Trail Bell Stations

Sidewalk said:
I'll be honest, I can't stand bells. It drives me nuts and I won't put one on my bike. But usually if I am descending the noises I am making are far louder than any bell (I mean the bike smashing through rocks and such). If I am riding in a place where I need to be cautious of traffic, I just ride with caution. On the rare occasion someone isn't aware that I am around it is very clear that they have NO idea what is going on around them (either talking very loudly or headphones) so the bell won't do any good. Example: I have not had a negative run in on Exploration Trail yet; either I see them coming plenty before I reach them (what usually happens) or they hear me.

Even when I am out running I can usually hear people coming on bikes without a bell, and when I do hear one it drives me nuts. Nearly on par as listening to music out loud.
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But you're probably not wearing two headphones turned up to the max while running.

I know a person I ride with that yells at me about my bell but it saved me and some hikers a few times but I get it sometimes when I'm out and I know it's just me turn it off just hearing the tires and breathing is really nice I miss that sometimes
 
No bells in the box :-(

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bvader said:
I always thought it was because it rusted inside
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@mtnbikej

Thought you would appreciate this, see we both can "focus" ;) on certain things. I actually took one of my old rusted out bells.

Peeled back the leaves use my Dremel cleaned it all out clean the ball. Did my best to bend it all back together (let's just say it looks like a mutant now) and voila the bell sounds almost new again, but still not quite as loud as a brand new one. It only took me A bunch of time and effort for a 2.99 bell :)
 
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So my fixed bell failed LOL, I hit was banging down lizard a the ball hit just right and wedged into the mutant leafs .. and thus became a non-bell

bought a timber bell we will see what happens.. seems big rigid clunky as hell but I will try.
 
My latest TimberBell I purchased on Feb 12th of this year failed today. Eight months. I think I have now gone through three or four Timberbells. Done! The little clapper thing fell out .... again.

I am going to try this one from Amazon, which looks like a knock-off ... Not sure why they went with an unpronounceable brand name, LOL.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0915SDN4B/?tag=imtbtrails-20

No reviews yet, but it has to last longer than the crappy TimberBell. :laugh:
 
Obsidian said:
My latest TimberBell I purchased on Feb 12th of this year failed today. Eight months. I think I have now gone through three or four Timberbells. Done! The little clapper thing fell out .... again.

I am going to try this one from Amazon, which looks like a knock-off ... Not sure why they went with an unpronounceable brand name, LOL.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0915SDN4B/?tag=imtbtrails-20

No reviews yet, but it has to last longer than the crappy TimberBell. :laugh:
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Timber Bells suck. I went through a handful of them... About as reliable as Crank Brothers pedals and Stans hubs.

My "borrowed" cowbell is the loudest bell I've ever used... :whistling:
 
Obsidian said:
My latest TimberBell I purchased on Feb 12th of this year failed today. Eight months. I think I have now gone through three or four Timberbells. Done! The little clapper thing fell out .... again.

I am going to try this one from Amazon, which looks like a knock-off ... Not sure why they went with an unpronounceable brand name, LOL.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0915SDN4B/?tag=imtbtrails-20

No reviews yet, but it has to last longer than the crappy TimberBell. :laugh:
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Write them an email. They will send you a new one. It'll still fail in 6-8 months, but it'll be free. :thumbsup:
 
Ironically or coincidentally, I did NOT Tri Flow my TimberBell after this post, and the very next ride, last Sunday - Oct 24 - the clapper fell out again. 0-4. My last one was free. I wrote to them again, and wasn't very kind.
 
herzalot said:
Ironically or coincidentally, I did NOT Tri Flow my TimberBell after this post, and the very next ride, last Sunday - Oct 24 - the clapper fell out again. 0-4. My last one was free. I wrote to them again, and wasn't very kind.
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That reminds me ... I need to email them. I did take the requisite picture of their failure.

So my new bell is a full on Chinese clone/rip off of TimberBell (Shamagashi or some Sh!t) ... but it works fine. Mostly. The rubber ring holding it to the bars sucks balls. Way too stretchy even in the small size, because it just constantly moves around on my bar. I figure the solution is to get a replacement ring from Timber. Or maybe I will just superglue the foam piece to the bar.o_O

It really sucks about TimberBell, because I love it when it works. The latest on their website says they no longer repair them .... but will offer a self repair kit in the future. :poop::poop:

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Obsidian said:
That reminds me ... I need to email them. I did take the requisite picture of their failure.

So my new bell is a full on Chinese clone/rip off of TimberBell (Shamagashi or some Sh!t) ... but it works fine. Mostly. The rubber ring holding it to the bars sucks balls. Way too stretchy even in the small size, because it just constantly moves around on my bar. I figure the solution is to get a replacement ring from Timber. Or maybe I will just superglue the foam piece to the bar.o_O

It really sucks about TimberBell, because I love it when it works. The latest on their website says they no longer repair them .... but will offer a self repair kit in the future. :poop::poop:

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Try wrapping a few rolls of duct or electrical tape on your bars and attach the bell to that area to see if it will stay put.
 
herzalot said:
Ironically or coincidentally, I did NOT Tri Flow my TimberBell after this post, and the very next ride, last Sunday - Oct 24 - the clapper fell out again. 0-4. My last one was free. I wrote to them again, and wasn't very kind.
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Well just like my XT shifter post I'm going to tempt Karma.

My TimberBell has yet to fail... Had it for about 6 months.



Perhaps the fact it's still sitting on my workbench and hasn't been mounted might be a factor.
 
Reading through this has been worth a few chuckles. If it breaks in record time, why would you use the same thing again? I think Einstein said something about this....

I have a bell that they gave out on the Rwanda Ride in 2017. It hasn't failed. I have no idea who made it.

If you use what doesn't fail, and eschew that which does, you will help improve the tool. Just sayin'.
 
Obsidian said:
I emailed Timber in hopes a a free bell. I was unusually nice, but alas they only sent a code for a $10 replacement with free shipping. I guess I will take them up on it, as it is version 4.0 and all. :rolleyes: 1.0, 2.0, & 3.0 all sucked, so they have to get it right one of these days. :Roflmao

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The net effect is a much sturdier bell, that will last longer and will not break in crashes or collisions. :whistling:
 
I've taken to leaving the little Chinese cheapie on the bars, and carrying the baby cowbell in my jersey pocket until it's time to go downhill. I'd leave it on for the climb, but it's just too freaking loud... This seems to work well in the Gabes, where a bell is mandatory.

Well, it's mandatory unless you're a YouTuber on an e-bike with 6 cameras hurtling blindly through the fog screaming "Get out of the way! Bike!".
 
Just for counterpoint, I still have my first Timber Bell that has been in constant use for a good 3 years. My second Timber Bell is the only other one I've ever owned, and also still works fine. I don't know which is which at this point, and they both clang a little more when switched off than they used to, but no failures.
 
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