Author Topic: Drop bar bell  (Read 6716 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Drop bar bell
« on: 08 October, 2017, 03:45:35 pm »

To comply with the law of the various countries I'm cycling through, I need my bike to be fitted with a bell that works. I could put one on the tops of the handlebars, but that's going to be a sod to actually ring if I'm on the hoods. So if I'm gonna carry a bell I may as well carry one that I can use. Does such a thing as a bell that can be rung when cycling on the hoods exist?

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #1 on: 08 October, 2017, 03:48:36 pm »

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #2 on: 08 October, 2017, 04:59:46 pm »
Some bells can go on the steerer in place of a spacer. Assuming you have enough space, that's a pretty good place, easy to ring from all hand positions. Lion Bell has the best tone and sustain IMO but it is more expensive than most.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #3 on: 08 October, 2017, 05:05:41 pm »
I have a wee bar extension that carries the GPS and a bell. Something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Acor-Bracket-Extension-Diameter-Handlebars/dp/B007ZBRNG6
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight


Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #5 on: 08 October, 2017, 06:29:34 pm »
The problem is always going to be accessing the bell when you "need it"

I used a bell that plugged in the end of the drop bars, which could be flicked by the little finger when on the drop, but you had to drop from the tops or hood to use it

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #6 on: 08 October, 2017, 06:39:15 pm »
How about http://hidemybell.cc/en/ integrated with a GPS clamp.  I agree that it is pretty inaccessible but it gets over the legal requirements.  A bell is required in France, but in many years of touring in France I have yet to see a local with one.  I don't use this either since it would rest on my bar bag and so not make a sound.

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #7 on: 08 October, 2017, 07:57:35 pm »
I also have a Lion bell mounted on my (quill) stem; the handlebar fitting works fine for this, but they make spacer mounts for threadless setups.

Apologies if you've been through all this, but when travelling internationally by bike you don't need to meet all local requirements; under the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, all a bike needs when crossing borders is:
-An efficient brake
-A bell – and no other audible warning device
-A red rear reflector
-A red rear lamp
-A white or selective yellow front lamp

See http://www.cyclinguk.org/cyclists-library/regulations/international-traffic for more info.

If I've read that CTC page correctly you don't (eg) have to have the bell or lights (in the daytime!) when in France, as they don't require either in their regs - you just need the lesser of the Vienna or local requirements.

Again according to that page you're ok with battery lights in Germany, but I'm not sure from a skim reading of the convention whether they have to be StVO-compliant; I suspect 'legal in your home country' would be enough, but that probably means BS-compliant rather than anything else - though I suspect that unless you fail the attitude test you'd be ok, as long as you weren't eg dazzling the oncoming Polizei patrol...

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #8 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:11:00 pm »
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to use the bell, why would you be concerned about having to move a hand?  The bell is not of itself going to move people out of the way, so you need to be prepared to slacken speed.

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #9 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:21:32 pm »
Does no-one make an electric bell which could have pushbutton operation from several different places? If not there appears to be a niche available in the market! :)

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #10 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:23:12 pm »
I've got ahalfway house on my old ATB: the bell rings on its own whenever there is a bump!

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #11 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:24:47 pm »
Depends what you're using the bell for really.  Bear in mind the OP is in ABROAD, where bicycle bells tend to be used more consistently to inform other cyclists to keep right while you overtake, rather than causing pedestrians to leap in random directions on shared paths, as they do here.

It seems perfectly reasonable to want your bell somewhere where you don't have to move your hand too far away from the brake to operate it, because brakes take priority.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #12 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:26:47 pm »
I've got ahalfway house on my old ATB: the bell rings on its own whenever there is a bump!

I've kept the ping bell on my Brompton because it makes a cheerful typewriter-esque Ping! when you collapse the handlebars as the last stage of the fold.  It also functions as a rumble strip detector.

The bell on my tourer is primarily there to protect the shifter from damage if the bike falls over, but gets good use ringing cheerfully at gawping children.  Incidentally, I've used a left-handed bell so I can operate it with my little finger while braking with the rest of my hand.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #13 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:35:22 pm »
https://triggerbell.com/ any good?

I looked at that, but the pictures suggest it gets in the way of the shifters on STI's. I may be reading the image wrong.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #14 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:38:25 pm »
Depends what you're using the bell for really.  Bear in mind the OP is in ABROAD, where bicycle bells tend to be used more consistently to inform other cyclists to keep right while you overtake, rather than causing pedestrians to leap in random directions on shared paths, as they do here.

It seems perfectly reasonable to want your bell somewhere where you don't have to move your hand too far away from the brake to operate it, because brakes take priority.

Yes, that's reasonable - I guess I'm never moving fast enough for that to be much of a consideration!

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #15 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:40:20 pm »
Depends what you're using the bell for really.  Bear in mind the OP is in ABROAD, where bicycle bells tend to be used more consistently to inform other cyclists to keep right while you overtake, rather than causing pedestrians to leap in random directions on shared paths, as they do here.

It seems perfectly reasonable to want your bell somewhere where you don't have to move your hand too far away from the brake to operate it, because brakes take priority.

Yes, that's reasonable - I guess I'm never moving fast enough for that to be much of a consideration!

Cycling through Vondelpark twice a day my bell on my current bike get's frequent usage. I'd like to not have to move my hands to ring it...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #16 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:49:05 pm »
I use a standard Widek bring-bring bell, on a Minoura accessory bar.
I use it mostly from the bar shoulders, hehind the hoods, but a different accessory bar could bring it within thumb range of the hoods. No good if you want a bar bag tho'.

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #17 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:50:26 pm »
Depends what you're using the bell for really.  Bear in mind the OP is in ABROAD, where bicycle bells tend to be used more consistently to inform other cyclists to keep right while you overtake, rather than causing pedestrians to leap in random directions on shared paths, as they do here.

It seems perfectly reasonable to want your bell somewhere where you don't have to move your hand too far away from the brake to operate it, because brakes take priority.

Yes, that's reasonable - I guess I'm never moving fast enough for that to be much of a consideration!

Cycling through Vondelpark twice a day my bell on my current bike get's frequent usage. I'd like to not have to move my hands to ring it...

J

Yes, J, that makes sense - my mouth is faster than my bike!

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #18 on: 08 October, 2017, 08:50:51 pm »
Could try a Timber Bell - it rings without having to move your hands. Though its designed for off-road, might not work so well on a smooth surface. http://www.mtbbell.com

mcshroom

  • Mushroom
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #19 on: 08 October, 2017, 09:00:25 pm »
I've fitted one for these on my tourer. You still need to move your hand but it does keep the bell off of the handlebars out of the way of my GPS :)
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #20 on: 09 October, 2017, 06:34:53 am »
A permanent solution?

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41XUG09vYEQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41XUG09vYEQ</a>

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #21 on: 09 October, 2017, 07:20:52 am »
The "Incredibell' seems to fit the bill, if the OP's brakes are of the right vintage? Not sure if anything similar is out there for later model brakes...

https://www.mirrycle.com/item/incredibell-road-bell/
Life is too important to be taken seriously.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #22 on: 09 October, 2017, 07:56:06 am »
As far as the law's concerned you just have to have the infernal thing mounted somewhere on the bike, and it has to be audible at 50m.  The law doesn't say that you have to use it, and a good loud "VELO!!!!!!" will shift most people.  I prefer a somewhat quieter "bonjour!" uttered in a friendly voice, and a "merci" once they shift.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #23 on: 09 October, 2017, 08:51:01 am »


Cycling through Vondelpark twice a day ....

Just in passing, and as it is in your neck of the woods, it sounds like a recommendation for Lab 111 (Arie Biemondstraat 111) might be useful? It's a film club and decent bar/bistro style restaurant.

Re: Drop bar bell
« Reply #24 on: 10 October, 2017, 08:29:27 am »
https://triggerbell.com/ any good?

I looked at that, but the pictures suggest it gets in the way of the shifters on STI's. I may be reading the image wrong.

J

If you scroll down this page, the sixth 'option' shows you can fit it in a way that doesn't interfere with the operation of STI levers.

https://triggerbell.com/trigger-bell-compatibility/

I must admit, I'm quite tempted.