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

[onlyhuman]

If you do a lot of riding on shared-use paths a bell is useful. Hearty cries of "ding-ding" work well too though.

I have to admit I could never bring myself to put a bell on the carbon road bike. It just seems so wrong, and in any case as HLaB points out the Campag freehub sounds like a swarm of angry bees so people tend to move.

Matthew

+1 for hearty cries of "ding ding". I have just started doing this, and it makes people smile.

 

[Paul Narramore]

Yep, I recently fitted a bell and I also say "Good morning" or "Thank you" as well. Mind you I was riding along the sea wall at Whitstable the other day and came up to pass two elderly ladies. As I went by one say "You shouldn't be riding along here" and I'd clearly missed the No Cycling signs.

 

[numbnuts]

I've got a ding-a ling

 

[wafflycat]

Most of the roads round here don't have footpaths alongside, so I do sometimes come across pedestrians walking along the verge. There's a bell on my recumbent and TBH, I find a bell useless at alerting pedestrians to my presence, as when used it is ignored. I've found a loud but cheery "Cyclist behind you!" followed by a "Thank you" as I cycle by to be much more effective. I also find that when negotiating round horses & their riders, the human voice is a much better *friendly* alert to the horse than the sound of a bell. Certainly the horse riders appreciate it as talking to the rider and the horse as I pass works (as the riders tell me) to let the horse know that a cyclist is a human and not a predator, so far less likely to be spooked.

 

[jimboalee]

I've NEVER had one.

I won the 'no bell' prize.

 

[jimboalee]

+1 for hearty cries of "ding ding". I have just started doing this, and it makes people smile.

"Nice bike Dave, Ding! ding!"
"Yeh, got it from 'About bikes' of Blackminster, Evesham".....

Patronising radio ad of the century, off Touch FM, Stratford upon Avon's local commercial station.

Sickens me.


About vocal warnings..

"Rider up!" in a sturn tone is the correct method.

 

[addictfreak]

Had one and took it off, I found half the peds either take no notice or are too busy listening to their ipod or talking on the mobile.
I just give a shout now, scares the hell out of em!

 

[marooncat]

Most of the roads round here don't have footpaths alongside, so I do sometimes come across pedestrians walking along the verge. There's a bell on my recumbent and TBH, I find a bell useless at alerting pedestrians to my presence, as when used it is ignored. I've found a loud but cheery "Cyclist behind you!" followed by a "Thank you" as I cycle by to be much more effective. I also find that when negotiating round horses & their riders, the human voice is a much better *friendly* alert to the horse than the sound of a bell. Certainly the horse riders appreciate it as talking to the rider and the horse as I pass works (as the riders tell me) to let the horse know that a cyclist is a human and not a predator, so far less likely to be spooked.

I agree, as a horse rider I would never use my bell coming up behind a horse....

 

[Lone Rider]

I use my bell to give pedestrians fair warning of my approach, as I pass I say thanks / good morning or whatever. Nobody has ever complained. I am sure it is preferable to no warning, it is also easier than shouting. If they don't move out of the way because they didn't hear, I just slow down as I pass them.
* I also have a mirror (which some people also think as uncool).

 

[sadjack]

Most of my riding is in the countryside and as well as people in the road I often see horses.

I do not have a bell. By far and away the best method I have found is the "Good Morning" etc as mentioned above. I always slow for people and horses and always ask the horse rider if it OK to come through.

Cant ever remember having an adverse reaction.

 

[betty swollocks]

Earlier pinging required so you have a choice Betty!

I ping(ed) until they respond(ed).
Too far away and they don't hear.
Louder bell necessary?
Airzound? only for use against vehicles.

 

[Browser]

I'd take my Dennis The Menace bell off, but the kids bought it for me !
I've an Airzound for ignorant motorists and the bell/shouts for others.

 

[longers]

Bells rattle for me, which I don't like. I've had two squeaky toys on the front, a crocodile and penguin and have only just grown out of them - they were pretty ineffective as they sounded like dog toys.

But I do like John the Monkeys "Have a care Sir" and will fail to use it at the appropriate time on many occasions from now on.

 

[summerdays]

About vocal warnings..

"Rider up!" in a sturn tone is the correct method.

If I was a non cycling pedestrian I wouldn't have the foggiest what that meant, also you don't want a stern tone but instead a nice friendly one.

 

[jeltz]

I use a bell on the shared paths near me, as it gets a better response. I had difficulty fitting one to my road bike as the ones in the local shop were designed for narrower bars. In the end I used a grinder to take off the "loop" and bolted it to a bar end.