Why would you need to consult reviews of the best bike bells – they’re all pretty much the same, right? You might even feel that sticking an ugly, cheap bell on your streamlined and expensive bike isn’t worth it. Bells have developed a slightly uncool reputation over the years.
A reliable bell, however, is an effective and polite form of warning other road or trail users that you’re approaching. They’re especially helpful on sharp corners, in noisy environments, or on busy trails which are also frequently used by hikers or families out for a stroll. It’s usually a lot clearer and potentially less alarming or confrontational than shouting to alert someone of your present.
Recently, there’s been a resurgence in their popularity, and even pro cyclists are often advocates of a good bike bell. This has led to the market stepping up to meet this demand. It’s not just the traditional bulky brass varieties that are available now.
You might be surprised to learn that, amongst the serious biking fraternity, there is quite fierce debate about which bell will work best in different circumstances.
We’ve outlined seven different bike bells that have good reputations and offer a selection of different advantages.
Best Bike Bell Quick-Find Table
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Top Three Bike Bell Recommendations
The first three bells are ones that consistently come out top with pro and recreational cyclists alike.
Of all the bells on the list, the Spurcycle model is our top pick. It may be considerably more expensive than your average bike bell, but it’s durable, discreet and effective.
The biggest selling point with the Spurcycle is that it’s ring is significantly louder than the average bell, while still having a pleasing tone. The manufacturer claims that the ring is sustained for three times as long as most other models on the market.
Even in busy traffic or on noisy trails, you can be assured that this will effectively alert your presence as intended.
With a hard-wearing all-metal design, the bell has a strap that allows it to be fitted to any size of handlebar. This compact bell looks great, and it’s easy to fit and operate. You don’t have to worry about it rattling on the bars as some cheaper models can do.
Even though you’re paying a lot more than you would for an average bell, this one is designed to last and offers a lifetime warranty.
It’s just a shame that in wet weather, the sound of the bell can be dulled slightly. It may be a better choice for fair-weather cyclists.
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The Knog Oi is, arguably, the most sleek and unobtrusive bike bell around. It has a unique wrap-around design that means, at a glance, you may not even be able to tell the bike has been fitted with a bell.
Made from a mix of plastic and metal, it’s very lightweight and comes in two sizes. This ensures you can get a snug fit, regardless of the size of your handlebar. It’s also easy to activate the pleasant-sounding ring.
Despite all these nifty design features, it’s a bonus that the Knog Oi is still pretty affordable.
The biggest drawback of the design, however, is that the ring of the bell isn’t particularly loud. If you’re riding on noisy streets or trails, you run the risk of it not alerting as it’s intended too. Plus, on bumpy trails, it can vibrate, and the ring can be set off accidentally.
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If you’re frequently hurtling along twisting and turning trails, you might want to invest in the Timber Mountain Bike Bell.
It constantly rings when cycling over rough ground. This will allow you to concentrate on your riding while feeling secure in the knowledge that the bell will be alerting any other trail users of your approach.
It’s also handy if you’re on a remote trail with another rider and you want to be able to keep track of one another, or you want to give any wildlife advance warning of your presence.
The bell noise is high-pitched, but not unpleasant. It cuts through a lot of noise, so even chattering trail strollers will hear you coming.
When you’re on a wider trail, or you’re riding more slowly, you can switch the bell off or lower the tone slightly, so you aren’t being bothered by the constant cow bell-like chiming.
The Timber Bell is quite a bit heavier than the Knog or the Spurcycle models. It also hangs slightly more obtrusively from the handlebars. But, it still looks pleasing and is durable and can be fitted snugly and securely.
One frustrating downside with this model is that the hanging ringer inside the bell can occasionally come loose and fall off with frequent use on rough trails.
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For cyclists on a budget, or if you are trying a bell for the first time and don’t want to spend a lot, you should consider the Mirrycle Incredibell.
The cheapest of all the bells we have reviewed, it still fairs exceptionally well in terms of durability and clarity of tone.
It’s easy to install and compact. You can either mount the bell normally on the left-hand side of the handlebars or inverted on the right-hand side.
Unlike most traditional bells, this produces a double ding, and it’s pretty loud and effective too. One comes when you pull the lever, the second when you release it.
Be aware that these bells don’t fit road bike bars as well as they do those of mountain bikes. Also, be careful to ensure you order a genuine Mirrycle product as there are some poor quality imitations out there.
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If you frequently cycle in areas with noisy, congested traffic or on shared cycle paths with joggers wearing headphones, you want to be sure your bell will cut through the noise pollution. Sometimes an ordinary bell might not give you enough peace of mind. In these circumstances, it could be worth considering a bike horn.
Having a horn capable of making a loud blast can also help clear paths of wildlife or even deter aggressive dogs or bears.
The AirZound Bike Horn can be set with a volume level up to an impressive 115 dB. It doesn’t require batteries and uses an air canister to produce the noise.
You can also lower the volume, to set it to noise that you find helpful and acceptable.
This horn isn’t without its drawbacks, however.
For starters, for most riders, it may seem like overkill. On top volume it can be so loud that it could unnecessarily startle other road or trail users, and it could even hurt your ears.
Secondly, it’s a cumbersome piece of kit. It takes up a lot of handlebar space, and it isn’t all that easy to install.
Finally, you only get a limited number of blasts before the air canister needs to be pumped up again. While you can do this with a traditional bike pump, it’s a bit of a pain and can limit the horn’s usefulness if you’re out on a long trail or busy environment.
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If you’re looking for a loud bell that isn’t nearly as expensive as the Spurcycle, then you might want to consider the Crane Bell Suzu.
With a traditional retro bell design, it might not be as sleek and discreet as the Spurcycle or the Knog Oi, but, boy, this one has a very loud bell that will be hard to miss.
It’s strong and easy to install, but this is another one that doesn’t always work so well in poor weather conditions, and it isn’t quite as durable as the Spurcycle either.
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Okay, so this isn’t a bike bell, but the Bear Bell offers a versatile, effective and inexpensive alternative solution.
These bells are often used by hikers or dog owners for use on remote trails. It warns of your presence for bears and other wild animals, and will hopefully encourage them to move on. Some dog owners use them just to keep track of their dogs’ whereabouts in densely forested areas too.
Why would you select this over a traditional bike bell? Well, for starters, it’s cheap. For under $10 you’ll be getting something that is effective, durable and easy to take on and off your bike. Plus, it’s adaptable, if you want to remove it from the bike and use it on a dog walk or when hiking the trails, you have that option.
The bell should alert your presence to most other trail users. It’s also durable, with a sturdy velcro strap which you can simply hook around your handlebar.
If you don’t want it to be constantly ringing, you can use the magnetic silencer to turn it off.
A Bear Bell, however, won’t work for every cyclist. This bell is best used by off road bikers on rough trails. On very smooth road surfaces, it might not ring as much. Plus, the bell isn’t quite as loud as some of the traditional bike bells we’ve reviewed here.
The constant ringing could become annoying for some users too. It either rings, or it doesn’t. You can’t activate the ringer by pulling a lever.
The magnetic silencer isn’t 100% effective either. The ball can sometimes still come away from the magnet, and it may occasionally chime when you don’t need it to.
Because it hangs from the handlebars, it isn’t as easy to secure it with a snug fit, and it could become annoying, or even distracting if it slides around. The movement may also cause scuffs or scratches to appear.
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