Video First Look: Knog's Oi bicycle bell

Couple of thinks which have occurred to me while reading the comments:

1. If you're riding a road bike with drop bars, to use a bell means that you take a hand off the brakes and steering. I don't find this terribly safe. And I'm yet to see a bell which could be attached to shifters and used in any position.

2. Anyone who complains that use of a bell is rude should be told to take it up with Debrett's: '... ring two tings on your bell to warn them that you are approaching.'

http://road.cc/content/news/24870-towpath-etiquette-tips-debrett%E2%80%99s

I've had several women of a certain age tut at me and it gives me great pleasure to refer them to the foremost etiquette experts.

Finally a bell that you want to mount on a race bike. Indeed just not loud enough, but for the rest perfect, fits well, looks great, no issue on cobbles. I didn't buy from kickstarter, maybe they improved design or production later on.

In the past when bking with my kids I was always annoyed by all those cyclists on the road passing us by without any warning. I understand a classic bell looks idiot on a race bike but now this excuse has gone. Just mount one and let people know you are about to overtake them.

Same here, was taken in by the Kickstarter campaign.

And same here, utterly disappointed by the bell. The 31.8mm version has to sit right next to the stem because der, drop bars are 23.8mm except for a narrow section in the middle, a fact Knog only seem to have realised late on (they offered 31.8mm or 22.2mm).

Anyway, the sound is utterly pathetic. Would never be heard in London streets. Wasn't heard in London streets.

I too had my Knog bell on for two days before reverting to my ugly but LOUD £3.99 Cateye bell with an ugly but flexible and adjustable strap that I can mount anywhere. I have it just below the shifters on the inside of the bars, so I can operate the bell with a thumb while I haul on the brakes for dear life as yet another iPed walks in front of me or I'm cut up on my commute to work.

The Oi is a complete and utter waste of money. I would have returned it for a refund had I not thrown out the box. Full marks for looks, full marks for marketing, zero marks for functionality. I won't be supporting any more Kickstarter products!!

Bought two through Kickstarter. Look great but a bit disappointed with the sound  - much much quieter than the Spurcycle on my other bike.

But this depends on the situation - I find the Oi is loud enough on shared paths away from traffic to alert pedestrians, where the Spurcyle either scares the s*** out of them or leads them to accuse me of "ringing my bell aggressively". If I just wanted loud then I'd pull out that big old bell I bought in Beijing -looks kinda weird on my road bike.

SO if I think about how I normally use my bell rather than is it the loudest bell out there, I'd say the Oi works, even if it is trying just a little bit too hard to look cool.

Should have read Pound shop kid's hooter etc

Gives a nice toot, most people smile, doesn't sound off over bumps, who could want more?

No matter how tight or loose I install it, it keeps dinging over anything put perfectly smooth asphalt. That was my first and last time as a kickstarter backer.

That's the thing Sean, most people complaining have tinkered with them and aren't completely incompetent (though some will be I'm sure). It really is a pretty quiet bell design. You guys know that by now, though, judging by the onslaught of comments on Kickstarter. 

Waited maybe 7 months for our bells, just cannot be bothered dealing with it any longer. It's not an expensive item, just a bit of a disappointment. Looks nice but maybe fire the guys who did the decibel tests in a variety of environments. Clearly didn't do a thorough job. 

Sean here from Knog. Sorry to hear some of you have been having issues with your Oi bells.  If your bell is not sounding great, or ringing when you hit bumps then it could be that the bell is overtightened on your handlebars or the ringer is hitting the top of the mounting screw. Try loosening the screw by a turn or two and it should resolve the issue. If the problem persists or your bell isn't performing as it should then please email us at hello [at] knog.com.au and we'll happily troubleshoot the issue for you or replace the bell with a brand new one.

Save up and buy a spurcycle bell. They rock...

Got one too. Like most others, it looks pretty cool, but is rather apologetic as bells go and won't shut up over anything other than smooth roads.

I'm really surprised with all the negative comments. I have the copper bell and it is really loud (more than loud enough to be heard through Rusholm, Manchester in the rush hour!) and it works perfectly. It even works well in the rain which all my others have failed at. 

Simply a great bell in my opinion. 

Unless road.cc's video is not picking up the sound properly they also have one of the faulty bells - Mine (Classic via Kickstarter) was quiet and plinked a lot - and if you used it urgently in a dogwalker collision imminent situation it plinked even more, you had to use it a little gently to make it actually ring but this meant it was not loud enough.

 I sent 2 videos to Knog (mine was not as bad as their "is my bell faulty" video) and they said it should be doing better and sent out another. The new one is 3 times louder with no plinking and even makes joggers with headphones look.  Ring duration also nearly 4 seconds now and perfectly happy with it.  I have the old one installed on the other side of the bars for looks!

Not really sure why I bought into this via kickstarter, finished item is decorative at best and I haven't used any kind of bell on any kind of bike since I was about 6. Echo comments above about the human voice being far more useful in every situation.

I too was taken in by the kickstarter campaign.

To be blunt they're rubbish. No one hears them even on the country lanes we have in Wales and they tinkle constantly on the crap roads we have.

That no one notices it on the handlebars is the best thing I can say about  it.

Don't bother wasting your money

I have a small Cateye bell on my hardtail that gives plenty of warning to walkers when pinged as it can be heard from several hundred yards. No-one seems too upset by it and I wouldn't want to be shouting from there. I wouldn't use it right behind someone, that's when the voice comes in handy. 

I do not understand the need for a bell. You have a voice, use that. Not only is it free, but it does everything from a gentle "excuse me", through "bike coming through" to a loud "STAY WHERE YOU ARE" at a beheadphoned ped.

Sounds like it should be renamed the Knog "Excuse me, would you mind... I'm awfully sorry, never mind, I'll go around"

With brifters you still have to take your hands of the controls. But I guess with brifters you cannot avoid it...

I'm not impressed with mine either. 

Bought two on kickstarter, taken in by their hype.

Really not fit for purpose quiet and pings on rough surfaces and seems to reberate when windy.

Contcted Knog and should have returned for a refund but put in a drawer and fogot.

Stay well clear not a good product

Such a disappointment after the long wait from signing up to it on kickstarter.

It's not loud enough and the spring is cheap and nasty which means it's constantly dinging over even small road defects.

Total waste of £15 and wouldn't recommend to anyone