem more receptive to a bell backed up with a cheery hello and thanks as I pass.

OAP's can miss them howerver as they get higher pitched when small and unobtrusive, and those are the frequencies that coffin dodgers loose. You cabn't win all them all though.

IMO, shouting from a distance to give adequate warning will usually sound aggressive

Depends how you phrase it. Never had a problem yet.

Is this another of those English/Scottish things ? In 15 years of living up here I've never had a bell on any of my bikes (road or off-road) and never had a single comment about them. Mind you I've never had any negative interaction with anybody (walker, horse rider etc) on a trail up here either. OK, I don't meet that many folk on the trails up here, but when I do we always pass with a cheery comment and sometimes end up stopping for a chat. It's like nobody has any more right to the trails than anybody else and we are all just happy to be there.

[quote=roverpig ]Is this another of those English/Scottish things ? In 15 years of living up here I've never had a bell on any of my bikes (road or off-road) and never had a single comment about them. Mind you I've never had any negative interaction with anybody (walker, horse rider etc) on a trail up here either. OK, I don't meet that many folk on the trails up here, but when I do we always pass with a cheery comment and sometimes end up stopping for a chat. It's like nobody has any more right to the trails than anybody else and we are all just happy to be there.
"Hill" trails are (mostly) different. The folk you tend to meet are outdoorsy and tend to be friendly. Think "canal towpath" and it's a different mix.

a) yes, at times
b) sometimes I don't as it may be in the way on my bars (ie bar-roll, computer, lights and needing grip options) and not likely to be needed

and c) 6+ pages ..

I think saying hello's better, but bells can work at a distance that a friendly hello won't. Depends where I'm riding.

But to not use one as it looks sh1t is bit lame, having 3 extra cables coming off your bars for all your remotes and options and settings looks pretty cr4p too. There's a few small, light options that work well and they can be mounted under the bar discretely if needed.
Is it daft thinking 'I'm to H-Core to have a bell' despite riding on paths that are tame enough to have walkers and horses on? : )
Riding with a bear bell on cos you actually need one feels pretty cool.

s this another of those English/Scottish things ?

I fitted mine when I lived in Scotland- for a trip to the Lake District. I just never took it off. Only once in Scotland did someone say how nice it was that I had a bell. They were English on the Devil's Staircase...

"Hill" trails are (mostly) different. The folk you tend to meet are outdoorsy and tend to be friendly. Think "canal towpath" and it's a different mix.

Ah, right, that makes sense. All the folk I meet are out to enjoy the great outdoors and just seem happy that others are doing the same, regardless of how they choose to do so. But I guess things are a bit different on a crowded tow path.

No, if I was walking it would wind me up, it feels like the bell pinger is saying "clear out my right of way", and we don't have right of way over walkers.

But I guess things are a bit different on a crowded tow path.

Ah, right, that makes sense. All the folk I meet are out to enjoy the great outdoors and just seem happy that others are doing the same, regardless of how they choose to do so. But I guess things are a bit different on a crowded tow path.

Such is the glory of Scotland.

All the folk in the Peak District are out to enjoy their activity only and no one partaking in another activity may invade their personal space (which is roughly 1km radius). The Lake District is similar unless you get off the beaten path.

I've recently added a bell to my Enduro 😯 because in places like the lakes, Delamere etc I just find it useful to let people know I'm on my way.

If your just riding trail centers I would not bother though.

We went through a period where my mate had one and I didn't and when we got to busy areas I would always let him take the lead after a few rides and seeing how useful it was I then added it. Slightly uncoool but I really do find it useful. 😀

what's your spurious excuse for not having one

I have a Hope hub which does the job anyway. Had a proper bell once, but found that more than half of the deaf old coots I meet couldn't hear it (or were too busy yapping). I always slow down anyone and find a courteous "hello" or "excuse me" works 99% of the time.

I find one genuinely useful when the West Highland Way starts to look like Sauchiehall Street. I've also found freewheeling a Pro II hub is pretty much ignored by walkers round here.

Taking a guess at explaining why, perhaps the pitch of the bell carries further or is more easily recognised -> more likely to promote the reaction I'm looking for.

I've not had one since I was a kid, but I do ride mostly trail centres.
For those bell advocates - do they ting annoyingly over every bump (as demonstrated by the recent 'how I broke my arm at Swinley' thread), or are they silent until used?

Taking a guess at explaining why, perhaps the pitch of the bell carries further or is more easily recognised -> more likely to promote the reaction I'm looking for.

The only legal requirement is that a complete bicycle must be sold with an audible warning device.

This is the reason I have one, I've never got round to taking it off. Use it occasionally, but often find asking is easier. Doesn't rattle or sound unless intentional.

a) Yes (on my main trail HT) and my SS MTBs only
b) my other bikes have no bell fitted I don't really take along tow / shared access paths and hence don't need to alert [S]Doddering Old Giffers[/S] Ramblers...

TBH Half of them are oblivious enough to most things that an air-raid warning siren probably wouldn't quite do the job, the other half will scowl at you for robbing them of another excuse to complain... basically you cannot win,

I love my bell on the my MTB, as walkers can’t complain when I ring it incessantly coupled with a cheery hello/morning/afternoon/lovely weather/you walking far/been out long or any other drivel I can thing of at the time. 🙄

It also make kids smile when Go Sky Riding. 😆

+1 Hope hubs 🙂

[url= http://www.evanscycles.com/products/delta/airzound-2-horn-ec009169?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle&utm_content=mkwid__pcrid_17321847296_kword__match__plid_ ]honk![/url]

yes and if hope hubs aren't loud enough you can get one of these

I've never found Hope hubs as loud as a bell, they never seem to do the job. I may just have a quiet set.

For whoever asked about what they're like to ride with- the ones where it's a bit of plastic on a spring you can bend it so it doesn't ding all the time. But generally they do, and it's very annoying.

Nope, bell free on the hardtail, commuter SS and road bike. Had an old bint jump out of her skin when I shouted a friendly ''scuse me' a while ago along a track on the road bike- a bell may have it's uses sometimes!

EDIT: Oh, my Hope hubs on the hardtial do the job most of the time!

Cheers,
Jamie

I can't use my Hope hub as a warning, managed to quieten the dreadful din it made. It was useful, occasionally, but massively annoying 95% of the time. Silent freewheeling is a bike-virtue.

I was thinking I really needed one then I stopped pedaling and the crowd scattered, hope hubs hell yeah!

a - yes - on my mtb and commuter (not on my road bike though).

The Peaks + trails around Sheffield can get quite busy and i tend to use it almost every off-road ride.

Yes, I have one on my commuter. Inavluable when zipping along narrow paths. I do slow down around people as well but when approaching from behind it's very useful. Usually a good response to the little ting-a-ling, unless they're teenage boys in which case they have to look dead butch and not smile or anything.

But bells in no way look uncool. Mine has a compass on it as well so it's a bit of a fanny magnet.

Got a ting ting type bell fitted on the steerer tube, doesn't rattle jobs a good un. Mainly used on shared paths.

Depends how you phrase it. Never had a problem yet.

If you shouted 'bike up' at me, you could get anything from me rolling me eyes or telling you to Foxtrot Oscar. Either way, not the reaction you would probably want.

Bells are for winners.

If you shouted 'bike up' at me, you could get anything from me rolling me eyes or telling you to Foxtrot Oscar.

[img] [/img]

Bells are for [s]winners[/s] weiners

Bells on about half of my bikes - they're great - saves me having to make the effort of speaking to people. Not that I'm a miserable git or anything 😆

Bells seem to irritate people.
A polite [i]"good morning! Can I just come past you on your right, please? Thank you! Nice day"[/i] type of thing works wonders.

(although I still laugh at one former riding companion, in reply to an irate "where's your bell", simply replying "ding-a-f*cking-ling")

1) No

2) No bugger ever heard it when I did. Though they are good for when Rambler get all acusatory in your face asking where your bell is #smile + ding#

I am pretty sure a good loud blast on a whistle could be the way to go!! Loud, waterproof and not awkward at all!

I know a bike being sold with a bell is a legal requirement but is it a legal requirement to ride with one?

I'd have one of these if they made the kit smaller. Would scare the shit out of people thinking there was an HGV comign up behind them.
😀

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/delta/airzound-2-horn-ec009169

[img] [/img]
[url= http://www.cowbells.com/collections/bells/products/bike-bell-2-3-8-high-with-velcro-strap ]get with the ****ing programme[/url]

[img] ?40[/img]

No bell on any of my bikes. I prefer a cheery greeting and it's less likely to get people's backs up - more difficult to respond badly to a "Good morning!" than a ting ting.

Frankly, you can't win. The number of times I've had to literally yell at people to be heard above the noise of their bloody noise-cancelling headphones or them gabbing into a phone. A bell would be useless.
Ring a bell and the response is often a grumpy "you don't need to ring that, I heard you" or "you don't have right of way you know"
Don't ring one and you get "you should ring your bell".

🙄

What is it about people on shared use paths who feel the need to either listen to music at full blast or walk along staring intently at a 4" phone screen? Pay attention to your surroundings you utter moron!

Frankly, you can't win. The number of times I've had to literally yell at people to be heard above the noise of their bloody noise-cancelling headphones or them gabbing into a phone. A bell would be useless.
Ring a bell and the response is often a grumpy "you don't need to ring that, I heard you" or "you don't have right of way you know"
Don't ring one and you get "you should ring your bell".

My experience too.

I only have one bike.. When I lived in town and used a lot of busy shared use paths, I wouldn't contemplate riding without a bell, a quick ting ting and everyone is happy, and using it on the trails generally went down well.. I've only ever gotten grief for [i]not[/i] using a bell

Out in the sticks and on the moors where I would rarely see more than half a dozen people all day was a completely different matter, so I put my bell on to my lads balance bike, and now I am back in town this thread has reminded me that I should go and pinch it back.. especially as I have a long canal tow-path ride tomorrow.. 😀

It's weird. I've ridden thousands of miles on towpaths etc with bells, and never met one of these bell haters.every so often someone doesn't hear your bell and you have to say excuse me, but 99% of the time, you just go ting ting and they look around.

Nope, no bells on any of my bikes.

Just shout " gerrroutttamywaaaayyyyy " ( you can add as many exclamation marks as you like there )

I suffer with a number of amblers ( deleted R ) who do insist on meandering like a wobbly hobby horse on one of my fave footpaths along the river, it's a bit of a mish mash of Mums, kids, amblers, dogs, old folk and tourists... It's just rude to go hacking through that lot so I adopt a cheery " Hi " & " thank you " & " lovely day eh "

Seems to do the trick.

I'm not an EndBell.

I got this bad boy for my single speed.
[img] [/img]

Them dog walkers will be jumping into bushes when they hear it.

Yes to having a bell. Most useful on tow paths where just about every small bridge is a very narrow blind bend with low headroom and a wet drop on one side. Not a good place to have a head on with a cyclist or walker.

Cycling along last summer with a chap who when he approached females of middle aged , he would shout politely DING DONG, in a terry thomas sort of voice , they loked so disapointed to see 2 blokes behind them who didnt look anything like Terry Thomas.

Also i sometimes shout RUFF RUFF, like a doggie barking that usually get them to move.

Yes,bells are good for urban areas.
Mind you it does get quite musical when I ride on the moors.

i've got one of those 'i love my bike' bells, it was even fitted to my bike for a while...

but, it made standing my bike upside-down a pain in the ar53.

so i took it off.

I have one of those airzound horns but had to stop using it because I kept scaring the shit out of myself every time I leant over it to open a gate

😆 stufive

Most of my bikes have bells except my best road bike and xc racer
Mostly got either salsa chilli pepper ones or bob the builder
But the comuter has a Barbie bell after a lost drinking game

Yep got bells on all my MTB. I go for the polite ding and cheery hello. If people intentionally choose not to hear the bell I tend to give a couple more dings. I have been previously labelled a "militant campanologist" by my cycling buddies.

[url= http://www.turbospoke.com/products-turbospoke-what-is-it.aspx ]Turbospoke should do the trick. [/url]

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I've got a 'ting ting' bell fitted on all my bikes including my Whyte 146 which usually gets me some stick from fellow riders.

TBH I usually forget to use it until I'm right up behind fellow trail users but in conjunction with a good morning / afternoon it's usually appreciated.

I have in the past been berated by other trail users when I didn't have a bell and using a line stolen from a friend when asked where my bell is reply 'on my front door'which always seemed to increase the 'loving' bond between red sock'r and rider 😉

I know a bike being sold with a bell is a legal requirement but is it a legal requirement to ride with one?

No, as per my previous post. The Highway Code only [i]recommends[/i] that you carry a bell.

[url= https://www.gov.uk/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82 ]See rule 66 HERE[/url]

when asked where my bell is reply 'on my front door'

a) No

b) I usually just utter the words "ding a ****in' ling" in my most sarcastic tone