Everyone riding trails should have one of these bells!

[proletariandan]

Hey all,

About 2 years ago after a woman yelled at me for not having a bell while riding on a trail I realized that wasn't such a bad idea.

I bought a Timber shortly thereafter: it is pretty unobtrusive and gives me way more confidence to let loose on frequently-used multipurpose trails trails. Lots of smiles and thumbs up from hikers.

I'm always surprised how few other riders have them - do folks just not know about them?

Well now you do!

https://www.mtbbell.com/

Dan

[XXtwindad]

Hey all,

About 2 years ago after a woman yelled at me for not having a bell while riding on a trail I realized that wasn't such a bad idea.

I bought a Timber shortly thereafter: it is pretty unobtrusive and gives me way more confidence to let loose on frequently-used multipurpose trails trails. Lots of smiles and thumbs up from hikers.

I'm always surprised how few other riders have them - do folks just not know about them?

Well now you do!

https://www.mtbbell.com/

Dan

Had to do it.

[Velocipede]

I put an Incredibell on my mountain bike back in 94. We had trails that ran parallel and joined up. It was a race to the fork and I did the bell after almost crashing into someone. It got to the point tho people would freak and think I was close even if I wasn't. It was fun.

[JPS123]

And if Titanium is your thing (had to):

https://awarenessbell.com/

Very happy with mine.

Correction: These are stainless, thought it was Ti for some reason.

[estilley]

I too have a Timber.

Riding here is oddly uncrowded so I haven't really had to turn it on much.

Would be nice to keep the mountain lions away though!

[cinema]

Always use my awareness bell. It rocks

[Hikyle2]

I started using one after I came up on a horse and rider, she explained to me that the horse will think I'm a wolf if I don't make some noise. Last thing I want is to get kicked by a horse on a ride.

[Tony]

With loud hubs like my E thirteens you really don't need a bell.
Still ride with a cheap bell, some places require them.

[ToonaBP]

SpurCycle works great for me on my Topstone...

[Blue Jays]

Timber website is pretty good. It does look easy to switch between quiet mode and passive ringing mode.

[dpdan93]

I just recently added a Spurcycle bell to the front end of my gravel bike when on trails etc. People tend to be a little rude around here and my warnings to them seemed to fall on deaf ears. Now I give them a few dings and they jump out of my way

[martl]

Always use my awareness bell. It rocks

I have a voice.... :)

[HenryA]

I have a voice.... :)

And “good morning ladies, may I pass?”

[p nut]

Yelling out works when you can see the other trail user coming up. It’s the blind corners. Maybe you’ll remember to yell out or ring your bell. Maybe not.

I use a Spurcycle bell. But have thought about getting one of these cowbells. Timberbell looks cool but does it do anything better than a $4 “bear bell?”

https://www.rei.com/product/120506/counter-assault-bear-bell-with-magnetic-silencer?CAWELAID=120217890004045309&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=15877490680&CATCI=pla-409124970637&cm_mmc=PLA_Google&product_id=1205060001&ad_type=pla&channel=online&partition_id=409124970637&target_id=pla-409124970637&brand_flag=&adgroup_id=15877490680&campaign_id=180122080&location_physical=9029717&cid=53280440200&network=g&network_type=search&device_type=m&merchant_id=1209243&gclid=CjwKCAjw1v_0BRAkEiwALFkj5oxthRwmSgl6GrKq8tCC e92msCJ4CItSZiX1qL6hBX35nrXaCUY2ZxoC0Q0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Robot870]

And “good morning ladies, may I pass?”

That's my go to line - lol

[marciero]

I love my bells and have them on any bike that gets MUP use. Even if you didnt get tired of issuing them, verbal warnings often confuse, are not heard, startle, etc. A bell gives a clear, unambiguous, simple announcement that something this there and is coming. That is mostly what you are doing-rather than instructing a person to move you are giving awareness. One ding. If a person or persons are blocking passage, they will realize that they have to move and gives them agency in determining a course of action. I use two or three dings when people need to move. Another thing is that at distances where you would have to shout, a bell can cut through and can be heard without being obnoxiously loud. So you can give a far range ding, then one more closer in.

Another thing is for "hello" use, which little kids, as well as their parents, seem to like.

[martl]

I love my bells and have them on any bike that gets MUP use. Even if you didnt get tired of issuing them, verbal warnings often confuse, are not heard, startle, etc. A bell gives a clear, unambiguous, simple announcement that something this there and is coming. That is mostly what you are doing-rather than instructing a person to move you are giving awareness. One ding. If a person or persons are blocking passage, they will realize that they have to move and gives them agency in determining a course of action. I use two or three dings when people need to move. Another thing is that at distances where you would have to shout, a bell can cut through and can be heard without being obnoxiously loud. So you can give a far range ding, then one more closer in.

Another thing is for "hello" use, which little kids, as well as their parents, seem to like.

The advantage of a bell is that its sound is unique to a bicycle, so (normally) everyone hearing the "ding" knows "ah thats a person on a bicycle trying o give me a sign".
Problem is, the sound is often percieved as an act of hostility or a "get out of my way!!!" thing instead of a "hullo? pay attention please". (might be a matter of cultutral differences)

In my experience, there is no better way to provoke absolutely erratic unforseeable reactions in pedestrians than ringing a bicycle bell.
So, when there is space enough to do so safely, i pass unobservant pedstrians or cyclists *without* prior acoustic warning because it is the safest option. It elimiates the risk of them doing some wild stuff that transforms a harmless encounter into one thats dangerous for both of us.

In case that room isn't available, i prefer to make my presence known in the most unagressive way possible, which isn't by dinging a bell, but by a friendly "excuse me?" and a smile.

[dustyrider]

I tried the bell for a good month. Everyone wearing headphones makes it pretty useless. I think the loud, "Hello there!" is actually heard over their listening device much better. But that's just my experience.

[thwart]

I tried the bell for a good month. Everyone wearing headphones makes it pretty useless. I think the loud, "Hello there!" is actually heard over their listening device much better. But that's just my experience.

Spurcycle. Loud and clear. Penetrates the EarPods and the like consistently, unlike my voice.

Standard practice: use bell, folks move over... 'thank you' on the way by...

Hostility? I ride MUP's a lot, especially since my '15 accident. I honestly have yet to see any significant negative reaction to the bell... but then again, I start to sound it when I'm still some distance away... important to avoid the startle. Can't say the same for the classic nice and loud 'bike on your left'.

[dustyrider]

Spurcycle. Loud and clear. Penetrates the EarPods and the like consistently, unlike my voice.

Standard practice: use bell, folks move over... 'thank you' on the way by...

That's the bell I have in the parts bin...

[Spdntrxi]

as long as everyone walking the trails does not have 2 earbuds blasting whatever kind of music they may be listening too.. thus cancelling out my cute bell.

[charliedid]

Isn't that a bear bell?

[bigbill]

I have one on my MTB. I like the ability to turn it off when I'm in desert with good visibility down the trail and want to enjoy the silence.

[William]

When I'm walking out on the trails I know what to listen for so no one sneaks up on me while riding. In comparison I would fairly often come up on people who never heard me come up behind them. I went the bell route as well and people do get out of the way well in advance now.







W.

[KVN]

I use a Spurcycle bell mounted next to my dropper lever. I mostly use it when on high speed portions of two-way singletrack and while coming up to blind corners. I think it's key to have it a really loud bell (like the Spurcycle) and have mounted somewhere where ringing the bell becomes second nature.

Of course, I've been using it a lot more now that we need to follow the social distance advisory.

I just started using it on my mtb, there a ton of new trail users lately so the bell is really coming in handy.

[pncguy]

I have a Spurcycle that my wife bought me for Christmas one year when they were selling "seconds." I swear it looks and works EXACTLY like first quality but they identified "something" wrong with it, so it was much less than "new."

I use it for blind corners as well as announcing from a distance. I "feel" like it is a negative and/or aggressive act, but I've never had a negative reaction. If I ring it too close I do sometimes get a startled reaction, so I don't do it so close that I can't react.

Of course, I'm not that consistent. My wife gives me a hard time: "why do you use it sometimes and not others?!"

:confused:

[Blue Jays]

My sense is that as cyclists with good situational awareness, we are "tuned" to always be listening for fellow riders.
To others, our futile shouted warnings are likely experienced as unexpected, jarring, and rather confusing.

The nice thing about a constantly ringing "passive" bell is that it is pretty darn recognizable.
We instinctively know "on your left" meaning and react predictably for other riders.
Who even knows how total non-riders perceive our words with ear buds and wind noise further complicating things? LOL.

"...I have a cleft!"
"Having a rift!"
"I dissed!"
"On a cliff!..."

My technique is to give as wide a berth as possible and avoid surprises.
With all the people flocking outdoors, I might need to invest in one of these bells, at least for my cool fendered bicycle, anyway. ;-)

[echappist]

Spurcycle. Loud and clear. Penetrates the EarPods and the like consistently, unlike my voice.

Standard practice: use bell, folks move over... 'thank you' on the way by...

Hostility? I ride MUP's a lot, especially since my '15 accident. I honestly have yet to see any significant negative reaction to the bell... but then again, I start to sound it when I'm still some distance away... important to avoid the startle. Can't say the same for the classic nice and loud 'bike on your left'.

How is the Military Ridge trail looking these days?

I use a Spurcycle bell mounted next to my dropper lever. I mostly use it when on high speed portions of two-way singletrack and while coming up to blind corners. I think it's key to have it a really loud bell (like the Spurcycle) and have mounted somewhere where ringing the bell becomes second nature.

Of course, I've been using it a lot more now that we need to follow the social distance advisory.

I just started using it on my mtb, there a ton of new trail users lately so the bell is really coming in handy.

What trails?

I also have a bell on the mtb; more of a bear bell (from back when i lived in NJ black bear country), but works on single tracks.

It’s activated by rocking motions, so quiet on paved trails but loud on anything rough

[pdmtong]

I've been using the $12 Brass Duet (https://www.mirrycle.com/product/incredibell-brass-duet/) for years and like it because the lever initiates multiple rings, unlike the one ding per flick spurcycle.

I put a spurcyucle on my SS townie since it looks great,

[tylercheung]

Hm, I might buy a Spurcycle mostly bc the bike cafe near me carries them...

[9tubes]

I started using one after I came up on a horse and rider, she explained to me that the horse will think I'm a wolf if I don't make some noise. Last thing I want is to get kicked by a horse on a ride.

Off topic, but I've always been amused by how horse riders are soooo sensitive. Horses were transportation in noisy major cities, have pulled wagons in factories, have been around steam trains and whistles, have been in wars with cannon, men and women have shot rifles over the heads of the horses, and the horses have been shot at in battle.

Yet some riders in the horse community think the mere sight or sound of a mountain biker is shocking to a horse, and after 35 years horses are still too dumb to learn.

Horses are smart and have excellent hearing. I have no doubt that a horse can distinguish between the sound and smell of a mountain biker vs a wolf. When I make noise while approaching a horse from behind it's for the rider.


_

[Spdntrxi]

I use the knog Oi... if spurcycle can penetrate earbuds I'm all for trying. I've grown to dislike those hikers on my local trails.

[thwart]

How is the Military Ridge trail looking these days?


Very rideable, no longer muddy and no sandy/soft areas to speak of. A little boring maybe... but great for meditative riding.

I use the knog Oi... if spurcycle can penetrate earbuds I'm all for trying. I've grown to dislike those hikers on my local trails.

Looks like not everyone's experience (see dustyrider's post) but the Spurcycle is much more effective than voice for me and better than the other bell (a brass Crane) I've used.

Pricey (I try to buy mine when they're having a seconds sale) but good.

[gdw]

Bells are for snowflakes. I carry a pistol in a hip holster with a couple large capacity magazines on multiuse trails. Just fire a couple rounds into the air, let out a rebel yell, and the trails are mine to enjoy.

[fmradio516]

Bells are for snowflakes. I carry a pistol in a hip holster with a couple large capacity magazines on multiuse trails. Just fire a couple rounds into the air, let out a rebel yell, and the trails are mine to enjoy.


interesting

[nmrt]

I was on magnolia road the other day quietly pedaling away. then a heard a rebel like yodeling followed by some load noises. must have been you!? ;)

Bells are for snowflakes. I carry a pistol in a hip holster with a couple large capacity magazines on multiuse trails. Just fire a couple rounds into the air, let out a rebel yell, and the trails are mine to enjoy.

[gdw]

It probably was one of my neighbors who hasn't quite mastered the yell. I was exposed to the plague and am stuck in Boulder until the end of the month. Did you ride up Magnolia or 68?

[bambam]

I had a crane karen bell on my road bike for years. https://www.cranebellco.com/bells
It has the long spring connected to the dinger.
If you hit a hard enough bump it would ring itself.
On a ride from Bandera, TX to Leaky, TX the chip seal was so rough it would actually vibrate and ring 75% of the time. Interesting on a 107 mile ride.
The next year I had to tape it to prevent the ringing.
Sadly that same stretch of road eventually broke the dinger.

Always seemed like a good idea for the mtn bike though.

Ride Safe,
BamBam

[fmradio516]

for mountain bikes, i probably wouldnt use a traditional bell. but i guess it depends what kind of riding you do. I ride techy stuff and wipeout pretty often, so they wouldnt last too long on my bars.

[p nut]

for mountain bikes, i probably wouldnt use a traditional bell. but i guess it depends what kind of riding you do. I ride techy stuff and wipeout pretty often, so they wouldnt last too long on my bars.

I’d like to see what your brake levers, shifters look like!!

[fmradio516]

I’d like to see what your brake levers, shifters look like!!

its sad :(((

[415km]

So I get that not everyone wants a bell ringing the whole time they ride but of folks who have actually used the awareness or timberbell would you recommend? It seems like a good way to let people know you're coming without scaring them since they can hear it long before you can see them on most trails (at least in my area). I feel bad scaring the crap out of folks trying to enjoy a peaceful hike.

[zetroc]

I can vouch for this bell! I bought one from John at Stone's a few years ago and it's been FANTASTIC! Really great idea and execution.

[Saxon]

And “good morning ladies, may I pass?”

You rake!

[echappist]

So I get that not everyone wants a bell ringing the whole time they ride but of folks who have actually used the awareness or timberbell would you recommend? It seems like a good way to let people know you're coming without scaring them since they can hear it long before you can see them on most trails (at least in my area). I feel bad scaring the crap out of folks trying to enjoy a peaceful hike.

My timber bell has an “off” position of sorts. So when im on a paved trail, it gets turned “on” only when i’m approaching others.

[415km]

My timber bell has an “off” position of sorts. So when im on a paved trail, it gets turned “on” only when i’m approaching others.

I think I'm sold and will order one, thanks!

[EB]

I dunno, people misinterpret bells too.

Just the other day I was slowly climbing Chapman Dr in Corte Madera, a quiet hill climb through a residential neighborhood. Ahead was an elderly couple in their masks, strolling in the street (Marin towns have this thing about being opposed to building sidewalks, but I digress). I gave them a polite bell ring and turned to go around them on the left. Without looking around, the man veered left as well, right into my path.

I slowed down and then passed between them. As I departed the woman screamed “PLEASE CALL OUT!!!”

I politely responded, “That’s why I rang the bell, ma’am.”

She screamed back, “WE THOUGHT YOU WERE AN ICE CREAM TRUCK.”

...

[echappist]

Last caveat, the thing isn't very loud on paved paths (no rocking). So one needs to pedal out of saddle and sway the handlebar to get the bell going

[marciero]

...
Problem is, the sound is often percieved as an act of hostility or a "get out of my way!!!" thing instead of a "hullo? pay attention please". (might be a matter of cultutral differences)

In my experience, there is no better way to provoke absolutely erratic unforseeable reactions in pedestrians than ringing a bicycle bell.
So, when there is space enough to do so safely, i pass unobservant pedstrians or cyclists *without* prior acoustic warning because it is the safest option. It elimiates the risk of them doing some wild stuff that transforms a harmless encounter into one thats dangerous for both of us.
...

I dunno, people misinterpret bells too.

... I gave them a polite bell ring and turned to go around them on the left. Without looking around, the man veered left as well, right into my path.

I slowed down and then passed between them. As I departed the woman screamed “PLEASE CALL OUT!!!”

I politely responded, “That’s why I rang the bell, ma’am.”

She screamed back, “WE THOUGHT YOU WERE AN ICE CREAM TRUCK.”

...

Well I guess you cant win with some people. I routinely have pedestrians thank me for using my bell. I think early warning is key, not when you are right on top of them. Pre-bell, I also preferred the stealth approach with no warning.

Regarding horses, my technique is to start talking to them pretty early on. "Good morning Mr. Horse. What a fine looking animal you are", etc. Their riders are appreciative, and maybe amused.