Bike Bells and Hikers

[dstepper]

It seems that on the weekends my local trails, El Moro and Aliso seem to have more bikes and more hikers than ever. I have used a bear bell in the past and if no bell I always anounce "bike passing on your left" when going around hikers. With the bear bell or my voice, hikers in groups seem to scramble all different directions, acting like I am trying to run them down. Having used the old fashion bike bell the past few weeks I have noticed an improved reaction by hikers. I am thinking that the bell sound reminds them of their inner kid and days they enjoyed biking. I get many more smiles now.

Hans, from CORBA, gave me this bell for doing trail work. I like it and it is going to stay on my Niner. I have no solution for the hikers that bring IPods on the trail. But that is another discussion...maybe a sling shot mounted to the handlebars?

Dean

[TURNERob]

I just picked up a bell from Jenson: INCREDIBELL at JensonUSA.com
They have many different styles to choose from and they are pretty inexpensive....definately a good idea for the crowded trails!

[stjunkie]

I used mine for the first time this weekend at the Amgen race. Some people looked pissed when they turned around and I didn't have any ice cream for sale.

[0gravity]

I need to get a bell. I came up on a young couple, maybe high schoolers, along the backbone trail above Will Rogers a week or so ago. Maybe it's because a thick creepy fog had rolled in, or it was the girl's first time on a trail, but when they both turned around and saw me coming up on them (very slowly) she totally freaked out and started running away, directly down the trail. It was a total unplanned impulse reaction. She snapped out of it after a 10 foot run. But not before she had me and her boyfriend howling with laughter. Good times all around.

[tkblazer]

i usually bring my sumo dood with me when i ride.. hikers always turn around to see wtf that noise was and then start laughing at the sumo... or maybe at me

[roadkillross]

i plan on getting a green dino to match my sunday for when i ride at del churro

[Winger]

The bell was one of the best purchases ever. I typically ring it long before I come up on the hikers, which gives them time to move. Then I thank them as I pass. I also ring it going into blind corners just in case.

Before, when I yelled "Bike on your left", 80% would step left, then right.

I don't mean this to be bad/racist/whatever...only an observation, but I tend to have the least amount of reaction from large groups of asian hikers....almost like they purposely ignore me, hoping I'll disappear. Whiting comes to mind, but I've also seen them at Peter's Canyon.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by roadkillross

i plan on getting a green dino to match my sunday for when i ride at del churro

Green Dino, I got a Gonzilla. Problem is that it scared people on the trail.

[tkblazer]

ok winger, being asian i really take offense to that man.... j/k i tihnk i know which group of hikers you are talking about... i don't even think they speak english since they're an older generation. i used to run into them every day when riding after work. they usually stepped aside tho

[roadkillross]

they stepped aside since they could sense the aznness of Nam daaaaaaang. the dino i was looking at is a little less mean looking. its a kids squeeker at my store

[Winston]

I used to rock the Green Dino years ago. I also found that hikers got a kick out of it.

Originally Posted by tkblazer

i usually bring my sumo dood with me when i ride.. hikers always turn around to see wtf that noise was and then start laughing at the sumo... or maybe at me

[sauce]

Dean ... there's always the cattle prod, right? :-) J/K You talk about hikers like one talks about cattle. :-)

[tkblazer]

Originally Posted by roadkillross

they stepped aside since they could sense the aznness of Nam daaaaaaang. the dino i was looking at is a little less mean looking. its a kids squeeker at my store

my buddy has that one... it sure comes in handy on the multi-use trails

[Kid A]

think this is been posted before on similar topic but these are mine.

As they say dogs luv trucks and frogs luv to huck!

[bobzrag]

I went to REI and picked up the bear bell, I went out to Peter's Canyon on Sunday afternoon for a quick spin (hoping the rain would keep away) and it worked great. People could hear it when it wasn't covered up - usually have it ringing for the down hills - and they didn't freak out. "On your left" usually creates much confusion (maybe a magic marker for L and R for those folks). It isn't too obnoxious when it's covered as well.

[TURNERob]

Originally Posted by Winger

I don't mean this to be bad/racist/whatever...only an observation, but I tend to have the least amount of reaction from large groups of asian hikers....almost like they purposely ignore me, hoping I'll disappear. Whiting comes to mind, but I've also seen them at Peter's Canyon.

Whiting is THE WORST as far as hikers go!

[gurp13]

I have a bell on my mtn bike and commuter. Electra makes the best bell, in my opinion. The incredibell is cute, but it's not really loud enough. I bought another black bell with the trigger pull and it stripped out it's gears after a couple of weeks. But, the Electra sounds great and feels solid. It's big, though. And, for the weight weenies, I don't know how much it weighs. However, I'd like a cow bell for my bike so that I didn't have to ring it as I went downhill. I like to keep both hands firmly gripped on the bars.

[PHAT TIRE]

I have been riding with one now for about a year. I resisted for a while b/c I thought they were slightly annoying. I too Dean found them usefull in El Moro and busy parks. El Moro has a lot of blind spots around bushes and corners that are so fast. I use it now as I go into the blind spot so there's not a hiker or biker with their head down pushing hard and not looking. It's worked so well. people don't really give you a dirty look when they know that you are coming and that they realize you see them. I think people scatter a little obsessively when they think you haven't seen them and may think you don't care about their use of the trail. The bell works better than a voice because the sound carries further and can be heard over conversations. Or maybe they think of ice cream trucks and start looking around!

[dubjay]

Originally Posted by bobzrag

I went to REI and picked up the bear bell, I went out to Peter's Canyon on Sunday afternoon for a quick spin (hoping the rain would keep away) and it worked great. People could hear it when it wasn't covered up - usually have it ringing for the down hills - and they didn't freak out. "On your left" usually creates much confusion (maybe a magic marker for L and R for those folks). It isn't too obnoxious when it's covered as well.

I actually have the same bell. I found that you can adjust the volume/output by placing the magnet at various spots on the bell when it's out of the sleeve.

[spookydave]

Dean, I thought the sound of the bell disturbed your zen?

Picked up my bells at the end of last year in the Christmas section.