Erroneous Dings

[Mick F]

I have a Lion Bell on Mercian and on Moulton.
Mercian's is a headset mount, and Moulton's is handlebar mount. Had them for some years.

http://www.lionbellworks.co.uk/webshop. ... ort=normal

The issue has always been that whizzing down a hill, and going over a bump, the bells ding.
The springy thing vibrates as you ride, and a sudden bump will ding it onto the bell.
Both bells, that is .............. one is horizontal, the other vertical. Always done it.
Tried bending the brackets so the dinger is further away, but it doesn't help.

So ............. I decided to fit some heat-shrink to the springs to dampen the springiness.
Yet to try either bike, so we'll see (hear) how they get on next time out.

[roubaixtuesday]

I have the same bell, tuck the hammer inside the bell to avoid erroneous dings.

OK to remove quickly except when wearing heavy gloves. But I very rarely use TBH, normally upsets pedestrians more than it helps.

[geocycle]

I have one of those lion bellworks on my thorn, I don’t get random dings but there again probably don’t go as fast as Mick! My Spa has a recently acquired spur bell -lovely construction, daft price but was a nice present.

[Brucey]

FWIW if you can get a spare spring, you can try shortening the spring, so as to make it stiffer. This may be enough to prevent the bell from sounding accidentally.

cheers

[Des49]

My Lion Bell is fitted with the spring at the 12 o'clock position. Never noticed any unwanted dingling even off road, but this is with 26x1.75" tyres, straight forks though.

I have another that I haven't got around to fit to my training bike yet, this is a 30 year old steel frame on 23 or 25mm tyres, so more equivalent to your Mercian. But don't anticipate a problem, but until I try I won't be sure.

[Mick F]

Very tough spring and very secure.
Had an issue with one spring and hammer due to grandson pulling on it, and he'd stretched it so it resembled a Slinky.
............ and they sent me a new one free of charge.
Spring and hammer, not a new grandson.

The erroneous dinging has always happened, but only going fast downhill. The dampening may help. Next time out will prove it.

[Brucey]

the other way that might work is to install a rubber slug (eg a length of fat section 'O' ring) inside the spring; this would also both stiffen and dampen the movement, but in an unobtrusive fashion.

cheers

[richardfm]

I have one of those lion bellworks on my thorn, I don’t get random dings but there again probably don’t go as fast as Mick!

Same here, it's a lovely bell, I often wonder about buying more of them for my other bikes. For those who haven't heard them http://lionbellworks.co.uk/ you can hear one here

[Paulatic]

Had my Lion bell on various bikes and never had a single unwanted ting. Even at 30 mph on forestry roads.

[pedalsheep]

I've never had any unwanted dings from mine either, though I never go fast downhill!

[tim-b]

Hi
You should write childrens' books; the thread title sounds like a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang character (fact: CCBB originally written by Ian Fleming)
Regards
tim-b

[Mick F]

the other way that might work is to install a rubber slug (eg a length of fat section 'O' ring) inside the spring; this would also both stiffen and dampen the movement, but in an unobtrusive fashion.

You can't get inside the spring. It's a VERY tight fit on the mount and on the hammer. How it's fitted in the factory, I can only guess ......... it's "screwed" on, as the spring will open up when screwing on. Trying to unscrew it, it tightens the spring. Pulling hard, will turn it into a Slinky, like our grandson did.

As for my erroneous dings, both bells have always done it from Day One. I've tried bending the brackets to get the hammer further away, but in order to stop it, the hammer is too far away to work properly.

Only when going fast over a bump in the road. Not a big bump, just a sudden unevenness. Rarely if ever happens on the main roads, only on the minor ones.

Hopefully the damping of the heatshrink may cure it. Not been out cycling these past few days, but Monday should see me out on Mercian. Moulton is is deep maintenance, though may be finished by Monday.

[philvantwo]

Nice sound from that spur bell, nice small size as well. Better than that monstrosity on both Mick f's bikes!!
Never bothered with a bell myself as I don't ride on footpaths.

[Brucey]

I've not taken a Lion Bellworls bell apart but I have dealt with others that have springs that are mounted in a similar way. The torsion on the spring opens it up when 'screwing it on', but causes it to constrict around the mounting when attempting to 'unscrew' it. [The same principle is used in Simplex retrofriction gear levers, BTW]. There are two common methods for releasing such springs;

a) If the fitting inside the spring is plain, just turn the spring in the same direction as would 'screw it on'; if the whole spring turns without going further onto the fitting, then it can also be slid off, using modest force whilst turning. [This is how Simplex retrofriction levers are most easily disassembled, BTW, provided the centre sleeve is held, eg using a screw with a head that is small enough that the lever body will slide over it.]

b) If the fitting has an actual screw thread on it, then a) above won't work. In this case the spring can be 'unscrewed' without damage but only if it is attempted from the very end of the spring; the torsion loading opens the spring up in this case. Often there is a tiny burr on the end of the spring, such that simply holding the spring with a piece of rag and twisting causes the burr to snag on the rag and this is good enough to allow the spring to be 'unscrewed'.

Presumably if you have fitted a new spring already you will know which style of fitting you are dealing with.

cheers

[richardfm]

Nice sound from that spur bell, nice small size as well. Better than that monstrosity on both Mick f's bikes!!
Never bothered with a bell myself as I don't ride on footpaths.

Bells are useful on the road as well when pedestrians step off the pavement as you approach