You can ride a bike without a bicycle call. But still use it is justified. You just need to know which models and by what principles to select, what to pay attention to.
Varieties and specifics
A bicycle bell should not be considered a fashion accessory, hobby or toy for children. This is a very important way to identify yourself on the road. With the help of a bell, the cyclist asserts his rights as a participant in the movement. Since childhood, the melodious sound of a mechanical bell imprinted in the memory of many people. But times are changing - and now you can choose many more varieties of the signal for a bicycle.
The true classic is the very "mechanics". An indisputable argument in her favor is that the sound produced cannot be confused with anything. There is an even simpler option - the so-called shock mechanical bell. When bending the “tongue”, it hits the metal. In most cases, pedestrians will hear such a sound, but its volume is not enough to alert motorists.
Horn works the same as a similar fixture for a car. Rubber pear, connected to a tube made of plastic or metal, also creates a familiar sound. The specific sound is determined by the length and thickness of the tube.
But the bicycle call may be of a more modern type - using electronic components. In fact, it reproduces the device of similar devices used in houses and apartments.
The advantages of an electronic device are:
- relatively small size;
- lack of wires;
- rather high volume of work, sufficient even with busy traffic;
- the presence of quite different tunes.
There is only one drawback, but it is very significant - it is difficult for those who hear to associate sound with a cyclist. There are too many loud noises in the city, and the signal emitted by an electronic call easily drowns in all this cacophony.
A good alternative is pneumatic horn. It works simply: first you need to pump the tank with air, then discharge the air through the "funnel". Then you get a pretty loud signal that is hard not to notice.
Some models of pneumatic beep are equipped disposable balloons. Using them is even easier: there is no need to pump the pump and fill some capacity with air. The disadvantages of the device are the flip side of its advantages. So, the sound is not only loud, but also sharp, able to shock or scare.
Older people and those with an upset nervous system can even have unpleasant health consequences.
because it is extremely undesirable to use air hummers in the city. Especially on the street, in a park or in another place where a lot of people gathered. Moreover, drivers or other cyclists, under the influence of a sharp sound, can take an unexpected maneuver for themselves. But the pneumatic signal is useful on roads outside settlements and in remote parts of cities - there it perfectly repels dogs.
Another plus is that It is a backup emergency alert tool. As for models with replaceable cylinders, they are worse than it might seem. Saving time results in having to carry a supply of cylinders, especially on a long journey, when you have to signal more than once. Conventional pneumatics with a pump is ultimately more practical. And it’s not so difficult to pump air, as beginners sometimes think.
How to choose?
It is worth noting that doubts about whether cyclists need to use the sound signal are groundless. It will bring undoubted benefit for three reasons:
- you can easily remind yourself of careless, inattentive pedestrians or other cyclists;
- it will be possible to drive fast on public roads, notifying drivers about themselves by ringing;
- there is no danger of being fined or charged for violation of traffic rules (according to the rules, a call must be required).
Now let's see how to correctly solve these three problems. The easiest option is to choose a mechanical call. These devices are equipped with many budget bikes. Signaling devices of this kind are the most, as you might guess, cheap. To make a mechanical bell, everyone who is somewhat savvy in technology can themselves. And they can have a very diverse design.
However, as already mentioned, mechanics are unable to make a loud sound. To drive along a megalopolis or busy interurban (suburban) road, you need a more powerful signal. In addition, mechanical bells are unstable in wet, frosty weather. Just in the rain, when visibility is reduced and the role of sound grows, it turns out even worse.
But for fans of retro bikes and demonstration trips to them, this solution will be perfect.
Klaxon, however, also corresponds to the spirit of retro. The pros and cons are the same. The exception is air horn (pneumoclaxone); due to the supply of compressed air, it sounds louder. The standard kit includes:
- horn;
- air vent button;
- clamps;
- hose;
- the actual cylinder.
Some cylinders are made at the factory (they are disposable), while others can be reused after pumping. An improvised air chamber is often a plastic bottle.
Perhaps the air bell can be recognized as one of the loudest devices on the list. But to put it on the steering wheel is unlikely to succeed - it is too cumbersome.Yes, and extra weight, changing the alignment of the bike will not please anyone.
A more modern option for a road bike is an electronic call. It is not larger than a mechanical one, and at the same time it can make quite loud sounds. Power is supplied by a conventional battery. Appearance varies significantly - there are hundreds of modifications. The difference may also apply to sounds: they are set using the controller.
But keep in mind that some electronic sounds are frankly unnatural. Not only can other participants in the movement not recognize them as a signal from the bicycle, but also the sound of the cyclists themselves is sometimes annoying.
To summarize, we can say this:
- in cities, subject to a quiet ride on the sidewalk, a mechanic or horn is better;
- on long-distance routes and routes it is better to use pneumatic devices;
- in all other cases, it is better to give preference to a reliable electronic call.
Melodies and other subtleties
For an electric bike, the best choice is electric bell. It costs more than a mechanical one, but bypasses it in most respects. On an adult bike for a respectable person who does not want to disturb others in vain, one must choose minimalistic devices with a single signal. If it has a non-standard frequency, it will immediately attract the attention of people around. For children and youth, partly for people with a cheerful disposition, models with "comic" sounds are suitable.
Important: when choosing any device, you must ask to be given a listen. Then there will be no unpleasant surprises. Do not focus on the ringtone for your mobile phone: in this way only the simplest and most basic “bicycle” sounds are recorded.
The original solution will be buzzer. This is not only a light and sound signal, but also an excellent device for scaring away obsessive people or aggressive animals.
Both the flashlight and the sound component can work in various modes. This is true even for relatively cheap devices assembled in Asian countries.
An electric bell on a bicycle can be not only combined with a siren. An even more original option is police sound device. Such a decision will allow notifying other traffic participants about itself in the rain, and at night, and in dense fog.
But we must remember that at any time in Russia they can introduce another ban - already on the imitation of police signals by cyclists. When people in uniform are nearby, you should definitely not turn on the light-sound signal - it’s better not to annoy the guards. It should also be noted that such devices usually do not allow you to choose an alternative melody. And their volume is excessively high, and it is hardly regulated or not regulated at all.
For long trips in unpopulated areas or even just on roads, it is advisable to choose a model with a compass.
As for the melodies, then AirZound is considered the loudest horn option. Its sound reaches 115 dB. However, if necessary, you can always adjust the volume. Ordinary mechanical calls with a working part made of copper and brass sound very clean and melodic.
In any case, it is better to listen to the melody in advance, rather than relying on ready-made descriptions.
See the next video for an overview of the bicycle call.
