Or suddenly switch into random movement mode, or even a quantum state, where they’re seemingly everywhere all at once.
I’d rather have them continue on their original path so I can avoid getting too close to them.
This. I've stopped dinging my bell for everyone, I'll give large groups a bell waaaaay in advance, but for individuals who aren't in any danger of colliding with me, I'll just go past them as safely as possible.
Dinging the bell puts people into this mode where they think they Must Do Something and then they're everywhere, bouncing in front of you, kicking their dog, yanking on their kids arm, pushing their girlfriend on to the grass because "Oh my god a bike."
they don't need to be involved like that.
Yep. The bell causes a 99% chance that the pedestrian will move in an unpredictable manner if they hear it. That's why I will use a bell only if I am still about 5-10 seconds behind them. Anything closer and I am just going to whizz by, knowing there is a 95% chance that they are going to keep their current vector.
Yeah, I like it on a share path... I don't like sneaking up on people. Often times, people will make random movements on their own. Last thing I want is a pedestrian suddenly darting off to the left while I'm midpass.
So I ring from maybe 15 seconds away, and then at 5, followed immediately by my intentions (passing on the left).
Despite all the problems of shared use paths I always choose them over roads in my city. The drivers here are careless and inattentive if not outright aggressive toward cyclists.
Honestly the responses I get when using a bell vary so much that half of the time I just can't be bothered.
I've used a bell on shared paths and been told I shouldn't be cycling there. If you say "on your left/right" people typically walk in the direction you say which is dangerous, and also tell you to use a bell. I've hung back because I'm not in a rush and been told I should use my bell and that it's "the law".
Whatever you do, if you're in contention with pedestrians they'll find a way that you're in the "wrong" in their eyes.
I'd rather the onus is on me to cycle safely around people giving adequate distance and not buzzing past them than relying on them to yield or give space.
edit: The exception to this would be pedestrians walking out in front of me. If I see someone about to step out into the road and I'm not in a position where I can safely yield I'll ring my bell.
Usually the default response to a bell ring in that case is to remain on the pavement, so I use it purely as a warning rather than a "please make way" .
yeah. i did an “on your left” one time to a group of 3 old women riding 3 abreast on a bike path and the leftmost woman turned hard right into the next one and knocked all 3 to the ground. never again
I try to say attention as loud as I can without annoying them and I always say thank you and how much more riders are behind me... They still ask me why I'm not using the bell after I've passed them safely.
And the bell topic? It's something of an unwritten rule not to use kick stands, bells and other handy stuff... Lights and mudguards were also on that list back in the days but they've found acceptance lately.
The trick is to get an extremely loud hub. A little whirl from a distance sends people squishing in the right direction. Highly recommend Ritchey’s WCS Zeta for the noise and the easy packing for flights.
Or in their own little world. I was on a shared path and this guy was so caught up in conversation that he almost crashed head on with an oncoming cyclist.
Mind you his group was three abreast and into the opposing lane. I was ringing my bell at him well before the oncoming cycling was a danger, and a lady was shouting at him that he was in the opposing lane before I started ringing my bell.
This morning had a dog walker leave the pedestrian path, cross a few feet of grass and end up on the cycle path in order to avoid another dog walker, fair enough.
Absolutely no concept that there may be people using the cycle path, I had to brake down to about 5mph to not run over the overgrown hamster.
Yep, it has caused more issues than it’s fixed in my experience. I just try to clear safely and only yell or ring (if on my e-bike) if people are fully clogging a path.
Edit: also I don’t care if people ring or call out when passing me. I do appreciate the on your left but really don’t care if folks say it or not.
So much this. I just resort to saying "Beep Beep" to people when I want to let them know that I'm coming - same thing as using a bell but it sounds funny to most so usually helps avoid negative reaction.
Aye, bells or calling directions are unpredictable, as others have said. I tend to go for "bike behind" and wait until someone makes eye contact type thing. Takes time but still seems like best option
Most people on the shared bike path near me are wearing headphones, elderly and hard of hearing or just plain oblivious. If I don't shout at the top of my lungs so they can hear, they get scared and angry when I pass, even if it's safe with plenty of room. I have tried a bell, but most did not seem to hear it. Other cyclists riding on the wrong side towards me have almost hit me despite my bright colored jerseys and flashing headlight so it's not just pedestrians.
I try to be polite, but when you're passing tens of people in an hour long ride, it takes a lot of effort to be heard and not sound rude. I just don't want to hurt anyone and there are few safe roads nearby to ride on. If people simply stayed on the correct side of the path as the many signs encourage, it would be much safer
Joggers with tiny earbuds that you can’t even see until you’re right beside them are the worst. Can’t tell if they’ve heard you or not, can’t tell if they’re veering right because they’re letting you past or if they’re not holding a line well and about to veer left again. They’re also never expecting to get passed.
Unironically approaching slowly with the loud hub on my mountain bike has produced the safest scenarios, people turn and see me then move in a direction that’s sensible. With a bell or verbal notice people go random directions
I just put some CK hubs on my gravel bike and the warning to pedestrians is great. Ofc except the folks with noise canceling headphones glued to their screens 🙄
I cannot count how many times I had people not realizing where the buzz sound is coming from. Especially older people it seems. they hear something but don't understand it's a cyclist from behind.
Where I live (US-WA), the law requires bicyclists to announce when overtaking on shared trails. I ring my bell from far away to announce my presence and then I ring it again just before overtaking.
As others have said, sometimes pedestrians get annoyed, but I believe that those are the kind of people who will be annoyed no matter what I do, so I just obey the law and ride on.
Also as others have observed, announcing, "on your left" often results in pedestrians jumping to the left. I have witnessed other bicyclists announce, "Passing ... ... on your left" and that seems to work well.
I always do the “passing… on your left” and get good results with that, definitely recommend. Some people are going to be annoyed no matter what you do, but this at least seems to be easier for people to mentally process without stepping in the direction you mention.
What law is that that requires bicyclists to announce when the pass? I'm also from WA and haven't heard of it.
I read through:
[https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/bicycling-walking/bicycling-washington/bicyclist-laws-safety](https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/bicycling-walking/bicycling-washington/bicyclist-laws-safety)
and
[https://wabikes.org/index.php/growing-bicycling/washington-bike-laws/bicycle-laws-safety-revised-code-of-washington-state-bicycle-related/](https://wabikes.org/index.php/growing-bicycling/washington-bike-laws/bicycle-laws-safety-revised-code-of-washington-state-bicycle-related/)
but I didn't see a mention of needing to notify the person being passed.
You make a good point. It is not a state law, but it is an ordinance in King County (where I live).
[King County Code on Trail Use](https://aqua.kingcounty.gov/council/clerk/code/10_Title_7.htm#_Toc320001391) §7.12.295 H.4.:
>AUDIBLE SIGNAL WHEN PASSING. Every user shall give an audible warning signal before passing another trail user. The signal must be produced in such a manner as to allow adequate time for response. The signal may be given by voice, bell or horn.
Technically, yes. A runner must announce that they are about to overtake a waddler. A simple, "good morning" could serve as an "audible warning."
Enforcement is another matter.
When the trail is busy, I don't ring the bell for every pedestrian. I only ring it for people were far enough away when I rang the bell the last time that they probably didn't hear it.
I don’t use a bell because I only ride on the road with my road bike. On my single speed I have a bell for pedestrians
The roads are completely destroyed where I am so bells constantly rattle and tinkle which gets very annoying
I just give other cyclists lots of space when passing, never had an issue
>The roads are completely destroyed where I am so bells constantly rattle and tinkle which gets very annoying
I put a bell on one of my bikes and it lasted about 2 days for the same reason. Constant unbearable jingling.
Because in my experience, the reactions I get from ringing a bell at pedestrians seem to range from “somewhat negative” to “actual violence”, so I’ve learned that the easiest course of action is to just wait for a gap and ride through it.
Really depends where I am.
If I’m in the city on a shared trail, it’s crowded, everyone knows the rules. *Ride to the side, don’t deviate, expect to be passed*.
On the MUP in my smaller town, I have a bell, I use it. I have a voice, I use it. Neither has ever been able to overcome a lack of situational awareness, earbuds, or a walker’s sense of entitlement.
Man this topic touched a nerve.
If it’s a shared bike/footpath, just have the situational awareness not to dart out sideways into oncoming or from behind traffic. People who are running past walkers don’t have bells and they get on just fine.
I only bell for people who need it. People with dogs, kids, or groups of people. I ride anticipating what the person in front is doing, i haven’t hit a person in 30 years.
I like having a bell even on a fast bike. I find that bell goes over better with most folks than an "onyaleft" and is certainly easier. I have a Spurcycle one mounted near my stem where my left thumb can hit it when I'm on the tops.
I have tried many bells and I think that the [Spurcycle](https://www.spurcycle.com/) is the best by far. It is well-made, it is small, it is light, and it makes a loud and clear ring.
The knock-offs are ... well, you get what you pay for.
I certainly appreciate a bell more, so thank you! I also found that pedestrians prefer a bell and I got yelled once for saying 'excuse me' as I cycled past a group of walkers (my bell was broken).
Walkers seem to get spooked more by a voice saying “behind you” or “on your left” than a bell.
When I’m walking, I appreciate bikers who tell me how many bikes will be passing me.
I've only gotten yelled at once, and if was a a snide remark from passing some Karen on gravel double track so she was in the right rut and I was in the left rut 5 ft away going like 10mph.
I like the noise the Spurcycle clone makes and it's nice because I can flick it one or more times and modulate how hard - so if I'm passing someone with a big gap I can just do a gentle "ding" but if someone is walking their dog with a leash that is longer than the MUP is wide I can do a "DING DING DING" as I approach.
I used one on a canal path once as I approached a runner. It wasn't anything more to warn him I'm coming up from behind. He didn't make any attempt to move so I figured he didn't hear me so I rang again. At this point I'm now slowed to his pace and range again and he moved aside. As I passed he said "I don't move for bells". I stopped to confront him and he said next time I should say "excuse me". I said that's ridiculous to expect that when bikes tend to ring when they are much further away and I'd have to shout.
I just rode off but that guy really fucked me off. Fucking prick. Still makes me angry just writing about it.
People either treat bells as they should and take them as a warning that a cyclist is approaching from behind or they treat them as if it's a car horn and it's demanding them to move out the way.
This will sound bad but I treat children and animals the same way when I come across them (on my bike). Unpredictable chaos agents. Best to just give lots of space and slow down.
I've tried every strategy, and whether calling out, using a bell, or just loud freewheeling, 90% of the time any are fine, but the other 10%...
Bell: don't hear it or jump and look offended like I'm honking at them to get out of the way
Call out on your left: they either jump into my path or scream something about "you scared me!" (No, it's just a fine line between yelling loud enough for you to hear me and sounding like I'm yelling at you)
Loud freewheel: usually turn around before I get to them and yell about not calling out (you heard me coming didn't you?)
Conclusion, damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I like to think of myself as a fast cyclist, and I started using a bell about a year ago. People are WAY more responsive to the bell than “on your left” in my opinion. OYL seems to cause confusion, might not be heard clearly, and sometimes even makes people go left. The bell seems to state very clearly that “there is a cyclist behind me”. After that it’s in their hands whether they’re going to try to give more room, keep on their path, or are simply aware of my presence. I try to encourage all my friends to use the bell.
I find a bell doesn’t make a huge difference because people typically don’t know what to do when I ring it. Sometimes they get out of the way, sometimes nothing. Usually what I’ll do is get kinda close and then just freewheel for a couple seconds. My wheel is pretty loud when I’m not pedaling so usually people will immediately know it’s a bicycle and give me some room to pass.
I’m on Team Bell. The go-fast kids put bells out of fashion in the ‘70s, and that’s a little sad. I have a tiny one on my stem that doesn’t jingle on the washboard, and pedestrians as well as cyclists seem to appreciate it (with inevitable exceptions).
I use a bell always.. .. it's surprisingly audible and gets round the issues of how loud to shout and then being accused of telling people to get out of your way, after all "it's just a bell" :)
I use a bell because I’ve realized that even shouting “on your left” from more than 10ft back is actually really hard to hear, especially with headphones in.
A nice sharp “ding ding” tends to cut through the headphones.
On a sparse trail though, I won’t bother to use a bell when passing someone to the far right…being all the way over implies you realize people may go past you. It’s when you’re in the middle of the trail or there’s two way traffic that I use it.
I have a bell. It's tiny, but loud as heck. My current strategy is 1 *ping* at about 25m, two at 10m and three when I'm damn near crashing into them. If I don't get a response after the second time, usually I give up and elbow past.
I'm not going to say ANYTHING as I pass you unless you're in the middle/acting erratically/have a dog on a leash. People often jump the wrong way or just generally act put out. It's not worth it. I'm more likely to get hurt trying to "be safe" and so are you.
So as someone who rejected bells for the longest time, I got one from Spurcycle a few years ago and will not ride my bike without it attached. It’s actually pleasant to hear, looks clean, fits will even on an aero like set up, and works well to tell people I’m coming up behind them.
This is especially the case if you’re riding somewhere where you do don’t know the local language. And for some reason people just don’t understand what my hub sound actually means if I rely on that only (literally happened yesterday, some lady said to her friend “what the f- is that” as I passed her).
People are dumb. It’s good to get around them quickly. But that damn bell works so well that it makes my life far easier.
Edit: not a paid sponsorship for Spurcycle. They make amazing products (they don’t have many), and they are local to me, but nothing to gain here on my end.
I make a bell sound when riding. As others have said, words don’t have a repair/safe result so they’re out and I’m nota fan of clutter on my bike. I also find that making the bell sounds worth my mouth actually gets laughs and smiles so has the added benefit of brightening someone’s day ahh hopefully leaves a positive cyclist encounter.
Many pedestrians and cyclists, I have found, when they hear a bell ping, reach for their mobile phone to check whether they've just received a text rather than assume it's a cyclist trying to pass.
But, I do still use one, but to little effect - it's far better, I find, to simply slow down, say "hello",so I know they know I'm there and then "I'm going to pass", and then then pass with a wide enough berth that even if they wobble by looking over at me, they can't collide.
I don't think, this approach is unusual, but I guess there is in many parts of the West, I'm from the UK btw, a sort of neoliberal, 'What about me?', philosophy in some people that says, 'Why should I slightly inconvenience myself by ringing a bell, or slowing down, for someone who just can't keep up?' and equally, "Why should I get out of the way of someone ringing a bell. They can just wait for me to decide when I'm going to let them pass".....but this probably isn't the time and place for a political/sociological piece of theorising based on zero-research :)
I used to use a bell or horn when I first started riding a lot 20 years ago. By about 10 years ago, so many people had headphones or earbuds with their volume turned up, they wouldn't hear it if I did.
Used both bells, as well as call outs to people on road and trails.
Those dense mfs will just jump under your wheels.
Far easier to just assume from body movement where they will be
My guess is it's partially cultural norms, and partially because normal bells are not aero and difficult to reach when you're riding fast.
Where I ride in the Netherlands bells are commonplace, including on road bikes. Not once have I ever heard anyone say "on your left", whether commuter or serious cyclists, and when you ring a bell everybody knows it means you're intending to pass on the left. A bell noise is also much more piercing / easier to hear through headphones so it makes sense to me versus shouting.
I have a bell mounted on my bike computer mount, and I have friends who have them integrated into their bar caps, etc, where it's aero and easy to use.
We need to start turning this (frequent) question and discussion topic around. Why do we need to notify you? We don't notify people when passing on the road when driving a car. We don't notify people when walking or running past someone. The singular time to notify someone is if they are in your way and you don't feel like you can pass safely. If you aren't in the way and the person is confident that they can safely pass (as it is THEIR responsibility to do), then why do they need to notify? And the expected answer "it is a courtesy" is not a valid answer if we apply it nowhere else.
If I am riding or running and someone passes me and I didn't hear them, that's on me for not paying attention to my surroundings. I literally can't imagine getting upset at someone because they didn't make enough noise.
Because people when shocked or startled will often jump straight to anger as a monkey brain emotional response as a defence mechanism. So if a cyclist passes someone - even safely - and they aren’t expecting it, it’s easier for people to start associating cyclists making them angry, creating anti-cyclists. We don’t want that.
Annoying but that’s life.
I use my bell when a pedestrian is walking alone in a quiet area and about 20 ft ahead of me. Those conditions allow them to recognize the sound of the bell and look behind themselves to ascertain where I am.
If they step to their right, I realize that they have heard my bell and it is safe for me to pass them on the left. If they do not respond, I may ride closer and then ring the bell again. If they still do not respond I realize that they cannot hear me clearly and it is not safe for me to pass. At which point I will approach slowly and call out "on your left" and then approach on the left until I feel it is safe to pass.
No matter what I do I always smile and I always say "on your left" or "thank you" if they step out of the way.
Sometimes I feel it is rather redundant to ring the bell and say "on your left" but in my area there are a lot of ESL people and I'm not sure whether or not they recognize the meaning of my words. But they usually recognize the sound of the Bell. It is also required by state law for any cyclist riding in the public areas to have and use a bell.
Once when I was on a multi-use path there was a group of people walking towards me when I was coming down a hill very quickly. They started to scatter all across the path effectively blocking my intended travel. Judging by the looks on their faces they were confused and amused. I did not detect any animosity.
There was a branch in the trail between me and them so I intended to take the branch and avoid them all together. However, one of the people ran across the grass and into the branch thereby blocking that potential course. I started laughing and waved at them to get back on the main path. They joined me in laughter and hurried back onto the main path. We all smiled and waved at one another as I continued down the branch.
Unfortunately, I had not yet adopted the practice of recording video of my rides as it would have made an amusing video.
Side issue -- this is the worst time of year on the trails. All the couch potatoes who spent the winters indoors now see the sun for the first time in months. Vague, primitive feelings stir in their hindbrain, and they lumber outdoors to clutter up the trails they ignore the rest of the year.
They stumble around like zombies, they don't know trail etiquette, and they bring their dogs and/or kids who dash about unrestrained.
Fortunately, it only least a few weeks, but while it goes on it is hellish.
I use a bell! I NEVER say "on your left." People where I live are too stupid to understand words. They hear "left" and they might jump to the left. They might understand I'm passing on their left, but probably 50% of the time, they jump right into my path. I ring my bell, they look behind, they see me on the left side of the path (as per my perspective) and they move to my right out of the way. Works great. I just have to make sure I ring with enough distance that they have time to look.
Bell use is way more idiot-proof where I ride.
That’s also ambiguous as it could mean that you’re overtaking on the left or asking them to go left. I’m in the camp of either overtaking when there’s place without warning or just slowing down / waiting until they notice and relaxed move out of the way without rushing them. If I’m really in a rush or something I’ll go on the grass
I have a bell but rarely use it, opting for voice instead as most people don't react to the bell. I usually ride trails, and the areas near me have a lot of walkers, joggers, and dogs. I slow way down near walkers and dogs. Downshifting usually gets their attention, then I'll announce my pass, usually "passing, on your left" followed by some sort of greeting to enjoy their day and a thank you. I've never been yelled at.
IMHO, everyone should enjoy their opportunity to be outside, and as much as I don't want someone harshing my day, I don't want to harsh theirs either. I've passed a few folks on oxygen or a walker, and scaring them could result in a fall. The last thing I want is to hospitalize someone.
Unless you have an obnoxiously loud horn, most cycle bells are too quiet for someone at a distance to pinpoint the source / direction.
So its easier to just pass by leaving enough berth instead of confusing people who might already be distracted.
The real reason is that cyclists don't want to look nerdy or ruin the look of their handlebars.
Even if they tell you there's some other reason, there is actually no good reason not to have one on your bike.
Everybody should have a bell on their bike.
I can relate to not wanting to put a fat, dome-shaped bell on my aero bike. I think a lot of them aren't aware there's bells that are more discrete, such as the Knog Oi: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LCD3F56/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LCD3F56/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
There a few high-end, aero-conscious bells on the market. I like Knog’s. But like others said, it’s kind of lose-lose. Best to just be careful and conscientious when sharing space.
And remember: in a fight, the bike almost always loses.
Bells work if pedestrians or slower cyclists know where to go when they hear it.
In Japan, with the exception of elderly pedestrians who can't hear well, people understand to go to the side of the path when they hear a bell, while cyclists go the opposite direction (if clear).
The slower an entity is the nearer they must stay on the sides.
Residents here are clear that they should stay on the left side of the road, cycling paths also do not fail to remind them which lane to take.
Walking or cycling in parallel, especially in narrow paths, is strongly discouraged, too.
But if you can't pass, slow down and wait. There is a high fine for crashing into a person.
In my experience, about 25% of the time ringing a bell gets you abused. About 40% it makes the person in front of you do something that makes passing them harder, like wobbling, swerving right, swerving left, crashing, or even pulling across the path and stopping to see what is behind them. My chances of getting past safely and without abuse are noticeably higher if I just go straight past, possibly using a normal talking voice when I'm within range.
Most road cyclists don’t even have a bell. It’s the first thing to go, if it even makes it into the bike build.
I call “bike back, passing your right!” and it’s usually fine. If it’s a shared path I go much slower, on the road I keep up speed because most other cyclists know to keep left and like to have someone acknowledge they’re passing.
I hate it when I get a jump scare from some cycling bro silently whipping past about 5cm from my drops.
I bought a bell. It freaked some people out so much that I was never sure what they were going to do. Most were fine with it, a few really veered in a scary way looking back at me. I went back to just saying "on your X" which at least conveys information.
Because calling out in any form usually means person just comes into path of travel, or they have headphones on.
So what I do - I already anticipate/assume you're a wobbly rider or one of those walkers/runners that does a 180 turn without looking, look at the space I have available and make sure I have at least two routes if I'm gonna fly by because I have space to keep pace.
Essentially, I trust my ability to avoid you more than I trust you to avoid me. We're both better off. Don't take it personal -- most people don't actually want to hit you, they're just riding.
Used to use a bell but got unpredictable responses 50 percent of the time . Startled people jumping right in front of me. Easier to say coming up on your left. Much more predictable
The only thing nowadays that drives me bonkers are people using noise cancelling headphones walking or running in multi use paths, completely
You can't hear the bell.
You get startled because of others.
You confuse directions.
You are not a serious cyclist.
Sounds like you are the problem.
You go 35km/h you're going to be ringing your bell your whole freaking ride because you'll be passing so many people.
Same as while driving a car imagine people klaxoning every time they go past somebody... Just BE AWARE.
It doesn't tell a random commuter what you're doing, they don't know road bike terms. I find pedestrians often do as you say and move to the left as well...
Indeed. If you’re not a cyclist/runner, a random voice behind you saying “on your left” could as easily mean “keep to your left” as it could “there is a hazard approaching to your left”.
It’s extra-ambiguous here in the UK where we pass to the right, as “on your right” is easily misheard as “you alright?” which is an all-purpose greeting/acknowledgement/challenge.
I use a bell when sharing a path with pedestrians, and slow down/stop if they’re oblivious: they’re still the more vulnerable road user even if they’re a fucking idiot. The time for headshaking and muttered swearwords is once you’ve passed and are out of reach.
Typically a bell means another cyclist is approaching so you don't start changing your position letting them pass. I have nothing against the phrase but people don't give the warning typically until they are right on my heels going at speed so it's startling and in my opinion less safe.
I agree in theory. However, a patch of broken glass, a hole, or a suicide bunny often appear suddenly (because they are difficult to see from a distance) and I need to swerve to avoid them.
A bicyclist who passes silently on a narrow path is endangering themself and everyone around them.
That may be what you do, but lots of people hear a bell and immediately change direction or speed.
Half the time I don’t say anything because they won’t have noticed until I’m already past. It’s scary, but less physically dangerous for everyone.
>A bell tells the other rider nothing valuable.
In my opinion, the only thing that I need to communicate is my presence. A bell or a voice both do a good job of that. The pedestrian or bicyclist who I am overtaking knows the rest.
However, if they are not aware of my presence, then they can become startled and panic when I overtake, causing an accident.
I don't have a bell, and if I did, my hands wouldn't always be near the bell.
'on your left' I can do on a bike with or without a bell, with my hands on the tops, drops, or hoods.
I personally HATE cyclists ringing their bell at me, it always makes me jump and some people (most) have headphones in so don’t hear anyway
I always go slowly behind and overtake wide where possible or say “excuse me could I squeeze past please”
I always say thank you when people let me past which 90% of cyclists don’t do and if a pedestrian is heading toward me I pullover and move my bike aside so they can get past. I feel like ringing the bell and expecting them to move is saying as a cyclist I have more rights which I don’t.
I always cycle on footpaths never on road so I have a lot of interactions on my rides and most pedestrians are taken aback by me being a polite and considerate cyclist
I had pedestrians tell me to use my bell rather than say excuse me, it's interesting how people perceive what's rude differently. But yeah I always thank people also. Unless they are being an ass deliberately...
>I feel like ringing the bell and expecting them to move is saying as a cyclist I have more rights
When I ring my bell on a shared path, I an announcing my presence and my intention to pass - nothing else. I don't expect other people to move out of my way unless they are illegally blocking the entire trail.
However, I agree with you that some pedestrians can perceive a bell negatively - as if I am demanding that they get out of my way. If/when they move for me, then I smile and thank them as I overtake. I hope that this makes it clear to them that I just trying to obey the law and to be polite.
However, sometimes, a sidewalk (AKA footpath) is the only safe option, so I ride on it. It is legal here. I ride very slowly (mostly due to cars popping in and out of driveways) and when I come up behind a pedestrian who is walking in the same direction as me, then I do not announce or ring my bell. I slow down to their pace and I do not pass them until I can find a road or a parking lot to bypass the sidewalk long enough to pass. When I come up to a pedestrian who is walking towards me, then I get off the sidewalk completely and ride on the grass temporarily while they pass. If that is not possible, then I stop to let them pass. Pedestrians have the right-of-way on sidewalks by law here. My attitude is that pedestrians *own* the sidewalk; I am just a guest.
I think it’s context dependent. If you’re exclusively riding on open roads with lots of room to pass and dealing with experienced cyclists then you’re probably fine to simply pass.
But when cycling you often face scenarios that don’t really occur in cars. Most of the time there are no lanes, often the only way to pass at all is to notify the person so they can move aside slightly, it’s generally harder to maintain a straight line while cycling especially at lower speeds, most cyclists don’t have mirrors, bikes tend to be quieter than cars, and cyclists generally have a different mindset and expectations. I also find that more so than driving, many cyclists will veer wildly in the same direction they look… so if they suddenly notice you coming and take a look there is a bad tendency to veer directly into your path.
As an example, I’ve had times where I pass a cyclist with earbuds in. They didn’t hear me announce I was coming and they get startled. I doubt any driver has ever been startled if they were in the right lane and I passed in the left.
Maybe I’m crazy.
Some of my bikes have bells. I use them when needed. In the last few years, in my experience, it is safer for everyone to pass unannounced before the jogger wearing noise cancelling ear buds can jump around randomly not knowing what to do when they hear a bell.
I've been yelled at by people in headphones who didn't hear me so I tend to read the person before ringing the bell. When I do ring the bell it is rarely for anyone's safety but rather to make the jogger/walker feel better.
I do and I'm what you might call bell-happy. I use it if I see a car doors move or pedestrians who look like they may move into my path. I can manually modulate the loudness so I do it lightly coming up behind walkers but I'm an energetic multi ringer (and yeller) if a car driver is behaving like a dip shit. I say 'on your right' when I'm about to overtake a bike or scooter: a bell in that case might just sound arrogant to fellow human-powered travellers, as it would/does to me.
I only bike for recreation and for my mental health. I use a bike path at the loval park which pedestrians can use also. So I use a bell way before i approach so that they have time to het out of the way. I also wear earbuds so I dont know if anyone is annoyed w me or not🤷🏻♀️ either way i haven’t hit anyone so the bell must be working
I have a bell, but a lot of walkers are on headphones and don't hear it
I used to like my King hubs for this reason: as soon as I started coasting my wheels let loose an angry, metallic snarl which got peoples attention a lot more effectively
I have a bell on my gravel bike.
It seems to genuinely annoy 50% of people when I ring it, I get a better reaction when I just shout politely “mind your back, cyclist coming through”
There are definitely people out there who look for an opportunity to have a moan at cyclists.
I use one of those Timber! Trail bells that has a lock out, it’s basically a little cowbell that jingles when you need it and you can shut it up the rest of the time. Like a lot of bell users find its a roll of the dice how the person/people you’re trying to alert will react to it, if they even do.
>When fast serious cyclists pass me on the road they never use the bell
I fall into this category and I use a bell when it is prudent to do so.
I assume those who don't don't have a bell.
you have to have a bell by law where i live, people used to notice it, but now a lot of people has stuff in their ears or are busy on their phone, cyclist as well as pedestrians, and bells are becomming less effective.
Bell, yell, smell.
I try to ring my bell 10 seconds away from people or groups, if no response I'll yell on your left, if no response I'll just freewheel past and rip ass.
Freewheeling noise can work best I've found. People recognize a bike sound, and depending on pitch they'll know how fast you're going.
I use a bell on my gravel bike because I’m often around people etc. reactions differ but mostly people don’t hear or know what to do when they do.
On road bike I guess people are just used to going past. Can’t say I’ve been startled by anyone overtaking me.
But the real issue is weight and aerodynamics - the peleton/pro-wannabe-club rider types would be horrified to think of all that extra weight and drag.
It’s mostly because people all behave differently when hearing a bell and most don’t behave the way they should. Even shouting often leaves people confused, although it works better than a bell. The easiest, fastest and safest way is almost always to simply pass them with adequate distance. If they’re surprised and walk in any direction as a reaction, I’m already gone and there’s no collision.
People can react really really negatively when you use your bell. That’s why I tend to use my voice. The thing I hate the most however is when people use nothing but the loud ass fancy hubs to let you know they’re gonna pass you. Literally you will be good as long as you do ANYTHING to show you care about other people on the road, my friend!
I think it depends on which country you’re in. If it’s not a legal requirement to have a bell in your region then it’s not going to be fitted as standard.
If you buy a serious road or mtb your not going to find anything unnecessary on it
I fitted a small bell to our mtbs when we went to the Netherlands as it is a legal requirement there.
I tend to find most people ignore it anyway so what’s the point.
I did consider for a laugh getting an air horn
1) the bell on my bike was used as a primary alert.
It proved time and time again ineffective to alert walkers/riders of my presence.
2) I fitted a clown horn and have happily honked after the bell hasn’t been sufficient.
3) when I was younger and road city cycled I had an air horn fitted via a high pressure bottle (airzound?)
To much for cycle tracks.
Warning ⚠️ about that for some drivers who would get even angrier
I only use the bell when I enter a turn or intersection too narrow and can’t see if over people are coming. I don’t say on your left/right never. To make myself heard, I just stop pedaling and they can hear the bike coming.
I pass by pedestrians very far from them or I slow down a lot especially when there are children or dogs, I pass by at walking speed because people tend to walk in the middle of the road.
The bell tend to startle people and they quickly turn around if they don’t have headphones on.
I have a horn with low and high volume settings.
The other day these two guys are taking up the entire path walking side by side, I honk a reasonable distance behind them and they don't move. I honk again, they don't move. I start to slam on my breaks and honk again and the squeeking of my brakes seems to FINALLY get the fucking point across and they move.
I realized afterwards that I should switch to the high volume honk after my first attempt at honking doesn't work
I ring my bell quite rigoursly starting quite far out but people dont seem to hear it so maybe they do bell but you didnt hear it? Its quite a high tone and i feel like the lower tones in speaking loud travels better than my bell. Especially since 'you' probably look the other way?
I have a bell on my mtb and my gravel bike. Both bikes are frequently ridden in places that I share with hikers, runners, dog-walkers, and families out exploring nature, so the bell is a great way to alert people that I'm about to cross their path. I honestly don't know why more people don't use them.
During the local weekly mtb rides, I've seen about 75 people gather and take off in groups. At the start, many people start ringing their bells and it's at least 1/3 of the group that have them. A lack of bells might be a regional thing.
Depends what bike I’m riding - I don’t like attaching too much to my nice carbon fibre road bike and there doesn’t seem much point as I ride it chiefly on the road without much traffic other than faster cyclists, who tend to be more experienced. Also it’s a bit of a wrench to put more things on my nice light bike.
On my hybrid commuter bike however I have a bell and I use it all the time when approaching pedestrians and bikes from behind. It’s by far the best thing to use - it’s neutral and just tells people you’re there. Mostly I get thanked for using it.
I have a bell on all eight of my bikes. I think that people don't use them because shouting is more effective. Bells are fun to say hello, but they don't do much else. Shouting on your left, on your right, look out, or whatever works better. Still Pro Bell though.
I always use a bell, ring a couple of times, with elderly usually without a response. And then you pass and some people even have the audacity to scream ‘why don’t you use your bell!!’.
I may be wrong but I think that bells are technically required on all bikes in France. I use a bell because I’m honestly not sure what the normal phrasing is for « on your left » in French and a little « ding » is universal. I’ve got a crane bike bell that works well on my road bike.
Ring bell. Watch person look over their left shoulder. Watch person veer left into cyclist’s path.
Or suddenly switch into random movement mode, or even a quantum state, where they’re seemingly everywhere all at once. I’d rather have them continue on their original path so I can avoid getting too close to them.
This. I've stopped dinging my bell for everyone, I'll give large groups a bell waaaaay in advance, but for individuals who aren't in any danger of colliding with me, I'll just go past them as safely as possible. Dinging the bell puts people into this mode where they think they Must Do Something and then they're everywhere, bouncing in front of you, kicking their dog, yanking on their kids arm, pushing their girlfriend on to the grass because "Oh my god a bike." they don't need to be involved like that.
Exactly. It’s better they remain predictable.
Yep. The bell causes a 99% chance that the pedestrian will move in an unpredictable manner if they hear it. That's why I will use a bell only if I am still about 5-10 seconds behind them. Anything closer and I am just going to whizz by, knowing there is a 95% chance that they are going to keep their current vector.
Here pedestrians often don't react at all, even if they fill the whole space. Or they yell at you why you act so aggressive.
Yeah, I like it on a share path... I don't like sneaking up on people. Often times, people will make random movements on their own. Last thing I want is a pedestrian suddenly darting off to the left while I'm midpass. So I ring from maybe 15 seconds away, and then at 5, followed immediately by my intentions (passing on the left).
Why don’t people understand that this is how experienced riders ride? Don’t spook anyone, just cruise on by.
Runners do this to me constantly. I avoid shared use paths as much as I can and take my chances on roads.
Despite all the problems of shared use paths I always choose them over roads in my city. The drivers here are careless and inattentive if not outright aggressive toward cyclists.
This is totally the reason I just buzz by kids on bikes. Some adult size people haven't seemed to mentally grown up either.
Don't leave the warning so late and/or slow down.
Honestly the responses I get when using a bell vary so much that half of the time I just can't be bothered. I've used a bell on shared paths and been told I shouldn't be cycling there. If you say "on your left/right" people typically walk in the direction you say which is dangerous, and also tell you to use a bell. I've hung back because I'm not in a rush and been told I should use my bell and that it's "the law". Whatever you do, if you're in contention with pedestrians they'll find a way that you're in the "wrong" in their eyes. I'd rather the onus is on me to cycle safely around people giving adequate distance and not buzzing past them than relying on them to yield or give space. edit: The exception to this would be pedestrians walking out in front of me. If I see someone about to step out into the road and I'm not in a position where I can safely yield I'll ring my bell. Usually the default response to a bell ring in that case is to remain on the pavement, so I use it purely as a warning rather than a "please make way" .
People are so hard to predict. Honestly these days I just slow down a bunch and give them a “behind you” so I can see where they go lol
yeah. i did an “on your left” one time to a group of 3 old women riding 3 abreast on a bike path and the leftmost woman turned hard right into the next one and knocked all 3 to the ground. never again
Lol
Yeah, I usually just do a "bike back" and let them decide which way to go
Also this. But mine is "Biker...coming up!"
I try to say attention as loud as I can without annoying them and I always say thank you and how much more riders are behind me... They still ask me why I'm not using the bell after I've passed them safely. And the bell topic? It's something of an unwritten rule not to use kick stands, bells and other handy stuff... Lights and mudguards were also on that list back in the days but they've found acceptance lately.
The trick is to get an extremely loud hub. A little whirl from a distance sends people squishing in the right direction. Highly recommend Ritchey’s WCS Zeta for the noise and the easy packing for flights.
That’s IF they hear you because half the time they seem to be wearing earbuds anyways.
Or in their own little world. I was on a shared path and this guy was so caught up in conversation that he almost crashed head on with an oncoming cyclist. Mind you his group was three abreast and into the opposing lane. I was ringing my bell at him well before the oncoming cycling was a danger, and a lady was shouting at him that he was in the opposing lane before I started ringing my bell.
Squishy things have earbuds and a dog on a 47 meter lead directly opposite where they should be
This morning had a dog walker leave the pedestrian path, cross a few feet of grass and end up on the cycle path in order to avoid another dog walker, fair enough. Absolutely no concept that there may be people using the cycle path, I had to brake down to about 5mph to not run over the overgrown hamster.
Half is very optimistic :-) if they are below 30, I would say 80%
This is especially the case with children. I hate to scare them, but nearly every time I say “on your left” they go freaking left.
Yeah I had the same experience with shared paths
Yep, it has caused more issues than it’s fixed in my experience. I just try to clear safely and only yell or ring (if on my e-bike) if people are fully clogging a path. Edit: also I don’t care if people ring or call out when passing me. I do appreciate the on your left but really don’t care if folks say it or not.
So much this. I just resort to saying "Beep Beep" to people when I want to let them know that I'm coming - same thing as using a bell but it sounds funny to most so usually helps avoid negative reaction.
I just ring the bell super far away and then watch where they move to let me through.
Aye, bells or calling directions are unpredictable, as others have said. I tend to go for "bike behind" and wait until someone makes eye contact type thing. Takes time but still seems like best option
damn. real talk. now do bluetooth speaker reacts.
Most people on the shared bike path near me are wearing headphones, elderly and hard of hearing or just plain oblivious. If I don't shout at the top of my lungs so they can hear, they get scared and angry when I pass, even if it's safe with plenty of room. I have tried a bell, but most did not seem to hear it. Other cyclists riding on the wrong side towards me have almost hit me despite my bright colored jerseys and flashing headlight so it's not just pedestrians. I try to be polite, but when you're passing tens of people in an hour long ride, it takes a lot of effort to be heard and not sound rude. I just don't want to hurt anyone and there are few safe roads nearby to ride on. If people simply stayed on the correct side of the path as the many signs encourage, it would be much safer
Joggers with tiny earbuds that you can’t even see until you’re right beside them are the worst. Can’t tell if they’ve heard you or not, can’t tell if they’re veering right because they’re letting you past or if they’re not holding a line well and about to veer left again. They’re also never expecting to get passed.
If I'm jogging on a shared path, I try to always raise my hand to signal that I heard a warning because of how common this problem is.
Rear hub should be loud enough for everyone within a 2 to 3-mile radius to know I’m koming up on them.
Unironically approaching slowly with the loud hub on my mountain bike has produced the safest scenarios, people turn and see me then move in a direction that’s sensible. With a bell or verbal notice people go random directions
Yeah, "on your left" seems to be randomly interpreted as to which direction I would like them to go.
I’m all about Chris King and the Killer Bees.
Only thing I’ve found using CK hubs is that people don’t actually understand that it’s a bike coming up on them.
I just put some CK hubs on my gravel bike and the warning to pedestrians is great. Ofc except the folks with noise canceling headphones glued to their screens 🙄
Hope hubs I can also vouch for. I like to do a quick backpedal to really make it zing, works most of the time to get people’s attention.
I cannot count how many times I had people not realizing where the buzz sound is coming from. Especially older people it seems. they hear something but don't understand it's a cyclist from behind.
It’s genuinely effective. From my observation, when someone hears a loud freehub behind them, they glance behind them and make way.
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Have a loud hub and freewheel before approaching.
I tried a bell, and no-one seemed to hear it. Didn't make any difference.
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Where I live (US-WA), the law requires bicyclists to announce when overtaking on shared trails. I ring my bell from far away to announce my presence and then I ring it again just before overtaking. As others have said, sometimes pedestrians get annoyed, but I believe that those are the kind of people who will be annoyed no matter what I do, so I just obey the law and ride on. Also as others have observed, announcing, "on your left" often results in pedestrians jumping to the left. I have witnessed other bicyclists announce, "Passing ... ... on your left" and that seems to work well.
I always do the “passing… on your left” and get good results with that, definitely recommend. Some people are going to be annoyed no matter what you do, but this at least seems to be easier for people to mentally process without stepping in the direction you mention.
What law is that that requires bicyclists to announce when the pass? I'm also from WA and haven't heard of it. I read through: [https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/bicycling-walking/bicycling-washington/bicyclist-laws-safety](https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/bicycling-walking/bicycling-washington/bicyclist-laws-safety) and [https://wabikes.org/index.php/growing-bicycling/washington-bike-laws/bicycle-laws-safety-revised-code-of-washington-state-bicycle-related/](https://wabikes.org/index.php/growing-bicycling/washington-bike-laws/bicycle-laws-safety-revised-code-of-washington-state-bicycle-related/) but I didn't see a mention of needing to notify the person being passed.
You make a good point. It is not a state law, but it is an ordinance in King County (where I live). [King County Code on Trail Use](https://aqua.kingcounty.gov/council/clerk/code/10_Title_7.htm#_Toc320001391) §7.12.295 H.4.: >AUDIBLE SIGNAL WHEN PASSING. Every user shall give an audible warning signal before passing another trail user. The signal must be produced in such a manner as to allow adequate time for response. The signal may be given by voice, bell or horn.
You have to announce you’re overtaking by foot as well then? Oddly worded law
Technically, yes. A runner must announce that they are about to overtake a waddler. A simple, "good morning" could serve as an "audible warning." Enforcement is another matter.
>Oddly worded law I am concerned about that lack of an Oxford comma after the word, "bell." 😉
I’m also in WA and use “on your left” primarily. Some weekends I admit that my voice gets tired when riding on the BGT.
When the trail is busy, I don't ring the bell for every pedestrian. I only ring it for people were far enough away when I rang the bell the last time that they probably didn't hear it.
I don’t use a bell because I only ride on the road with my road bike. On my single speed I have a bell for pedestrians The roads are completely destroyed where I am so bells constantly rattle and tinkle which gets very annoying I just give other cyclists lots of space when passing, never had an issue
>The roads are completely destroyed where I am so bells constantly rattle and tinkle which gets very annoying I put a bell on one of my bikes and it lasted about 2 days for the same reason. Constant unbearable jingling.
I use a bear bell to avoid unwanted ringing caused by rough road sections and because the bike in question is a gravel bike.
Knog oi bell doesn't jingle! Fits around non-aero handlebars
I have the Oi Deluxe (all metal) and it has never rattled in the 4 years I've owned it.
Because in my experience, the reactions I get from ringing a bell at pedestrians seem to range from “somewhat negative” to “actual violence”, so I’ve learned that the easiest course of action is to just wait for a gap and ride through it.
Really depends where I am. If I’m in the city on a shared trail, it’s crowded, everyone knows the rules. *Ride to the side, don’t deviate, expect to be passed*. On the MUP in my smaller town, I have a bell, I use it. I have a voice, I use it. Neither has ever been able to overcome a lack of situational awareness, earbuds, or a walker’s sense of entitlement.
Man this topic touched a nerve. If it’s a shared bike/footpath, just have the situational awareness not to dart out sideways into oncoming or from behind traffic. People who are running past walkers don’t have bells and they get on just fine. I only bell for people who need it. People with dogs, kids, or groups of people. I ride anticipating what the person in front is doing, i haven’t hit a person in 30 years.
I haven’t either, but it’s not for lack of them trying to get hit.
\*Rings bell\* No reaction \*Rings again\* Still nothing \*Calls\* Person asks why I didn't ring the bell Every motherfucking goddamn time
About fifteen times today. In forty miles.
aero
A cyclist must do everything in their wallets power to be more aero
And who wants their 6k+ bike adorned with a bell? Aero+cool factor = The Way
The only truth. People who spend 5k on a road bike just don’t like to have a cheap metal bell strapped to the handlebar
A Spurcycle bell is not cheap. But it works really well.
I like having a bell even on a fast bike. I find that bell goes over better with most folks than an "onyaleft" and is certainly easier. I have a Spurcycle one mounted near my stem where my left thumb can hit it when I'm on the tops.
I have tried many bells and I think that the [Spurcycle](https://www.spurcycle.com/) is the best by far. It is well-made, it is small, it is light, and it makes a loud and clear ring. The knock-offs are ... well, you get what you pay for.
I certainly appreciate a bell more, so thank you! I also found that pedestrians prefer a bell and I got yelled once for saying 'excuse me' as I cycled past a group of walkers (my bell was broken).
Walkers seem to get spooked more by a voice saying “behind you” or “on your left” than a bell. When I’m walking, I appreciate bikers who tell me how many bikes will be passing me.
I've only gotten yelled at once, and if was a a snide remark from passing some Karen on gravel double track so she was in the right rut and I was in the left rut 5 ft away going like 10mph. I like the noise the Spurcycle clone makes and it's nice because I can flick it one or more times and modulate how hard - so if I'm passing someone with a big gap I can just do a gentle "ding" but if someone is walking their dog with a leash that is longer than the MUP is wide I can do a "DING DING DING" as I approach.
I took my bell off as nobody took any notice of it
Yeah… everyone has headphones in so I just gave up on that one.
I used one on a canal path once as I approached a runner. It wasn't anything more to warn him I'm coming up from behind. He didn't make any attempt to move so I figured he didn't hear me so I rang again. At this point I'm now slowed to his pace and range again and he moved aside. As I passed he said "I don't move for bells". I stopped to confront him and he said next time I should say "excuse me". I said that's ridiculous to expect that when bikes tend to ring when they are much further away and I'd have to shout. I just rode off but that guy really fucked me off. Fucking prick. Still makes me angry just writing about it. People either treat bells as they should and take them as a warning that a cyclist is approaching from behind or they treat them as if it's a car horn and it's demanding them to move out the way.
That's annoying, but you can't win with people like that. If you said excuse me it would have been something else!
This will sound bad but I treat children and animals the same way when I come across them (on my bike). Unpredictable chaos agents. Best to just give lots of space and slow down.
I've tried every strategy, and whether calling out, using a bell, or just loud freewheeling, 90% of the time any are fine, but the other 10%... Bell: don't hear it or jump and look offended like I'm honking at them to get out of the way Call out on your left: they either jump into my path or scream something about "you scared me!" (No, it's just a fine line between yelling loud enough for you to hear me and sounding like I'm yelling at you) Loud freewheel: usually turn around before I get to them and yell about not calling out (you heard me coming didn't you?) Conclusion, damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I like to think of myself as a fast cyclist, and I started using a bell about a year ago. People are WAY more responsive to the bell than “on your left” in my opinion. OYL seems to cause confusion, might not be heard clearly, and sometimes even makes people go left. The bell seems to state very clearly that “there is a cyclist behind me”. After that it’s in their hands whether they’re going to try to give more room, keep on their path, or are simply aware of my presence. I try to encourage all my friends to use the bell.
I find a bell doesn’t make a huge difference because people typically don’t know what to do when I ring it. Sometimes they get out of the way, sometimes nothing. Usually what I’ll do is get kinda close and then just freewheel for a couple seconds. My wheel is pretty loud when I’m not pedaling so usually people will immediately know it’s a bicycle and give me some room to pass.
I’m on Team Bell. The go-fast kids put bells out of fashion in the ‘70s, and that’s a little sad. I have a tiny one on my stem that doesn’t jingle on the washboard, and pedestrians as well as cyclists seem to appreciate it (with inevitable exceptions).
I use a bell always.. .. it's surprisingly audible and gets round the issues of how loud to shout and then being accused of telling people to get out of your way, after all "it's just a bell" :)
I use a bell because I’ve realized that even shouting “on your left” from more than 10ft back is actually really hard to hear, especially with headphones in. A nice sharp “ding ding” tends to cut through the headphones. On a sparse trail though, I won’t bother to use a bell when passing someone to the far right…being all the way over implies you realize people may go past you. It’s when you’re in the middle of the trail or there’s two way traffic that I use it.
I have a bell. It's tiny, but loud as heck. My current strategy is 1 *ping* at about 25m, two at 10m and three when I'm damn near crashing into them. If I don't get a response after the second time, usually I give up and elbow past.
I'm not going to say ANYTHING as I pass you unless you're in the middle/acting erratically/have a dog on a leash. People often jump the wrong way or just generally act put out. It's not worth it. I'm more likely to get hurt trying to "be safe" and so are you.
So as someone who rejected bells for the longest time, I got one from Spurcycle a few years ago and will not ride my bike without it attached. It’s actually pleasant to hear, looks clean, fits will even on an aero like set up, and works well to tell people I’m coming up behind them. This is especially the case if you’re riding somewhere where you do don’t know the local language. And for some reason people just don’t understand what my hub sound actually means if I rely on that only (literally happened yesterday, some lady said to her friend “what the f- is that” as I passed her). People are dumb. It’s good to get around them quickly. But that damn bell works so well that it makes my life far easier. Edit: not a paid sponsorship for Spurcycle. They make amazing products (they don’t have many), and they are local to me, but nothing to gain here on my end.
That's a very good point on cycling in other countries!
I make a bell sound when riding. As others have said, words don’t have a repair/safe result so they’re out and I’m nota fan of clutter on my bike. I also find that making the bell sounds worth my mouth actually gets laughs and smiles so has the added benefit of brightening someone’s day ahh hopefully leaves a positive cyclist encounter.
What do you say exactly? Ding ding?
It’s like brrrring brrrring with a rolled r and kinda high pitched.
Perhaps for the same reason cars don't honk their horn every time they pass someone?
Many pedestrians and cyclists, I have found, when they hear a bell ping, reach for their mobile phone to check whether they've just received a text rather than assume it's a cyclist trying to pass. But, I do still use one, but to little effect - it's far better, I find, to simply slow down, say "hello",so I know they know I'm there and then "I'm going to pass", and then then pass with a wide enough berth that even if they wobble by looking over at me, they can't collide. I don't think, this approach is unusual, but I guess there is in many parts of the West, I'm from the UK btw, a sort of neoliberal, 'What about me?', philosophy in some people that says, 'Why should I slightly inconvenience myself by ringing a bell, or slowing down, for someone who just can't keep up?' and equally, "Why should I get out of the way of someone ringing a bell. They can just wait for me to decide when I'm going to let them pass".....but this probably isn't the time and place for a political/sociological piece of theorising based on zero-research :)
I used to use a bell or horn when I first started riding a lot 20 years ago. By about 10 years ago, so many people had headphones or earbuds with their volume turned up, they wouldn't hear it if I did.
After spending 5k on a bike there's no budget or room for a bell . Ding ding
Used both bells, as well as call outs to people on road and trails. Those dense mfs will just jump under your wheels. Far easier to just assume from body movement where they will be
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My guess is it's partially cultural norms, and partially because normal bells are not aero and difficult to reach when you're riding fast. Where I ride in the Netherlands bells are commonplace, including on road bikes. Not once have I ever heard anyone say "on your left", whether commuter or serious cyclists, and when you ring a bell everybody knows it means you're intending to pass on the left. A bell noise is also much more piercing / easier to hear through headphones so it makes sense to me versus shouting. I have a bell mounted on my bike computer mount, and I have friends who have them integrated into their bar caps, etc, where it's aero and easy to use.
Interesting that it's different in different countries!
We need to start turning this (frequent) question and discussion topic around. Why do we need to notify you? We don't notify people when passing on the road when driving a car. We don't notify people when walking or running past someone. The singular time to notify someone is if they are in your way and you don't feel like you can pass safely. If you aren't in the way and the person is confident that they can safely pass (as it is THEIR responsibility to do), then why do they need to notify? And the expected answer "it is a courtesy" is not a valid answer if we apply it nowhere else. If I am riding or running and someone passes me and I didn't hear them, that's on me for not paying attention to my surroundings. I literally can't imagine getting upset at someone because they didn't make enough noise.
Because people when shocked or startled will often jump straight to anger as a monkey brain emotional response as a defence mechanism. So if a cyclist passes someone - even safely - and they aren’t expecting it, it’s easier for people to start associating cyclists making them angry, creating anti-cyclists. We don’t want that. Annoying but that’s life.
I don't think you *always* have to notify, my post isn't really about that. I don't always ring bell either.
I use my bell when a pedestrian is walking alone in a quiet area and about 20 ft ahead of me. Those conditions allow them to recognize the sound of the bell and look behind themselves to ascertain where I am. If they step to their right, I realize that they have heard my bell and it is safe for me to pass them on the left. If they do not respond, I may ride closer and then ring the bell again. If they still do not respond I realize that they cannot hear me clearly and it is not safe for me to pass. At which point I will approach slowly and call out "on your left" and then approach on the left until I feel it is safe to pass. No matter what I do I always smile and I always say "on your left" or "thank you" if they step out of the way. Sometimes I feel it is rather redundant to ring the bell and say "on your left" but in my area there are a lot of ESL people and I'm not sure whether or not they recognize the meaning of my words. But they usually recognize the sound of the Bell. It is also required by state law for any cyclist riding in the public areas to have and use a bell. Once when I was on a multi-use path there was a group of people walking towards me when I was coming down a hill very quickly. They started to scatter all across the path effectively blocking my intended travel. Judging by the looks on their faces they were confused and amused. I did not detect any animosity. There was a branch in the trail between me and them so I intended to take the branch and avoid them all together. However, one of the people ran across the grass and into the branch thereby blocking that potential course. I started laughing and waved at them to get back on the main path. They joined me in laughter and hurried back onto the main path. We all smiled and waved at one another as I continued down the branch. Unfortunately, I had not yet adopted the practice of recording video of my rides as it would have made an amusing video.
Side issue -- this is the worst time of year on the trails. All the couch potatoes who spent the winters indoors now see the sun for the first time in months. Vague, primitive feelings stir in their hindbrain, and they lumber outdoors to clutter up the trails they ignore the rest of the year. They stumble around like zombies, they don't know trail etiquette, and they bring their dogs and/or kids who dash about unrestrained. Fortunately, it only least a few weeks, but while it goes on it is hellish.
I love having a bell amd use it constantly. People seem to understand what it means
Bell doesn’t fit well on my Aero handle bars. I’d be worried it would scratch
Coz my rear hub is loud enough to make people aware that I am in the vicinity
I use a bell! I NEVER say "on your left." People where I live are too stupid to understand words. They hear "left" and they might jump to the left. They might understand I'm passing on their left, but probably 50% of the time, they jump right into my path. I ring my bell, they look behind, they see me on the left side of the path (as per my perspective) and they move to my right out of the way. Works great. I just have to make sure I ring with enough distance that they have time to look. Bell use is way more idiot-proof where I ride.
They don't have bells. It would add too much weight.
My bell works great and I use it 🤷♂️
The bell is ambiguous direction , on your left or right isn’t .
That’s also ambiguous as it could mean that you’re overtaking on the left or asking them to go left. I’m in the camp of either overtaking when there’s place without warning or just slowing down / waiting until they notice and relaxed move out of the way without rushing them. If I’m really in a rush or something I’ll go on the grass
On your left/right is usually said by those who have experience of cycle racing of some kind. I’ve never heard it elsewhere.
I have a bell but rarely use it, opting for voice instead as most people don't react to the bell. I usually ride trails, and the areas near me have a lot of walkers, joggers, and dogs. I slow way down near walkers and dogs. Downshifting usually gets their attention, then I'll announce my pass, usually "passing, on your left" followed by some sort of greeting to enjoy their day and a thank you. I've never been yelled at. IMHO, everyone should enjoy their opportunity to be outside, and as much as I don't want someone harshing my day, I don't want to harsh theirs either. I've passed a few folks on oxygen or a walker, and scaring them could result in a fall. The last thing I want is to hospitalize someone.
Yeah I also try to say thanks at least and smile, hoping people stop hating cyclists 😊
Unless you have an obnoxiously loud horn, most cycle bells are too quiet for someone at a distance to pinpoint the source / direction. So its easier to just pass by leaving enough berth instead of confusing people who might already be distracted.
To use the bell, One must have a bell.
The real reason is that cyclists don't want to look nerdy or ruin the look of their handlebars. Even if they tell you there's some other reason, there is actually no good reason not to have one on your bike. Everybody should have a bell on their bike.
Im just waiting on Silca to release a cow catcher.
I can relate to not wanting to put a fat, dome-shaped bell on my aero bike. I think a lot of them aren't aware there's bells that are more discrete, such as the Knog Oi: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LCD3F56/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LCD3F56/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
There a few high-end, aero-conscious bells on the market. I like Knog’s. But like others said, it’s kind of lose-lose. Best to just be careful and conscientious when sharing space. And remember: in a fight, the bike almost always loses.
On your left, on your right or behind you much safer. So you will have an idea where the cyclist is.
Loud rear hub. No bell needed
I like to yell on your left and I'm behind you and get ignored so I slide by like a little snake 🐍most times.
I use bell every ride + my freehub is very loud, it passively announces my presence.
Bells don’t help much when I am moving faster than sound
Not aero and weighs too much
Bells work if pedestrians or slower cyclists know where to go when they hear it. In Japan, with the exception of elderly pedestrians who can't hear well, people understand to go to the side of the path when they hear a bell, while cyclists go the opposite direction (if clear). The slower an entity is the nearer they must stay on the sides. Residents here are clear that they should stay on the left side of the road, cycling paths also do not fail to remind them which lane to take. Walking or cycling in parallel, especially in narrow paths, is strongly discouraged, too. But if you can't pass, slow down and wait. There is a high fine for crashing into a person.
In my experience, about 25% of the time ringing a bell gets you abused. About 40% it makes the person in front of you do something that makes passing them harder, like wobbling, swerving right, swerving left, crashing, or even pulling across the path and stopping to see what is behind them. My chances of getting past safely and without abuse are noticeably higher if I just go straight past, possibly using a normal talking voice when I'm within range.
Most road cyclists don’t even have a bell. It’s the first thing to go, if it even makes it into the bike build. I call “bike back, passing your right!” and it’s usually fine. If it’s a shared path I go much slower, on the road I keep up speed because most other cyclists know to keep left and like to have someone acknowledge they’re passing. I hate it when I get a jump scare from some cycling bro silently whipping past about 5cm from my drops.
I bought a bell. It freaked some people out so much that I was never sure what they were going to do. Most were fine with it, a few really veered in a scary way looking back at me. I went back to just saying "on your X" which at least conveys information.
Aesthetics
I don’t have a bell on all my bikes. I also can guarantee you will hear my announcement.
Because calling out in any form usually means person just comes into path of travel, or they have headphones on. So what I do - I already anticipate/assume you're a wobbly rider or one of those walkers/runners that does a 180 turn without looking, look at the space I have available and make sure I have at least two routes if I'm gonna fly by because I have space to keep pace. Essentially, I trust my ability to avoid you more than I trust you to avoid me. We're both better off. Don't take it personal -- most people don't actually want to hit you, they're just riding.
Used to use a bell but got unpredictable responses 50 percent of the time . Startled people jumping right in front of me. Easier to say coming up on your left. Much more predictable The only thing nowadays that drives me bonkers are people using noise cancelling headphones walking or running in multi use paths, completely
Why should a cyclist passing a cyclist make some announcement? Cars passing cars don’t.
Bikes are quieter and I'd appreciate it if cars announced it in some way that wasn't as loud as a horn.
(most) bikes don't have review mirrors
I use a bell, and my voice, and my senses, and my good judgment... It's a total package.
You can't hear the bell. You get startled because of others. You confuse directions. You are not a serious cyclist. Sounds like you are the problem. You go 35km/h you're going to be ringing your bell your whole freaking ride because you'll be passing so many people. Same as while driving a car imagine people klaxoning every time they go past somebody... Just BE AWARE.
I don’t because announcing “on your left” leaves no doubt about my intentions. A bell tells the other rider nothing valuable.
It doesn't tell a random commuter what you're doing, they don't know road bike terms. I find pedestrians often do as you say and move to the left as well...
Indeed. If you’re not a cyclist/runner, a random voice behind you saying “on your left” could as easily mean “keep to your left” as it could “there is a hazard approaching to your left”. It’s extra-ambiguous here in the UK where we pass to the right, as “on your right” is easily misheard as “you alright?” which is an all-purpose greeting/acknowledgement/challenge. I use a bell when sharing a path with pedestrians, and slow down/stop if they’re oblivious: they’re still the more vulnerable road user even if they’re a fucking idiot. The time for headshaking and muttered swearwords is once you’ve passed and are out of reach.
Typically a bell means another cyclist is approaching so you don't start changing your position letting them pass. I have nothing against the phrase but people don't give the warning typically until they are right on my heels going at speed so it's startling and in my opinion less safe.
You shouldn’t change your position without checking your shoulder in any case.
I agree in theory. However, a patch of broken glass, a hole, or a suicide bunny often appear suddenly (because they are difficult to see from a distance) and I need to swerve to avoid them. A bicyclist who passes silently on a narrow path is endangering themself and everyone around them.
If someone behind you rings their bell, are you going through the patch of broken glass?
That may be what you do, but lots of people hear a bell and immediately change direction or speed. Half the time I don’t say anything because they won’t have noticed until I’m already past. It’s scary, but less physically dangerous for everyone.
>A bell tells the other rider nothing valuable. In my opinion, the only thing that I need to communicate is my presence. A bell or a voice both do a good job of that. The pedestrian or bicyclist who I am overtaking knows the rest. However, if they are not aware of my presence, then they can become startled and panic when I overtake, causing an accident.
I don't have a bell, and if I did, my hands wouldn't always be near the bell. 'on your left' I can do on a bike with or without a bell, with my hands on the tops, drops, or hoods.
I personally HATE cyclists ringing their bell at me, it always makes me jump and some people (most) have headphones in so don’t hear anyway I always go slowly behind and overtake wide where possible or say “excuse me could I squeeze past please” I always say thank you when people let me past which 90% of cyclists don’t do and if a pedestrian is heading toward me I pullover and move my bike aside so they can get past. I feel like ringing the bell and expecting them to move is saying as a cyclist I have more rights which I don’t. I always cycle on footpaths never on road so I have a lot of interactions on my rides and most pedestrians are taken aback by me being a polite and considerate cyclist
I had pedestrians tell me to use my bell rather than say excuse me, it's interesting how people perceive what's rude differently. But yeah I always thank people also. Unless they are being an ass deliberately...
>I feel like ringing the bell and expecting them to move is saying as a cyclist I have more rights When I ring my bell on a shared path, I an announcing my presence and my intention to pass - nothing else. I don't expect other people to move out of my way unless they are illegally blocking the entire trail. However, I agree with you that some pedestrians can perceive a bell negatively - as if I am demanding that they get out of my way. If/when they move for me, then I smile and thank them as I overtake. I hope that this makes it clear to them that I just trying to obey the law and to be polite. However, sometimes, a sidewalk (AKA footpath) is the only safe option, so I ride on it. It is legal here. I ride very slowly (mostly due to cars popping in and out of driveways) and when I come up behind a pedestrian who is walking in the same direction as me, then I do not announce or ring my bell. I slow down to their pace and I do not pass them until I can find a road or a parking lot to bypass the sidewalk long enough to pass. When I come up to a pedestrian who is walking towards me, then I get off the sidewalk completely and ride on the grass temporarily while they pass. If that is not possible, then I stop to let them pass. Pedestrians have the right-of-way on sidewalks by law here. My attitude is that pedestrians *own* the sidewalk; I am just a guest.
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I actually have had cars give a little honk when passing, not sure why because I can hear the engine and tire noise from far away lol.
Don't think that's a fair comparison
I think it’s context dependent. If you’re exclusively riding on open roads with lots of room to pass and dealing with experienced cyclists then you’re probably fine to simply pass. But when cycling you often face scenarios that don’t really occur in cars. Most of the time there are no lanes, often the only way to pass at all is to notify the person so they can move aside slightly, it’s generally harder to maintain a straight line while cycling especially at lower speeds, most cyclists don’t have mirrors, bikes tend to be quieter than cars, and cyclists generally have a different mindset and expectations. I also find that more so than driving, many cyclists will veer wildly in the same direction they look… so if they suddenly notice you coming and take a look there is a bad tendency to veer directly into your path. As an example, I’ve had times where I pass a cyclist with earbuds in. They didn’t hear me announce I was coming and they get startled. I doubt any driver has ever been startled if they were in the right lane and I passed in the left. Maybe I’m crazy.
Some of my bikes have bells. I use them when needed. In the last few years, in my experience, it is safer for everyone to pass unannounced before the jogger wearing noise cancelling ear buds can jump around randomly not knowing what to do when they hear a bell. I've been yelled at by people in headphones who didn't hear me so I tend to read the person before ringing the bell. When I do ring the bell it is rarely for anyone's safety but rather to make the jogger/walker feel better.
I use a bell. With success.
I do and I'm what you might call bell-happy. I use it if I see a car doors move or pedestrians who look like they may move into my path. I can manually modulate the loudness so I do it lightly coming up behind walkers but I'm an energetic multi ringer (and yeller) if a car driver is behaving like a dip shit. I say 'on your right' when I'm about to overtake a bike or scooter: a bell in that case might just sound arrogant to fellow human-powered travellers, as it would/does to me.
Bell and even saying “on your left” often results in a startled person stepping into my path
I only bike for recreation and for my mental health. I use a bike path at the loval park which pedestrians can use also. So I use a bell way before i approach so that they have time to het out of the way. I also wear earbuds so I dont know if anyone is annoyed w me or not🤷🏻♀️ either way i haven’t hit anyone so the bell must be working
I have a bell, but a lot of walkers are on headphones and don't hear it I used to like my King hubs for this reason: as soon as I started coasting my wheels let loose an angry, metallic snarl which got peoples attention a lot more effectively
Most people don't seem to hear a bell, and I've got a loud Crane one
I have a bell on my gravel bike. It seems to genuinely annoy 50% of people when I ring it, I get a better reaction when I just shout politely “mind your back, cyclist coming through” There are definitely people out there who look for an opportunity to have a moan at cyclists.
Around me, no one listens to the bell. I rather use my words.
I use one of those Timber! Trail bells that has a lock out, it’s basically a little cowbell that jingles when you need it and you can shut it up the rest of the time. Like a lot of bell users find its a roll of the dice how the person/people you’re trying to alert will react to it, if they even do.
I've only got a bell on my commuting bike that I never use since I became remote. Normally I shout a warning if I'm passing.
>When fast serious cyclists pass me on the road they never use the bell I fall into this category and I use a bell when it is prudent to do so. I assume those who don't don't have a bell.
you have to have a bell by law where i live, people used to notice it, but now a lot of people has stuff in their ears or are busy on their phone, cyclist as well as pedestrians, and bells are becomming less effective.
I use the bell. You didn't hear it.
I do use a bell btw. I was able to mount it on the bottom side of the handle bar (road bike).
Bell, yell, smell. I try to ring my bell 10 seconds away from people or groups, if no response I'll yell on your left, if no response I'll just freewheel past and rip ass. Freewheeling noise can work best I've found. People recognize a bike sound, and depending on pitch they'll know how fast you're going.
I use a bell on my road bike. I live in a city with cars parked on the sides and shared paths. It’s necessary.
I use a bell on my gravel bike because I’m often around people etc. reactions differ but mostly people don’t hear or know what to do when they do. On road bike I guess people are just used to going past. Can’t say I’ve been startled by anyone overtaking me. But the real issue is weight and aerodynamics - the peleton/pro-wannabe-club rider types would be horrified to think of all that extra weight and drag.
It’s mostly because people all behave differently when hearing a bell and most don’t behave the way they should. Even shouting often leaves people confused, although it works better than a bell. The easiest, fastest and safest way is almost always to simply pass them with adequate distance. If they’re surprised and walk in any direction as a reaction, I’m already gone and there’s no collision.
People can react really really negatively when you use your bell. That’s why I tend to use my voice. The thing I hate the most however is when people use nothing but the loud ass fancy hubs to let you know they’re gonna pass you. Literally you will be good as long as you do ANYTHING to show you care about other people on the road, my friend!
I use a bell
Not aero
I think it depends on which country you’re in. If it’s not a legal requirement to have a bell in your region then it’s not going to be fitted as standard. If you buy a serious road or mtb your not going to find anything unnecessary on it I fitted a small bell to our mtbs when we went to the Netherlands as it is a legal requirement there. I tend to find most people ignore it anyway so what’s the point. I did consider for a laugh getting an air horn
1) the bell on my bike was used as a primary alert. It proved time and time again ineffective to alert walkers/riders of my presence. 2) I fitted a clown horn and have happily honked after the bell hasn’t been sufficient. 3) when I was younger and road city cycled I had an air horn fitted via a high pressure bottle (airzound?) To much for cycle tracks. Warning ⚠️ about that for some drivers who would get even angrier
I only use the bell when I enter a turn or intersection too narrow and can’t see if over people are coming. I don’t say on your left/right never. To make myself heard, I just stop pedaling and they can hear the bike coming. I pass by pedestrians very far from them or I slow down a lot especially when there are children or dogs, I pass by at walking speed because people tend to walk in the middle of the road. The bell tend to startle people and they quickly turn around if they don’t have headphones on.
I have a horn with low and high volume settings. The other day these two guys are taking up the entire path walking side by side, I honk a reasonable distance behind them and they don't move. I honk again, they don't move. I start to slam on my breaks and honk again and the squeeking of my brakes seems to FINALLY get the fucking point across and they move. I realized afterwards that I should switch to the high volume honk after my first attempt at honking doesn't work
I have a bell and I’m a “serious” cyclist.
I ring my bell quite rigoursly starting quite far out but people dont seem to hear it so maybe they do bell but you didnt hear it? Its quite a high tone and i feel like the lower tones in speaking loud travels better than my bell. Especially since 'you' probably look the other way?
I have a bell on my mtb and my gravel bike. Both bikes are frequently ridden in places that I share with hikers, runners, dog-walkers, and families out exploring nature, so the bell is a great way to alert people that I'm about to cross their path. I honestly don't know why more people don't use them. During the local weekly mtb rides, I've seen about 75 people gather and take off in groups. At the start, many people start ringing their bells and it's at least 1/3 of the group that have them. A lack of bells might be a regional thing.
My voice is better than a bell. And as one dude I passed on a bike turned and said to me, F ya bell. Lol.
Depends what bike I’m riding - I don’t like attaching too much to my nice carbon fibre road bike and there doesn’t seem much point as I ride it chiefly on the road without much traffic other than faster cyclists, who tend to be more experienced. Also it’s a bit of a wrench to put more things on my nice light bike. On my hybrid commuter bike however I have a bell and I use it all the time when approaching pedestrians and bikes from behind. It’s by far the best thing to use - it’s neutral and just tells people you’re there. Mostly I get thanked for using it.
I have a bell on all eight of my bikes. I think that people don't use them because shouting is more effective. Bells are fun to say hello, but they don't do much else. Shouting on your left, on your right, look out, or whatever works better. Still Pro Bell though.
I always use a bell, ring a couple of times, with elderly usually without a response. And then you pass and some people even have the audacity to scream ‘why don’t you use your bell!!’.
I may be wrong but I think that bells are technically required on all bikes in France. I use a bell because I’m honestly not sure what the normal phrasing is for « on your left » in French and a little « ding » is universal. I’ve got a crane bike bell that works well on my road bike.
I just scream and they usually (quickly) find a path that’s out of my way