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

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Location
Rammy
timmcp said:
..........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?

Personally I whistle, people think i'm a jogger. I've found that people occasionally don't realise what the bell is and i don't have space on my bars for it due to their narrow width.
 

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
betty swollocks said:
I ping(ed) until they respond(ed).
Too far away and they don't hear.
Louder bell necessary?
Airzound? only for use against vehicles.

That doesn't ryhym at all :rolleyes:
 

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
summerdays said:
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.

They WILL NOT know what I mean.
That gives me the upper hand.
They can either shift their arses sideways,
Or get flattened where they stand.
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
summerdays said:
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.
See this is why it works, cause they haven't a clue they look for it & see the bike...

then go :rolleyes: as they realise they're about to get :smile: :smile:
 

beachcaster

Active Member
Location
sussex
I use a towpath very regularly, and I find that a polite ding ding brings the best response when approaching from behind.

It's also good approaching bridges.

I don't care whether it's cool or not.

Totally agree...its about responsibility and safety...I also ride shared paths and Its only polite to let folks know you are about to pass them...and of course its safer for both parties if a pedestrian knows you are about.
I find my tiny little bell cant be heard from 30-40 yds away giving most people the chance to move out of the way.

A lot of walkers thank me for ringing the bell to let them know I coming.

barry
 

Rollon

Well-Known Member
Location
Chorley, Lancs
Uncool - depends partly on where you live. Went to Cambridge recently, its a real bikeing culture there, lots of sit up and beg bikes with baskets on the fronts and off course a big shiny bell. I would say a bell there is absolutely neccesary. Now where I live people would laugh at someone riding a bike like that, but there it is the norm, and make perfect sense to me.
As for myself I shout a polite thank you on the approach to pedestrians and a "Thanks very much" as I pass them. I did fit a bell on my MTB recently when biking the old railway route at Keswick, knowing it would be busy with walkers.
Dave.
 

garrilla

Senior Member
Location
Liverpool
OI!
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Bells......................................................... sheesh

My kids have them, and they use them in the park, both behave well, slow down and 'ting a ling'.......

Now me.............. a good screech of tyres on rubble....good eh............. :smile:

No I don't.......... :smile:...............I slow down and do a really nice 'excuse me'..then tear the path up in the walkers faces....ah well............(joke)

On road it's the old OI when I am about to get done over... works..... had some in-attentive driver nearly hit the roof (of her car) in shock.....:biggrin: laugh..so I did......

Bells on my bikes no chance..........lights, only 3 of the 4 bikes have light capability.......

The commuter has them permanently

The 4th is a no-no.......(it doesn't do night rides...... and any attachments.....grrrrr) ...........:smile::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 

Domino

Veteran
I intend to get a bell. I saw Davidc's on the Somerset informal ride the other day and it's just what I need. I cycle a lot of country lanes and horse riders are the basic problem. If I shout it's seems to startle them, I must have a big harsh gob. I reakon a little "ding" will be just the trick to let them know I'm coming without causing a galloping incident.
 

the_bing

Über Member
Location
Hertford
i agree with domino. bells aren't exactly cool unless your riding a uber-retro beach cruiser, but sometimes they're a necessity. whilst on towpaths, i've been shouted at by walkers saying 'get a bloody bell!', so i dug one out of my workshop (i'm not gonna go out and buy one!) and slapped it on the bars.

but to answer the original question; 'not cool' in my book, i'm afraid.
 

joggingbob

Well-Known Member
Location
Essex
I use a bell on the commuter but only use on the shared cycle / ped path, (no point on the road). It is uncool but it is your choice. On the road I just use my voice, (tempted by the airzound but suspect it will just wind up motorists)
 
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