Bells on bicycles – Since when?

As in when did the regs come in that say new bikes must be fitted with bells at purchase?

About 30 years ago IIrC

Iirc – uk supplied with , rest of Europe fitted .

OK fitted I think, many years ago.

My understanding is if bike sold with pedals then bell and reflectors required?

At the point of sale (ie shops) bikes have to be fitted with bells but there is no legal requirement for them to be fitted to bicycles no longer on shop display. [NOTE: thanks to the Coalition Government’s Red Tape Challenge this requirement will be history soon but, for now, is still in force).

Also if the bike is not built up ie.In kit form a bell does not have to be fitted either.

2004

The most recent lot was done in 2003, and came into force 1st May 2004. Prior to 1983 it was a requirement too.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3667513.stm

2004, they had to be fitted but only if it was a complete bike.
Also as far as I understand, only applies to bikes being ridden on the public highway.
So if bike is purely for off-road use, it doesn’t need one..

This must be the least enforced law in the country.
🙂

I wonder when the last prosecution was?

There’s no legal requirement to have a bell. The requirement is to have an audible warning instrument. Hope brakes are enough in themselves, but a cheery “hello there” is enough

I’ve put a bell on my bike. It’s light, unobtrusive and handy in busy areas. People seem to respond to and appreciate it. Plus it pings when things get mental

Bonkers really, because it’s not law to ride a bike with it fitted.

Whilst we’re on the subject… what’s the legal requirements for reflectors on new bikes..?

When I’ve bought new bikes the first thing I’ve done is take them all off!

…but a cheery “hello there” is enough

I like to have a bell when using shared paths, as you can give a bit prior warning, but you’re right, “Good Morning!” generally does the job pretty well.

Or so I thought, until a recent ride, where I rolled up behind a large group of walkers, separated into smaller groups. Not a problem. I did the polite thing, slowed down to walking place, “Good morning…Excuse me….thank you…excuse me…thank you….cheers….morning….“, thanking each and every one as I passed. But then it happened. And I honestly thought this was a myth up until this point. I was asked the question. Do I have a bell?

To which I actually apologised, “I don’t, sorry!“

Do I have a bell? The answers to the question shot through my mind, but I didn’t deem it worthwhile to begin explaining that it was on my other bike, and that I’ve had a terrible time finding bells that work consistently, and that if I had, she’d never have had the gratification of asking if I had a bell… I just left it at an apology and carried on. Thinking WTF.

It’s people like her that make it law to put bells on bikes.

Now I feel cheated. I bought a +3K FS in 2011 & it had no bell, (or reflectors come to that) am I due any recompense?
It did/does however have Hope brakes but for some strange reason they don’t make enough noise to alert people of my impending presence. 🙁

I get the “where’s your bell?” comment all the time, despite always making a point of slowing to walking pace and saying a friendly good morning from a good distance away. It’s often from someone in a large group of walkers and I generally read it as code for ‘How dare you ride your bicycle near me’.

‘Don’t you have a bell?’

My reply is – ‘Yes it’s right here. The only time I used it was coming up behind a young woman walking a little dog. It startled her enough that she jumped and I saw both her feet leave the ground. The dog’s lead was tight enough that I saw all four of its feet leave the ground. I think it’s kinder to say good morning.’

I once got a “wheres your bell” on the forth and clyde canal.

emptied the airzound for her.

Slowoldgit +1

and

I’ve got a bike
you can ride if you like
it’s got a basket
a bell that rings…

what’s the legal requirements for reflectors on new bikes..?

White reflector to the front, red to the rear. Have to be between hub height and I think 1.5m above road level. A legal requirement for all bikes on the road.

White reflector to the front, red to the rear. Have to be between hub height and I think 1.5m above road level. A legal requirement for all bikes on the road.

Pedal reflectors are also a legal requirement

Pedal reflectors are also a legal requirement

Forgot about those 😕 The only pedals I’ve ever seen with reflectors are the ultra cheap ones that often come with lower end bikes. Anything decent seems to ignore them.

I’ve got a bike
you can ride if you like
it’s got a basket
a bell that rings…

…and things to make it look good

🙂

XT pedals, dual sided have reflectors.

on my bike.

I get the “where’s your bell?” comment all the time, despite always making a point of slowing to walking pace and saying a friendly good morning from a good distance away. It’s often from someone in a large group of walkers and I generally read it as code for ‘How dare you ride your bicycle near me’.

Exactly this, especially your interpretation.

Often showing off in front of their friends, although I’ve had it from solo walkers too.

Why don’t ramblers wear bells?

Had an abrupt rage with a walker once when he shouted “you’re supposed to have a bell”, to which I shouted “no I’m not”. He repeated and I returned with “Shut up old man I don’t need a bell”! I really could have jumped off the bike and pushed him into the brambles, jumped up old fart. I’d given plenty warning, slowed down and made sure the group of walkers knew we were coming.

Why don’t ramblers wear bells?

They might be mistaken for morris dancers. No-one wants that.

I used to be quite a bell evangelist, even taking the moral high ground about using a bell on yer MTB if you’re riding shared access routes out in the hills.. I mean it’s not exactly a hardship is it?

waaaaaaah, but it’s a weight penalty and doesn’t look cool

**** off!!

errr anyway, as has been rightly pointed out to me on numerous occasions, a cheery hello and a chat works much better than a bell when out on the trails, but I still advocate using one in town and any areas where pedestrians as opposed to ramblers are likely to be encountered..

It’s just polite innit..
I know they don’t work on everyone you meet and no doubt the ‘too cool for a bell’ brigade will be trotting out anecdotes about times when their bell has upset some misanthropic deaf old bat on a towpath, but you can meet dickheads like that whether you’re on a bike, in a car, pushing a shopping trolley around tescos or walking to the shop for a paper.. In 99% of cases (accurate peer reviewed statistic) giving your bell a hearty tinkle when approaching pedestrians on shared paths does wonders for cyclist/pedestrian relations.. especially if applied liberally and without prejudice..
My bell has also definitely avoided collisions with unobservant pedestrians that were about to step off the kerb..

Use your bell shamelessly and with joy in your heart.. Embrace it’s merry tinkle.. folk love it and you can learn to love it too

my latest bike came with this!

the bells not the loudest but it sort of works, it helped ward off some oxford street shopping zombies from stepping off the kerb into me this very night

tektro cable discs are surprisingly brilliant tho

Exactly this, especially your interpretation.

Often showing off in front of their friends, although I’ve had it from solo walkers too.

I had a 100db electronic bell back in the day, it was great for frightening ramblers with, particularly in dartmoor.

A few cyclist I know have had the “don’t ring you bell at me! can’t you say hello!” no pleasing some people!

If someone ask me/you “where’s your bell” (most just trying to be cleaver/funny)

Just tell them, I don’t need one, if they argue, say I just need a audible device, normally shuts them up, if not I start smiling at them while shaking your head, which normal winds them even more. 😈

A few cyclist I know have had the “don’t ring you bell at me! can’t you say hello!” no pleasing some people!

I know they don’t work on everyone you meet and no doubt the ‘too cool for a bell’ brigade will be trotting out anecdotes about times when their bell has upset some misanthropic deaf old bat on a towpath, but you can meet dickheads like that whether you’re on a bike, in a car, pushing a shopping trolley around tescos or walking to the shop for a paper.. In 99% of cases (accurate peer reviewed statistic) giving your bell a hearty tinkle when approaching pedestrians on shared paths does wonders for cyclist/pedestrian relations..

I tried a bell at one point – people either don’t hear it or jump out of their skin. I find a freehub whirr and polite excuse me usually works.

I tried Bells on the bike but I prefer a single malt if I am honest. My town bike and both kids bikes have a bell. The town bike one is a little bit knackered so tinkles nice and quietly all the time you’re riding in a quite cheery way. 😀

cakefacesmallblock – Member
Bonkers really, because it’s not law to ride a bike with it fitted.

Plus the cheap bells most shops fit to comply are complete shit. They ding maybe once in their life and then just dull clunk if not fall apart and don’t stay on typical MTB bars without falling apart.

As for the “where’s your bell”, well when I do use a bell from half a mile away I get the sudden shocked look as they turn around and then grab their fellow walkers and leap to the side in fear as if I’m travelling at them at 100mph, and then half a minute later I catch up to them at near walking pace. Some seem to have a heart attack when I use a bell and give me right dirty looks.

Or I get a sarcastic sounding “thanks for using your bell”.

And then there’s the dedicated pretend to be deaf walkers even though I saw them look around and see me, who will not let me past no matter how patient and polite I am.

It’s not like I’m a hooligan barging past with no care like some. I slow down, stop, wait, give way. If it’s narrow tow path or the like I’ll stop and get off to walk past or let them past if there’s a dog obviously not under control or small kids.

Dog egg popgun. Sorted.

Damn those walkerists they really boil my piss!!

” Some seem to have a heart attack when I use a bell and give me right dirty looks.”

This +Horses
Just cannot get by them with some jump & lurch to the side ( or other dramatics) even though I know full well from watching their ears swivel that they have heard me.

Plus if you do have a bell, mount it anywhere but the centre of your bars,in line with where your bollovks are going to go if you ever fly over the handlebars. Had a very close shave when the bell level tore a nice line down the front of my shorts. Its now fixed under my bars