17

I have a small aluminum bell with a striker on the side that has a good loud piercing "ding" that's easily heard from over 100 feet away (30 meters). However, when it's raining and the bell gets wet, the piercing ding turns into more of a sort of dull metallic "tink" that's barely audible from 10 feet (3 meters). I assume that water drops on the bell are dampening the sound somehow.

Anybody know what to look for to get a bell that will still be useful in the rain?

Improve this question
7
  • 2
    I would doubt that you're going to find one that works in the rain. Water has a strong damping effect.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Nov 21, 2011 at 23:19
  • 1
    I think you deserve a -1 for linking to a page with sound. High enough pitch that I don't think anyone in this pub noticed where it was coming from.
    – Tom Hawtin - tackline
    Commented Nov 22, 2011 at 20:06
  • @TomHawtin-tackline: I don't get a noise when I load the page (only if I let the quicktime plugin run and click the play button). Sorry if it played noise at you. I could try to find a different link or maybe just take a picture... Or if you find something you could edit my post to change the link...
    – freiheit
    Commented Nov 22, 2011 at 20:39
  • Nobody ever rides exclusively on multi-use paths: you must ride in traffic to get to the path. Riding in traffic, you'll need either good yelling reflexes or a high-decibel bell. See "What are some alternatives to fruitlessly ringing my bell at a motorist?".
    – unforgettableidSupportsMonica
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 11:30
  • 1
    @Criggie I find the bell very useful on the multi-use path. No point ringing it at motorists on the road, though.
    – freiheit
    Commented Oct 2, 2016 at 20:40

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
7

I agree with Daniel R Hicks, my bell also gets a lot dampened in the rain, and this will happen with any bell.

But even so, some bell properties might influence:

  • Steel is denser than aluminum, so a similar-sized steel bell could have more mass and ring longer;
  • Bigger rings might also ring longer, because of the relation among size, mass, wall-thickness, and frequency pitch.

But, to be honest, I cannot say any of the above for sure, because I didn't test it.

If it is of any help, I use my ring upside down, and raindrops get inside it, but even so it rings just a bit less than dry (not a lot less).

It is a steel ring, the type that has a lever and a spinning mechanism inside (which I strongly recommend over the model you've shown).

Also, I have a set of similar rings on my bikes, and none of them has the same acoustic properties, I think there are some subtle factors involved, most probably the relation between the bell's main frequency and the frequency of natural resonance of the raindrops on the bell (I'm serious!).

Hope it helps

Improve this answer
7

You can try one of these. I got one at an antique junk shop for 5 bucks. You'll definitely get people's attention.

enter image description here

Improve this answer
2
  • 3
    Bike shops often have some novelty-shaped horn things, and you're probably right that they're less affected by rain. However, I've observed that people are more likely to know that a bell is a bicycle and simply be confused by a horn/honk.
    – freiheit
    Commented Nov 22, 2011 at 20:42
  • 4
    @freiheit That's very true in continental Europe but in the UK, pedestrians are as confused by a bell as they are by the cycle lanes.
    – z7sg
    Commented Nov 24, 2011 at 18:37
4

If you really want to be heard ditch the bell and get an Airzound (or something similar) http://www.airzound.co.uk/

Improve this answer
3
  • 3
    I'm more interested in politely alerting pedestrians (and slow cyclists) on a multi-use path than deafening them. That looks like it would be too loud to use.
    – freiheit
    Commented Nov 24, 2011 at 19:32
  • 1
    +1 - this has saved me multiple times from nearly being hit by cars on my daily commute through town. I feel safer when I see a situation begin to develop in front of me.
    – Roy Tinker
    Commented Nov 24, 2012 at 5:41
  • I've got one, and they're moderately effective at being heard by drivers in modern sound-insulated vehicles, perhaps around half the time. However I'd never use one on a pedestrian for fear of giving them a coronary ! Instead I just slow down and use my voice/words.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Mar 14, 2020 at 20:38
-1

I'm also after a bell that works in the rain - it seems to me that if the surface that is generating the 'ding' was undercover or encapsulated in some way, then it would still ring in the rain? I'm surprised you can't buy something like this, but I haven't seen one yet.

Improve this answer
1
  • 2
    This answer is a Me Too, and could be improved by adding more information. Perhaps test if a cover/lid will stop more sound than having the bell get wet ? Something simple like a piece of cardboard as a lid might work as a test. Do consider the lid would be over the bell in the dry too, limiting sound output and possibly reducing accessibility.... you want the bell to be easily triggered. Please use edit to add further information.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Mar 14, 2020 at 20:40

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.