With trail politics and user conflict a burgeoning issue on crowded trails and multi-use paths, adding a bell is an increasingly better idea. Many cycling clubs now give away bear bells that can be mounted on bars or seat rails. While they’re effective, bear bells are loud and obnoxious, so many of us have turned to bar mounted bells. The downside: most bells are large and obstructive and take up a significant amount of bar space.
A new bell design from Australian accessory company Knog could be the solution. The “Oi” bell features a new innovative low profile form factor that blends into the bar through elegant design. Available in a variety of different finishes, finding a color to match your existing bar controls shouldn’t be a problem. There’s also a bling filled ti version.
Knog is using Kickstarter to crowdfund the initial production of the new bell while gaining a new audience and connecting directly to the end users of their products. At 15mm wide, the bell makes a low profile impact on your bars; the band of the bell also features a recessed area that aids in cable management when used on road bikes.
The Oi Bell is available in large and small sizes to accommodate 22.2, 25.4, 26, 31.8mm diameter bars.
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At $31.00, it on the high side of the spectrum for a bell, though it does cost less than the made in the US Spurcycle bell. Knog has yet to fully test it on mountain bikes, so we don’t have reports on durability yet either. On the bright side, the $31 includes shipping, (from Australia) so backers will be the first ones to receive the bells. Backers can also choose special offers and engravings that showcase their support.
UPDATE: the pricing is actually in AUD, and it ends up being closer to $22 USD plus $5.00 shipping for a total of $27.00 for crowd funding the basic bell.
Click here to check out the Oi bike bell and support the project. [/one-half-first]
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