Bicycle bell - apolitical tech query

I have (had, soon) a Simwha bell.

It is a badly riveted piece of crap and has lasted less than two years.

I'd like an old-fashioned bell that is properly constructed, repairable, and
reasonably loud. I don't mind paying a fair price for something that isn't
slung together by a bunch of Halfordesque cynics.

I already have the air-zound on a town folder. This is for towpaths/shared
use paths and so on in advance of vocal comms. No politics; I've used a bell
for fifty years.

Any suggestions please?

wrote in message
...
I have (had, soon) a Simwha bell.

It is a badly riveted piece of crap and has lasted less than two years.

I'd like an old-fashioned bell that is properly constructed, repairable,
and
reasonably loud. I don't mind paying a fair price for something that isn't
slung together by a bunch of Halfordesque cynics.

I already have the air-zound on a town folder. This is for towpaths/shared
use paths and so on in advance of vocal comms. No politics; I've used a
bell
for fifty years.

Any suggestions please?



Don't know - but will be interested in the replies. I have seen a few that
are the old type that ring nice and loud but my problem is that where it has
to go on the bars it needs to have a fixing that will not interfere with the
gear/brake levers as those that I have seen do.

Dave

wrote:
I have (had, soon) a Simwha bell.

It is a badly riveted piece of crap and has lasted less than two years.

I'd like an old-fashioned bell that is properly constructed, repairable, and
reasonably loud. I don't mind paying a fair price for something that isn't
slung together by a bunch of Halfordesque cynics.

My cargo bike sports a Bart Simpson bell that was a stocking filler, but
has been working well for 3 years now with no problems. Could have come
from anywhere and cost next to nothing.

I see that Pashley do a "traditional" bell, which I imagine could be the
sort of thing you're looking for since their trad stuff really is trad
rather than look-alike.

I've seen various "Dutch bicycle bells" for sale in LBSs which look to
be well made. Not an obvious source from a bijou-googlette though.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

said the following on 13/11/2006 15:58:

I already have the air-zound on a town folder. This is for towpaths/shared
use paths and so on in advance of vocal comms. No politics; I've used a bell
for fifty years.

Any suggestions please?

I've got an ancient bell
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/ebaypics/bikebell.jpg that is a bit on the
loud side. I bought it from a CTC DA auction years ago, but would
probably look on eBay for a replacement. A quick look just now comes up
with:

190049260447 (looks a bit ropy)
270053380722 (looks nice!)
250048152036 (very fancy!)
180049611074 (nice again)

If I was looking for a replacement for mine, at least three of the above
would be tempting.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

wrote in message
...
I have (had, soon) a Simwha bell.

It is a badly riveted piece of crap and has lasted less than two
years.

I'd like an old-fashioned bell that is properly constructed,
repairable, and
reasonably loud. I don't mind paying a fair price for something
that isn't
slung together by a bunch of Halfordesque cynics.

I already have the air-zound on a town folder. This is for
towpaths/shared
use paths and so on in advance of vocal comms. No politics; I've
used a bell
for fifty years.

Any suggestions please?


I understand what you mean. I can't recommend a brand, but suggest
that before buying a bell you undo the top so you can see the
cogwheels. If they are made of polythene, not metal, don't buy it.
If you can't look, don't buy it.

The bell that Sustrans sells, or sometimes even gives away, is ok,
but because it just goes "ping" instead of "trrrrr" it doesn't sound
like a bike bell to me, nor, I think, to quite a fraction of the
pedestrians you meet.

Jeremy Parker

"Paul Boyd" usenet.dont.work@plusnet wrote in message
...
said the following on 13/11/2006 15:58:

I already have the air-zound on a town folder. This is for
towpaths/shared use paths and so on in advance of vocal comms. No
politics; I've used a bell for fifty years.

Any suggestions please?

I've got an ancient bell http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/ebaypics/bikebell.jpg
that is a bit on the loud side. I bought it from a CTC DA auction years
ago, but would probably look on eBay for a replacement. A quick look just
now comes up with:

190049260447 (looks a bit ropy)
270053380722 (looks nice!)
250048152036 (very fancy!)
180049611074 (nice again)

If I was looking for a replacement for mine, at least three of the above
would be tempting.


I do like a nice bicycle bell. My current preference is for one that goes
'ting-tong' rather than 'bring-bring'.
Commuter #1 has 'ting-tong' on it, commuter #2 has 'bring-bring'.
I always buy a bell if I go on holiday to a 'proper' cycling country such as
India.
I'm not keen on horns on bikes, unless they are of the 'parp-parp' variety.
The Air Zound sounds so uncouth.

A while ago I saw some extremely expensive bike bells on t'web, but no idea
where (they may have been Swedish though...). I'm sure someone will
enlighten.
Peter

Peter wrote:
I do like a nice bicycle bell. My current preference is for one that goes
'ting-tong' rather than 'bring-bring'.

I prefer a loud "bring bring", but the bell that I actually use does a
loud "ding dong". I have an equally loud "bring bring" bell in my bits
box, but the "ding dong" one is positioned on my recumbent such that I
can easily ring it using the heel of my right hand (the heel of my left
hand operates the Air Zound). I wasn't able to find such a convenient
way to mount the "bring bring" bell.

Anyway, my loud "ding dong" bell was a fiver from Halfords. I also have
a couple of spares, because if I happen to drop the bike on the right
hand side the bell will invariable get bent. So far, though, I've
always been able to repair it using a club hammer.

--
Danny Colyer URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Peter wrote:
I'm not keen on horns on bikes, unless they are of the 'parp-parp' variety.
The Air Zound sounds so uncouth.

When you need to use an Air Zound, couth is not the effect you're
looking for.

For the towpath, the two-colour smiley face bell beside it cost £1
from Wilkinsons, goes dring-dring, and seems reliable so far (6 months).

Colin McKenzie


--
No-one has ever proved that cycle helmets make cycling any safer at
the population level, and anyway cycling is about as safe per mile as
walking.
Make an informed choice - visit www.cyclehelmets.org.

in message , Peter
') wrote:

A while ago I saw some extremely expensive bike bells on t'web, but no
idea where (they may have been Swedish though...). I'm sure someone will
enlighten.

Danish, I think. Yes, I had a quick hunt about for a URL for them, but
didn't find one. But they are /very/ nice (and expensive).

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
Copyright (c) Simon Brooke; All rights reserved. Permission is
granted to transfer this message via UUCP or NNTP and to store it
for the purpose of archiving or further transfer. Permission is
explicitly denied to use this message as part of a 'Web Forum', or
to transfer it by HTTP.

"Simon Brooke" a écrit:

Peter ') wrote:

A while ago I saw some extremely expensive bike bells on t'web, but no
idea where (they may have been Swedish though...). I'm sure someone
will enlighten.

Danish, I think. Yes, I had a quick hunt about for a URL for them,
but didn't find one. But they are /very/ nice (and expensive).

Sögreni, perhaps:

http://www.sogreni.dk/Bells.php

James Thomson