Forget carbon wheels or a power meter. The most important upgrade you can buy your bike is a decent bell. Invented by a Brummie chap by the name of John Richard Dedicoat in 1877, the bicycle bell has since become a staple accoutrement for anyone who commutes or rides within earshot of others. Now coming in everything from pitch-perfect Japanese-made versions to traditional clunky chrome numbers, there’s something to fit all tastes.
The result of years of testing and debate, here are what we consider to be the best bicycle bells on the market…
The best bike bells to buy
1. Basil Portland Bell
Vinyl, handlebar ’taches, film cameras… they’ve all made something of a comeback in recent years, with old-school definitely being very cool in some parts of the UK.
Which is why this traditional-looking dinger will doubtless be of interest to some. The ringing is done via a sprung arm which you flick with your thumb – much like the very first Victorian-era bike bells – to emit a bright, high-pitched ring that’ll alert phone-distracted pedestrians to your presence.
Easily fixed to your bars with a screwdriver, it will give your bike instant vintage appeal. The bell bowl measures 55mm in diameter and is available in either an aluminium, brass, rose-coloured alloy or a matt black finish. Visiting this year’s L’Eroica? This would make a handsome companion
2. Widek Crown Bell
If you want a quality old-fashioned chrome bell, with old fashioned durability, sound and pricing then you can’t go wrong with the Widek Crown Bell. Never costing more than a fiver, they’ve graced the counter of innumerable bike shops over the decades.
Shiny, and with a sprung mechanism inside, they emit the archetypal cheerful ring-ring most riders expect of their bell. About the only downside is a tendency to jangle when ridden over cobbles or other bumpy surfaces.
Recently the brand has released some models with the crown logo replaced by the word Widek. This is a horror akin to scratching out the eyes on a Henry Hoover – and is not to be encouraged. The crowning piece on the perfect city bike. There’s little reason to spend more
3. ETC Ding Dong Bell
Large in diameter and with a fearsome recoil, the ETC Ding Dong lives up to its name. Definitely possessing a ding and a dong, not a ring or a tring, its sound is robust enough to demand traffic or pedestrians move out your way.
Classic, stylish, and with a tone as redolent of the establishment as that of Kenneth Clark, it’s large, shiny and slightly obnoxious. The perfect addition to a stately roadster. Ding dong, get out of my way. Loud and robust
4. Adie I Love My Bike Bell
If you love your bike then show it with this retro-looking bell. Distributed by Raleigh, maker of many a childhood dream bicycle, it’s both cute and of decent quality. Following the old-school sprung internal-flywheel design, it makes the exact sort of noise you’d expect and has a piggybank friendly price. I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycle. Charmingly cheap and retro
5. Bumper Bugle Bulb Horn
Clowns and old-school children’s entertainers might have seen their stock depreciate in recent years, but there will still be the odd weirdo who’d rather attach this funning horn to their bicycle rather than a bell.
‘Ha – it sounds just like an old-timey motor car’ they’ll think to themselves as they squeeze its fulsome rubber bulb. Turning to discover that the source of this honking is not, in fact, a classic car or a goose, but a lonely man grinning manically aboard his bicycle, ‘that’s irritating,’ is how every sane person will respond. Advisable only as a passive-aggressive birthday or secret-Santa present.
6. Crane E-Ne Bicycle Bell
Made in Japan, all of Crane’s products are lovely, if expensive. Available in aluminium or brass, the E-Ne bicycle bell is the brand’s most diminutive option. Despite this, its resonant tone will sustain itself for around 10 seconds.
Mechanically, it’s likely to last at least as long as your bike. Attached via a low-profile steel band, this is super-secure and will fit standard or oversize bars. With a pivoting hammer, it’s minimalist enough for any bike – from retro machines to the latest racers. Expensive, but justifiably so. The Crane will look pretty perched onboard any handlebar
Buy now from Alwaysriding for £25
7. Trigger Bike Bell
The diminutive Trigger Bell remains to hand, even as you grab the brakes. Meaning you don’t have to choose between slowing down and alerting upcoming pedestrians or traffic, it’s also small enough to fit around the hoods on drop handlebar bikes.
Equally at home sat beside flat bar levers, it’ll fit around anything between 22mm to 45mm in diameter and attaches via a wraparound strap that tightens with a flat-head screwdriver. A little less slick-looking than some we’ve seen, this is offset by the sonorous tones of its brass dome and its easy-to-reach design.
Made from a polymer often used in making machine parts, it should easily outlast the basic model your bike likey came fitted with. Always within reach and nice sounding, the Trigger Bell will suit drop bar users better than a standard model
8. Lezyne Classic Bell
This classy looking creation from Lezyne is made from high-polished brass, mounted to a machined aluminium base.
It’s fitted to the handlebars of your bike via a simple O-ring making these instantly attachable and detachable to just about any shape or size of bars.
Bonging is facilitated by a small brass spring-loaded striker that you can easily flick with your thumb or finger. The result is an incredibly compact ringer that pings out a rather pleasant, and surprisingly resonant tone.
It’s available in two sizes, too – either a medium (which weighs in at 28g) and we found best suited our fat fingers, or the small version, which tips the scales at a piffling 21g and really is rather dinky indeed. High-quality, compact ringer that also looks great. Full marks, too, for the O-ring fixing which is ideal for quick and easy fitting
9. Lifeline Bike Bell
If you’re looking for a truly budget option, we doubt you’ll find anything better than the LifeLine Bike Bell.
Made from a lightweight (26g) rustproof alloy with a plastic hammer and fixing, this one attaches to your bike bars via a cable-tie style strap that makes it easy and quick to get on and off.
It’s an unobtrusive little thing (it’s about the size of a thumb) but for its size, it emits a high-pitched ring that’s certainly loud enough for pedestrians (and dogs) to hear.
It’s also available in a wide variety of colours including black, green, blue, red, gold and silver so you should find something that’ll complement your bike’s colour scheme.
Unbeatable value, decent quality, and the fact that it’s available in so many colours all justify this diminutive dinger’s inclusion here. And at such a low price you could probably afford to buy a few!
10. Spurcycle Bell
Made from both brass and stainless steel, the Spurcycle bell weighs 45g and its US maker claims its 30×22.5mm bowl produces a ring that lasts three times longer than its competitors.
It comes in silver or for an extra tenner you can have in finished in a black ‘Diamond-Like Carbon’ coating. If you think your bike deserves a ding with some bling, this beauty is definitely the piece of jewellery to buy it.
Teh bell’s spring-loaded lever allows you a degree of control over the volume of its crisp and sustained note.
It’s easily fitted – either vertically or horizontally – to your bars with a 2.5mm Allen key. Although given this one’s price, you might want to think about taking that key with you for quick removal if you plan to leave your bike unattended. An extremely posh bell for the cyclist with a few quid to spare, the quality can’t be doubted though – this one is built to last
11. Knog Oi Classic Bike Bell
If you want a bell that will grab people’s attention when you need it to, but otherwise will go unnoticed on your bike, the Knog Oi Classic could be right up your street.
In fact, once fitted to your handlebars (a simple job of just opening the sturdy plastic bracket, sliding it over the bar then tightening its bolt) you barely notice it’s there.
And as it comes in two sizes (small and large) and four finishes – black, brass, copper or silver – you can blend it so accurately to your cockpit that it becomes nigh on invisible.
There are even two recesses within the bracket for cables to run under it. A simple spring-mounted hammer that hits the metal bar takes care of dinging duties, and is definitely loud enough to get you heard. A clever design makes this modern twist on the classic ringer ideal for those who want a bell that doesn’t mess with their bike’s good looks
12. Lezyne Classic Shallow Brass Bell
Much like Lezyne’s other offering here, this one’s bell bowl has also been constructed from high-polished brass, and is mounted to a machined aluminium base to help keep the weight low.
Where it differs is in its design, opting for a more modern look with a shallower, lower-profile, that gives the bell bowl a 50mm diameter (it’s 60mm once you include the spring-loaded lever) and a weight of 27g.
Because of its shallower shape, the ring it emits is also more high-pitched than Lezyne’s other brass bell options here, but no less sustained or pleasant for that.
Again, attaching and detaching it to your bike’s handlebars is a five-second job thanks to the simple O-ring fixture, meaning you can easily take it with you rather than leaving it at the mercy of passing pilferers. A good-looking option that also benefits from Lezyne’s usual attention to detail and high-quality build. Would grace any bike