Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association - Forums

I've never considered needing a bell at the places I was riding until I rode the Wiss, with it's high speeds and busy trails.

So, what's a good bell? There were DOZENS to choose from on Amazon with most lacking decent reviews. Many cheap ones that break, some too big for my taste (besides, fishandchips is already rocking the big bell, I don't want to be compete with that! LOL).

Some bells "ping", others "ring-ring". Are some louder then others? Are some better heard by on comers??

Is one style easier to use in a hurry then others?

(I can't beleive I'm starting a post about "bells"  :-[ ;D)

It's an important post. A bell is essential in the Wiss. With so many bikers and other users it's a necessity, and it exemplifies responsible riding. I know my DingDong bell gets a lot of laughs, but I often get appreciation from other users because invariably they'd just been passed by 10 others with little or no warning.

Personally I can barely hear the popular ding bell. Sure you can here it from your handlebars but others can't hear it well around a blind corner, and other bikers heading toward you at high speed most often can't hear it. If you do have one you really have to give it 2 or 3 strong dings.

I can't report on any others though but I wonder if mtbr has some reviews...

I got my bell off eBay. There is a company that still makes them, but I wouldn't call them durable. I broke on in a fall and another is bent out of shape (but works).

I like it though, and people like to know I'm coming ;D

Down the road I'm actually going to go with a bell that chimes all the time. Instead of ringing it you stop it. That way at the top of a technical hill I can just let it ding away and I'm not trying to hold the line and ring at the same time....    it's a concept in progress.

This is a good topic and good timing. Yesterday I had a lady not hear my bell after I gave it one "ding". She commented and then I gave her a few more dings, "oh there's the bell". So if you get the ding version just give a few good whacks when you see someone.

If I'm coming high speed into a corner I alwasy give a few good solid dings just in case. Jesse if you get a bell that rings all the time..someone may be temped to stick it someplace where nobody will hear it.  :o

LOL!!  That's funny.

I just found some on eBay that are cheap.  Around $3 - $4 with $1 or $2 for shipping.  I am gonna get one.

good points Tom.

I should clarify, imagine a cat's bell that rings all the time as you move. In this case though most of the time you'd have it dampened so it can't ring, but when you're coming up on a long technical down hill you just release it and the bell rings continually with the bumps you hit.

My ding-dong bell kind of does that anyway right now because when it shakes a lot the dings go off. But I have no control over it. With the concept bell 90%  of the time you'd leave it off, you'd ding it as usual around blind corners and when you see people ahead, and you'd release it to chime continually on the long technical stuff.

Riding with Jess's bell is kinda like riding with a cow with a bell around its neck.  It rings whenever it feels like it, regardless  of where you are.  I'd advise getting one with a little more control...

As I said before, I'm not to happy that one of my bells rings of it's own accord, but I'd be a lot more unhappy if I ran my fat cow ass into someone.

I have an incredibell for about a month now. It's small & discrete, and easy to get into a good position to use. While it seems loud enough to me, I don't really know how well the sound carries. Some people hear it immediately but others don't seem to hear it at all.

Hope this helps.

I was actually thinking last week that it'd be a cool item for the PMBA shop to have bells with the PMBA logo on them.  Or maybe to have available at events?  I found that the http://www.mirrycle.com/main_custom_imprint.htm (http://www.mirrycle.com/main_custom_imprint.htm) Incredibell site actually does do this, but I have no idea of volume/costs...

we'll have to check them all out. Someone else told me they like their 'incredibell'. Kris, good idea. We once tossed around the idea of including a bell with membership but never looked into it. We'll add it to the board's agenda and check it out.

If you are really cheep you can just put a piece of cardboard on your bike and yell "Ding!" every time you pretend to use it.

I am really cheap, so I don't even use cardboard.......my bell is invisible!