Bell? Or Voice?

[Pax]

Knot - I use an Incredi-Bell too, it works very well. I have one on my commuter but not on my roadbike, it only gets used for long out-in-the-country rides so I never bothered with one on it.

[VeloVT]

We have a local bike path that I frequently run on, and sometimes bike on when I'm pressed for time/need something easy and flat/want to get to the nice road route that is most easily accessed via the path.

As a runner, I never wear headphones and try to keep an ear out for bikes so I can move over before they have to alert me -- but when the path is busy that doesn't always work, and I have to say I prefer as a pedestrian to be alerted by voice rather than bell. I find it easier to place exactly where the bike is coming from/how close it is from "on your left!" or even "hi there" than from a quick ding-ding.

As a cyclist, I use my voice (can't see putting a bell on my bike). I used to say "on your left" (and under certain circumstances still do), but I started feeling like I was still startling people and sometimes families with six people, grandmother and dogs spread across the path would not be able to figure out what to do in time even when I slowed to a crawl, so lately I've extended the length of my warning to something more like, "hi guys, I'm coming up behind you on a bike on your left." This seems to get lots of appreciation. And I thank people too. Even when they aren't ACTUALLY being very consciencious .

[KnottedYet]

that's why i call out "one bicycle passing on your left"

If you just yell "on your left" folks think you are asking THEM to move to THEIR left.

I had a lovely run-in with a cyclist when I first moved to the big city: I heard this voice behind me shouting "LEFT" as I was walking to class. So I moved to my left. He got really mad at me and started screaming at me for being a stupid *****. I yelled back that he told me to move left.

If you don't give folks enough info, they can't always guess what you are trying to say.

I use the bell to alert folks that something is coming up behind them, then my voice to tell them exactly what is going on.

[northstar]

I have a bell on my commuter. People always seem to smile when I ding it to pass. It's worked well.

On my road bike, however, I don't have a bell. I call out "(however many bikes) on your left."

I wish it weren't frowned upon to have a bell on a road bike. Maybe I should get one that I can just slap on whenever we're doing a slower trail ride. The bell sounds friendly and is easy to hear. In fact, my DH has often commented that he wishes he had one. If he's riding in front of me on the path, and I'm on the commuter, he'll give a wave to me when he's ready to pass and I ring the bell for both of us.

I know I shouldn't care if hard core road riders would never put a bell on their bikes, but (sigh...) I do.

[GLC1968]

I don't have a bell on my commuter, but I think I want one. I'm not sure why though...as I never encounter pedestrians or other cyclists anyway! I am tempted by the compass one because I have no sense of direction. It would come in handy (I carry a compass in my wedge bag).

I probably wouldn't bother with one on my road bike for the same reason (don't have a need). The only people I ever encounter are on the sidewalks while I'm on the road. I do pass other cyclists, but they understand 'on your left', so I've never had an issue.

If I ride on MUT's, I only do it during 'off hours'. Around here, they are WAY too crowded to ride any other time (unfortunately). I do see how a bell would be a huge benefit in crowded cities or towns or in places where lots of people are using the same path. If I rode in places like that, I'd definitely get a good bell.

[mimitabby]

I wish it weren't frowned upon to have a bell on a road bike.
I know I shouldn't care if hard core road riders would never put a bell on their bikes, but (sigh...) I do.

Who is frowning about having a bell on a road bike? And why do you care?
This is about your safety. Maybe you'll never need it. But maybe you will.

No one else is sitting on your bike with you. Don't let your own common sense be overruled by someone else's opinion.

As Northstar, I expect you to be above and beyond common opinion.
go for it. Last time I looked, there were no laws against it.

ps I know a lot of hardcore road bike riders that have bells!

[Pax]

Who is frowning about having a bell on a road bike? And why do you care?
This is about your safety. Maybe you'll never need it. But maybe you will.

No one else is sitting on your bike with you. Don't let your own common sense be overruled by someone else's opinion.

As Northstar, I expect you to be above and beyond common opinion.
go for it. Last time I looked, there were no laws against it.

ps I know a lot of hardcore road bike riders that have bells!

I'm so oppositional/defiant that if someone sneered at my bike for having a bell I'd go find the biggest squeaky plastic dinosaur horn I could find and add it on next to the bell.

[surgtech1956]

My Trek 7100 has a bell. I thought it was 'lame' and thought about removing it. But now I really like the idea. I use my bell from a distance and then say 'thank you' when I pass. I think with so many bike paths with cyclists, walkers and joggers a bell is almost a necessity.

[mimitabby]

I'm so oppositional/defiant that if someone sneered at my bike for having a bell I'd go find the biggest squeaky plastic dinosaur horn I could find and add it on next to the bell.

me too! My raleigh hybrid has a ball horn. (you know, the squeaky ball on a trumpet thing?) My DH muttered about it constantly. But man, it works great!
The problem is, it didn't attach very well, and it would be even harder to put on the roadbike handlebars.

[7rider]

I'm so oppositional/defiant that if someone sneered at my bike for having a bell I'd go find the biggest squeaky plastic dinosaur horn I could find and add it on next to the bell.

My sister's GF gave me a big plastic bunny squeaky bell for my bike.
Uh....never made it to my bike, but I "re-gifted" it to a friend for her (then) 3-y.o. daughter.

Like several here, I use a bell for initial warnings at distance, then announce my passing by voice as I get closer. That's on my commuter, which I ride more regularly (although rarely, still) on a MUT. My road bike has no bell, and when I pass cyclists on the road, I just yell "On your left" as I approach.

I wouldn't put a bell on my road bike. It's fine for my commuter, although even that bell was given to me as a joke-gift from a friend when I bought a cruiser at a yard sale...she said a big beach cruiser needs a bell! Funny...it just occurred to me...all bells were given to me as gifts...I never bought a single one.

[Cindyloo]

I have a bell on my path bike but rarely use it. I feel that I and the folks I am passing are more comfortable with "I'm on your left". I think the "I'm" part helps them know that I will be on the left so you move to the right! If hubby is with me I will call out "We are on your left" so they can expect more than one rider. It seems to work well around here.

Our paths go under roads via tunnels and i use the bell to alert others that I'm coming through the tunnel to avoid a head-on collision!

[Lise]

I was too vain to put a bell on my bike until I saw how well people (pedestrians, in particular), responded to my BF's bell. They "hear" a bell in a way that they don't hear a voice, it seems. Especially folks standing in the street with their car doors open--who KNOWS which way they're going to move, and the bell gets their attention. I went to the LBS and bought a brass bell for the Larkspur toot-sweet. It's brass on a silver bike, and I may get vain enough to change that... I saw some very cute, funny bells at Bike the Drive. Let's see...there was a giraffe, a dinosaur, and a frog!

Like Cindyloo, I start dinging the bell as I approach a blind spot or underpass, so the approaching folks have warning and can get over!

I had never thought of announcing the number of bikes passing....I guess because I've almost always ridden alone. But now that I get to ride with my honey, I'll give it a try!

It is always a challenge to figure out how close I should be before I use my voice. I feel hostile when I yell, and that is a drag, so the bell actually keeps me in a better mood.

[northstar]

Who is frowning about having a bell on a road bike? And why do you care?
This is about your safety. Maybe you'll never need it. But maybe you will.

No one else is sitting on your bike with you. Don't let your own common sense be overruled by someone else's opinion.

As Northstar, I expect you to be above and beyond common opinion.
go for it. Last time I looked, there were no laws against it.

ps I know a lot of hardcore road bike riders that have bells!

I'm a beginning cyclist, learning from what I see, hear, and read here. I certainly did not intend to degrade anyone who has a bell on their road bike.

And I also don't see how using my voice while doing a certain kind of riding means that I am abandoning common sense.

And the sigh means, yeah! I know I shouldn't care, but I do.

[Python]

I've got a bell on my bike. Says "I Love My Bike" on it (Well, I do )

I find the bell works well. People are more inclined to look to see what's behind them when I ring the bell. I always say "Thankyou" as I pass them.

[emily_in_nc]

I have a bell on my mountain bike, which I occasionally have to use on fireroads or a MUT. I don't have a bell on my road bike, but I do have a big ole honking air horn. Never had to use it on a pedestrian yet , but it if might save my hide from another run-in with a dog -- or a motorist, I don't hestitate to blast it!

I used to care about being cool on a road bike, rode a sleek carbon Aegis Swift, until I had my cycling accident on that bike, now I just ride my Bike Friday (with a rack, trunk pack, Halt holder, and airhorn), enjoy myself, and don't give a whit what anyone thinks -- I'm just glad to be able to ride at all! I guess I've evolved from being a die-hard roadie to a recreational cyclist, and that's just fine with me.

Emily