Trigger Bell

[TSargeant]

Disclaimer: I have no connection with the company. Although I will put in a link to them, I bought this off Amazon. If links aren’t allowed then please delete.

So I just recently got my first electric bike, and of course the first thing I did was find all sorts of bits and pieces to attach to it!

I don’t have a throttle on the bike, but with ergonomic grips, trigger shimano shifter, and breaks, my bell was an uncomfortable distance away from my hands.

I’m used to riding a motorbike where I constantly have a horn under my right , so switching to a bike where I had to change my grip to ring the bell was uncomfortable.

The trigger bell fixed that problem, it tightens up over almost any grip you have, and you can position it so it’s always to hand. For me, I’ve put it on the left handlebar so it’s not on the same side as my shifters.

Now when I’m riding along I can flick it with my left thumb, more importantly, if I have to do any heavy breaking I can ring my bell at the same time without having to change my grip.

It just uses a flat head screwdriver to tighten up (or loosen off when you’re fitting it over your bar ends). One thing to be aware of is that the the teeth of the strap are just plastic, so they *will* strip if you over tighten. This is by design, as better to strip the thread on the bell attachment than damage your grips.

Anyway, just a mini review here. But definitely something I’ve been happy with!

 

[vfr400]

Disclaimer: I have no connection with the company. Although I will put in a link to them, I bought this off Amazon. If links aren’t allowed then please delete.

So I just recently got my first electric bike, and of course the first thing I did was find all sorts of bits and pieces to attach to it!

I don’t have a throttle on the bike, but with ergonomic grips, trigger shimano shifter, and breaks, my bell was an uncomfortable distance away from my hands.

I’m used to riding a motorbike where I constantly have a horn under my right , so switching to a bike where I had to change my grip to ring the bell was uncomfortable.

The trigger bell fixed that problem, it tightens up over almost any grip you have, and you can position it so it’s always to hand. For me, I’ve put it on the left handlebar so it’s not on the same side as my shifters.

Now when I’m riding along I can flick it with my left thumb, more importantly, if I have to do any heavy breaking I can ring my bell at the same time without having to change my grip.

It just uses a flat head screwdriver to tighten up (or loosen off when you’re fitting it over your bar ends). One thing to be aware of is that the the teeth of the strap are just plastic, so they *will* strip if you over tighten. This is by design, as better to strip the thread on the bell attachment than damage your grips.

Anyway, just a mini review here. But definitely something I’ve been happy with!

A link would have been handy so that we know what it is.

From personal experience, you need a bring-bring type bell, which is what pedestrians' hearing system seems to be tuned to. Other types of bell or horn are not nearly as effective.

Bring-bring bells never last long. The cheap ones have plastic mechanisms that wear out in weeks. The Halfords one is a bit better, lasting about a year. The best ones are all metal and expensive. Look out for used vintage ones on Ebay, which last forever.

 

[Deleted member 33385]

This works fine for me -I've had it for a couple of years, and only had cause to use it for the first time the other night:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sportout-Aluminum-Innovative-Tricycle-Mountain/dp/B07M855LF4/

Worked great, people heard me and let me pass by on the cyclepath.

 

[vfr400]

This works fine for me -I've had it for a couple of years, and only had cause to use it for the first time the other night:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sportout-Aluminum-Innovative-Tricycle-Mountain/dp/B07M855LF4/

Worked great, people heard me and let me pass by on the cyclepath.

Yes all bells last a long time and cause no dissatisfaction if you never use them. You have to use one frequently to figure out if it's any good. A bell is only any good if the pedestrians respond to it. As I said, the bring-bring type are most effective. One that fits easily and sounds good to the rider might satisfy the rider until he/she/it realises that it doesn't do much for pedestrians. Loudness doesn't help much either. In fact, it can be worse because the pedestriand don't associate loud noises with bicycles.

 

[Deleted member 33385]

Yes all bells last a long time and cause no dissatisfaction if you never use them. You have to use one frequently to figure out if it's any good. A bell is only any good if the pedestrians respond to it. As I said, the bring-bring type are most effective. One that fits easily and sounds good to the rider might satisfy the rider until he/she/it realises that it doesn't do much for pedestrians. Loudness doesn't help much either. In fact, it can be worse because the pedestriand don't associate loud noises with bicycles.

Yes this tiny tinny bell is very noticeable for some reason, I really didn't expect it to be effective at all - must be as you say, because they expect the sound of bells.

 

[georgehenry]

A vote from me for the tring tring traditional bike bell. Mine is from Halfords and cost a fiver and has actually lasted very well so far, several years and counting.

Dirt cheap but works.

As VFR said, pedestrians just seem to be much more attuned to the traditional tring tring sound.

I have had the more modern single strike style bell and of course it could work but I often found I could ride right up behind people ringing away on it and find them staring up into the trees trying to find a bird!

I use my bell a lot and come across people a lot and find the tring tring bell is the one that works best.

 

[Raboa]

I have this one, nice tone.

Retro brass bicycle bells

British made retro brass bicycle bells

www.lionbellworks.co.uk

 

[TSargeant]

A link would have been handy so that we know what it is.

Sorry! I put the link in the name of the bell in the original post. But here’s a link to the site.

https://triggerbell.com/

and to Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NZVQ49M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_RWRRXFMSA1RRHDWJVT70

I know what you mean about “bring-bring” bells, being from the Netherlands originally that’s definitely a thing I’m familiar with. Although as you say, the mechanisms can fail or easily get gunked up over time.

As I say, my main reason for getting this bell was to get something that I could get to easily. And it definitely manages that! It’s surprisingly loud and clear for just a “flick it and hit it” type of bell.

 

[TSargeant]

This works fine for me -I've had it for a couple of years, and only had cause to use it for the first time the other night:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sportout-Aluminum-Innovative-Tricycle-Mountain/dp/B07M855LF4/

Worked great, people heard me and let me pass by on the cyclepath.

Looks like a very similar sort of design to the trigger bell. But without the large-ish bell shape of mine. Having said that, my bell is pointing down from my handlebars, so I’m not too worried about it being conspicuous.

 

[Deleted member 33385]

Looks like a very similar sort of design to the trigger bell. But without the large-ish bell shape of mine. Having said that, my bell is pointing down from my handlebars, so I’m not too worried about it being conspicuous.

Mine is very quick and easy to ring, people notice it - and it was cheap, so I'm cheerful!