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Experiences of Hornit DB140 or similar?
When commuting in the dark/wet I'm a lot more cautious, partly due to the conditions themselves but also because it is a lot harder to make eye contact with drivers to confirm that they have seen me. I've been thinking about whether a loud horn could possibly be useful on certain roundabouts, or when passing junctions.
Does anyone use one like this i.e. a quick blast just to alert drivers who might be looking "through" you, or not looking?
I've no interest in using it to make pedestrians leap out of the way, or to assert my right of way etc... Just to try and improve safety in a small way when commuting.
Does anyone have a Hornit DB140 or similar, and any comments about real-world use?
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
Latest Forum Topics
Latest Comments
- imajez 2 hours 48 min ago
Nothing new about zebra [or light controlled] crossing on roundabouts. Sheffield has had them for decades, possibly since the 1970s.
- David9694 4 hours 18 min ago
Herefordshire man fined after throwing parking ticket...
- OnYerBike 5 hours 38 min ago
I'm sure that sort of thing will come sooner or later. But presumably a key ingredient (and why you'd turn to a big brand like Fizik) is knowing...
- muhasib 5 hours 43 min ago
"the cost to rebuild the M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange is £317 million. The project is expected to be completed in 2025. "
- mark1a 6 hours 7 min ago
I think they did, from memory back in the 70s/80s... haven't seen one for years though, our current milkman uses a standard van, albeit hybrid.
- kingleo 7 hours 21 min ago
I believe that straight forks that are used on carbon frames are more dangerous than the old steel forks because they are more rigid, the old steel...
- S.E. 7 hours 53 min ago
Yes, sleep apnea produces more CO... I'm not aware of any doping effect but what do I know....
- Gd29 10 hours 2 min ago
That's true enough. But doesn't address my point that the chainset you get as a replacement will not physically fit chainrings from the chain set...
- brooksby 10 hours 32 min ago
In all fairness, it almost certainly NEVER happened…
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6 comments
I used to commute across London (W4 to E1) and found my hornit very very effective at preempting pedestrian step-offs, moped erratics and potentially car-dooring when filtering. But as others note, in non-urban settings it's probably too loud and brash. It has two settings (one slightly less loud), mind, but neither is car horn-like.
Thanks all - much appreciated! Based on the comments I'll probably pass. It seems like it's much too loud to alert pedestrians (I'd use a bell anyway), and too odd-sounding to reliably alert drivers!
I was tempted to buy one from my LBS, but wanted to hear it. Luckily they were okay with unboxing it and installing the battery to test it. It was loud, but sounded so unlike a car horn that I doubted any driver would know what to make of it. It went back on the shelf.
I have a hornit also (not sure if it's the 140 - mine takes 2xAA batteries and has a thumb remote button), they are VERY piercing and I think would scare the life out of pedestrians. That said, it's possibly what's needed for drivers to take note. I've not actually used it for any length of time as I found I wasn't used to using it when I really needed to and much preferred to opt for my usual choice use of the King's English
I bought the Hornet off Amazon but have since disgarded it. Far too loud for cyclist use - scared the life out of the first person I used it on and would hate to think what a horse would make of it. Might be fine in a busy city but for quiet country lanes it's too loud
Airzound II, don't use it much, bracket is only on the good bike, and it takes up a bottle cage space. But you can communicate with drivers in the language of cars.
Sounds like a proper horn. Had a night-sun siren before, but that was a high pitched squeal, so didn't attract the attention.