Is it really that uncool to have a bell.......

[timmcp]

..........on your bike?

Took the day off today and decided that it would be good for a decent distance, so did just under a 30 miler with my co-rider. Connah's Quay to Chester and back. There is no real road work on the ride, only tarmaced cycle routes (old railway route ).

I have a bell on my bike and my mate doesn't, I was politely told it is so uncool to have a bell to warn pedestrians you are coming. Then realised half way round the cycle route he warns people we are coming up to them by coughing loudly

I thought he had a cold!

Is it really that uncool to have bell on your bike, or should you cough loudly, whistle, shout?

 

[darkfibre72]

Mine came off straight away when I brought my new Hybrid (Scott) the other week..

 

[John the Monkey]

I shout, or say excuse me.

I ditched the bell in frustration, as no one paid it any mind at all, even when I rang the blasted thing like a fire alarm. Tempted by one of those sonorous two-tone Dutch bells for the tourer though.

As to whether its cool or not, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[gaz]

i don't have a bell, and thats because most of the people i need to use it at are either on the phone or listening to music, a good shout gets them out the way!!

 

[Archie_tect]

Got a bell and use it.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

Get one of these:


Airzound Air Horn

 

[HLaB]

I have a mini flick bell on the commuter as I sometimes use it on shared paths and you hardly notice that but I don't have bells on the road bikes. With the campi equipped road bike a few seconds free wheeling alerts ped, the shimano equipped bike is too quiet however.

 

[Joe24]

I have a very loud voice for car drivers, or the left brake lever, which isnt used, i can pull then let go and it clicks loudly, which warns pedestrians(used when i was on holiday on a nice cycle path) to shift or ill take their shoes off with my front wheel

 

[Llama]

i have a bell and an Airzound. bell for peds and airzound when i'm about to get run over

 

[andyfromotley]

I dont have one but i am about to put one on my commuter this weekend. Mainly this is because i have failed to find away of shouting at pedestrians which doesn't sound rude or aggressive.

I think they probably are uncool but hey i find that quite appealing.

 

[Trumpettom001]

I just set my back brakes to where they are effectively "toe'd out"... makes a lovely squeal, and makes stupid peds that walk out infront of me that a car is screcching to a stop...



well I don't set them like that... It's just that they won't stay where I put them (onerous sign??)

 

[John the Monkey]

I once shouted "Have a care, sir!" at a student who wandered in to my path (I'd seen it coming a mile off & slowed in preparation).

Sometimes you only get time for an "oi!" though.

 

[Crackle]

Bells are excellent for shared paths, I'm always grateful for a tingle of a bell to let me know they're coming, get the pooch back and not leap 10 feet in the air as they go past and disturb me from my reverie. Somebody used some kind of electronic contraption on me once. In my panic I must have looked like a Keystone Kop, all movement and no action.

 

[Velorum]

On Wednesday I was in pedestrain mode near the Aldywch theatre in London. Just over from a major junction was a cycle lane running through a pedestrian area. Things were very busy - lots of traffic and people. The lights changed and half a dozen or so cycists headed at speed from the junction to the cycle lane which was congested with people. I noticed that three of them sounded bells. The peds seemed to recognise the significance if the chimes straight away and got out of the way. All very amicable and efficient.

Good to see.

 

[snorri]

I like to sound a bell way in advance to give the pedestrians plenty of time to get themselves sorted out before I arrive, but my "pinger" bell was hopeless.
The squeaking brakes are definitely most effective, but may cause undue panic. I bought one of these big retro type bells when on my summer tour but haven't yet had a chance to us it in earnest, no joint user paths in my locality.