Do you have a bell on your bike?

Iwannahurl · 29-05-2014 7:44pm #1

In my case the answer is (usually*) yes.

You?

* Broke recently and spare won't fit.

Darkglasses · 29-05-2014 7:49pm

Always had one when I commuted on my bike to work, took it off when I stopped cycling to work and only cycled in the country. Will soon be adding one again to my hybrid, because I spend so much time on a shared use off-road path.

Carpenter · 29-05-2014 7:51pm

No way they weigh a tonne

blobbie · 29-05-2014 7:57pm

End

Mint Sauce · 29-05-2014 8:07pm

Not since I was about 10 years old.

SilverLiningOK · 29-05-2014 8:15pm

Yes, on all bicycles. Very useful for shared paths. When used with care it can be quite courteous without scaring people.

stecleary · 29-05-2014 8:17pm

Have a what?

hardCopy · 29-05-2014 8:17pm

When I cycled the Clontarf cycle track I found it essential. I rarely cycle there now and haven't carried a bell in a couple of years.

Mugser · 29-05-2014 8:51pm

Took it off to fit the power-metre head-unit!!

crosstownk · 29-05-2014 8:52pm

I don't have a bell on either bike but my wife and daughter do. It's essential on a family spin in a park where the space is shared with pedestrians, joggers and dog walkers - just a quick "ding" to alert others to the fact that a bike is approaching - not meant to make them move out of the way or anything.

And no, I don't have a Shimano Ultegra Di2 bell on my road bike.

lennymc · 29-05-2014 8:59pm

i keep meaning to get one for all the loonie pedestrians for when Im on the footpath or breaking red lights.

crosstownk · 29-05-2014 9:00pm

lennymc wrote: »

i keep meaning to get one for all the loonie pedestrians for when Im on the footpath or breaking red lights.

Air horn FTW.

joxerjohn · 30-05-2014 11:28am

Same one is tesco for €2.50

Lemag · 30-05-2014 11:37am

I bought a CAAD 9 road bike a couple of years ago. When it arrived I was surprised to find that it came with a bell.

Idleater · 30-05-2014 11:39am

I have one on the only bike that I own that legally requires one.

scotchy · 30-05-2014 11:48am

I bark like a dog to let people know to get off the cycle path:o much more effective than a bell.

.

droidus · 30-05-2014 12:02pm

I keep my front brakes squeaky. Nothing better for getting people to jump out of the way.

Planet X · 30-05-2014 12:09pm

Yes.......a nice shiny one

rainbow kirby · 30-05-2014 1:10pm

Lemag wrote: »

I bought a CAAD 9 road bike a couple of years ago. When it arrived I was surprised to find that it came with a bell.

One came in the box from Wiggle for my OH's Felt F85. He did put it on, it's useful for waking up some of the more oblivious pedestrians around Regent's Park.

clod71 · 30-05-2014 1:33pm

I usually shout "beep beep" when riding on a shared path... it does the job and save space on an already very crowded handlebar.

monument · 30-05-2014 1:38pm

Yes.

But I don't use it as much as I would have in Dublin.

NBar · 30-05-2014 2:35pm

I have one of these on my schwinn which I use for buzzing around the city

ZiabR · 30-05-2014 2:37pm

Dont have one installed myself. Then again I dont use shared paths.

Colonel Panic · 30-05-2014 3:25pm

Planet X wrote: »

Yes.......a nice shiny one

Somewhat (very) OT. Is that a Surly? How do you find it?

animaal · 30-05-2014 3:36pm

I think it's still a legal requirement for all bikes to have a bell when on the road. It's a law that I thought made absolutely no sense in times gone by, but maybe will start making sense as pedestrians and cyclists share space more.

Now that I think about it, I wonder, do the Dublin Bikes scheme have bells?

Inbox · 30-05-2014 3:45pm

I have a bell on my hybrid and it's very useful cycling around the suburbs. To be honest i get a bit of a rush of adrenalin after ringing it at someone :pac: Particulary hard men who walk out in front of me slowly, they look up and stare and i give them a wink and an nod. It thows them abit

manwithaplan · 30-05-2014 3:50pm

A little man used ring his bell at me when I was riding on the on-path cycle lane through Fairview. It was to notify me that he was going quicker and to get out of the way. I haven't seen him recently. It may be that he moved away or got a new job or something but I like to think that he was cheerfully battered to death with his own bell.

Chips Lovell · 30-05-2014 3:51pm

animaal wrote: »

..do the Dublin Bikes scheme have bells?

Yes

RobertFoster · 30-05-2014 5:16pm

Planet X wrote: »

Yes.......a nice shiny one http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc356/Kilroy8282/DSCN0323_zpsfa75feda.jpg

There's a tiny person with a camera trapped inside your bell!

I don't have a bell. I sit behind pedestrians and glare at the back of their heads until they move.

Doctor Bob · 30-05-2014 5:23pm

animaal wrote: »

I think it's still a legal requirement for all bikes to have a bell when on the road.

All bikes except those constructed or adapted for racing use.

It's not an exception I like, given that a road bike can be used for commuting. I'd far rather see the journey purpose/road environment being the determinant(s) of the necessity for a bell, not the bike type.

As for my own set up...

Doctor Bob wrote: »

...
The other three bells have different volumes and I use them depending on context. I got the ding-dong, which is still in great nick after three years of daily use, from Bear; the ping was NOS from the Netherlands; and the brass one, which was a christmas present to myself, was from Lion Bell Works. The ability to get the Lion one engraved is a nice touch too.

(Starring Susan Sarandon as Doctor Bob.)

That's my ding-dong (pink, far side) and my ping (black, near side)

Brass bell not pictured. It's identical to the one in Planet X's pic above, but with different text. (@Planet X: thanks for bringing Lion Bell Works to my attention.)

lennymc · 30-05-2014 5:57pm

Doctor Bob, you look much better than normal in the picture above.

Do you have a bell on your bike?

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