Bells

Bells aren’t just for Christmas. If you’ve ever had a pedestrian or jogger almost step out in front of you when you tried to pass them, or had another cyclist cut you off, a bell is the best way to say, “Hi! Please don’t make me crash!” Or in a crowd of cyclists on a group ride, nothing is more fun than the group bell-ringing, all different tones and chimes and rings creating an ocean of sound to celebrate the freedom of cycling.

We carry, of course, the I (heart) PDX bell. How could we not? A nice, simple thumb-actuated lever produces”brrrrng-ah” sound that sounds even better done several times in a row. $6.99

For touring and general urban exploration, the Compass bell uses a little hammer lever to create a single high-pitched tone that really carries. Plus, there’s a compass suspended in a fluid so you always know at least what direction you’re going. $7.99

But there’s no bike-related sound quite as exquisite as the sweet lingering ring of a brass bell living Doppler’s dream. We’ve always admired the Crane brass bell from Japan (also available in copper and aluminum; $12-16). But our new favorite brass bell is the King of Ding(tm) from the home team, Portland Design Works. $20. Hey, here’s one now in its default ”silent but beautiful” mode! It looks like something that just might come down and save our planet.

Fits 22.2 – 25.4 mm handlebars thus far.