Rockbros

[steelframe]

Do those ding-hearers stop you to comment on the lovely tone of your Spur? I suspect not but I'm sure you'll let us know.

Yes they do. I do have to use the bell a lot in daily traffic. Over the years I've used countless bells from classical "ring-ring", "ding-dong" or "ping" bells up to the AirZound. The problem was always: Either people don't recognize it (or ignore it) or it is considered aggressive. The situation has changed dramatically with the spurcycle: The sound is not exactly loud, but intensive and longlasting and at the same time a "liked" sound. So people do recognize it, they do react and they do react friendly and positively. That's one of the reasons why I like that thing so much. It is rather a communication device than a warning horn. Where you'd have to "ring-ring" a lot with a classic bell a single "ping" of the spurcycle does the job and it does it from a distance already. So plenty of time to react for pedestrians and positive feedback.
When people see the bell they are curious how it will sound and if they give it a try they reliably say "wow" and love it instantly.

The basically only issue that it does not solve is car drivers - being isolated from the sound of the surrounding world even the spurcycle does not reliably ring their inner bell. But to expect that would probably be overestimation for any bell.

[reohn2]

Ding,ding,round,what is it now,five?

[simonineaston]

...while charging premium prices to make buyers think they're buying something special

One such punter used their expensive Dyson until it gave up the unequal struggle of performance vs. never being emptied. Left in the lobby, so I emptied it, stripped it, cleaned it (I used to work in a hospital so I'm not much bothered by other folks' dirt - specially if it's not the wet kind... ), put it back together and then it worked fine so I gave it to a mate.

[steelframe]

However, with the new bell and its mellifluous & magical posh ping, someone in the group always seems to hear it in good time, the group steps neatly to one side and the way is free for the pinger to proceed - now isn't that worth paying extra for (unless of course one has opted for the cheap Chinese knock-off... )

One interesting thing in this discussion is the fact that many seem to dislike the Spurcycle because it is expensive. And because they dislike it they try to create negative properties of the bell or the company. I for my part do not like the Spurcycle because it is expensive (I have the feeling that some posters seem to presume) but for what it delivers. It seems, that the owners of the Rockbros in this thread never have seen, touched or used a Spurcycle but only the Rockbros - still they feel competent to judge about the Spurcycle and to be able to claim that the Rockbos is at level or close. On what foundation are these claims created? I am a bit baffeled.
I do not own a Rockbros but I have seen and tried them side by side - they really play on different levels.

If you say the Rockbros makes a massive positive difference to the bells that you've owned before: Is it hard to imagine that there would still be a level beyond that? This does not mean that one has to buy a Spurcycle or that the Rockbros by nature could not be a good bell (or better than many classic bells in terms of effect). But how difficult is it if a knockoff is already so much better than tradtional bells to imagine that the more expensive original may be even massively better? Seems to be very hard. It would be totally easy to say: "there is the expensive top-notch Spurcycle. I am not willing to spend so much money on a bell, so I bought a knockoff, knowing that it probably is not as good as the Spurcycle - but good enough for me and for the money." Instead what happens is a dissing of the Spurcycle for absolutely no reason. Seems that some people deep in their heart have the feeling to have bought the wrong thing and now have to justify that for themselves.

[simonineaston]

...all I can say is that I bought a bell and simple-minded chap that I am, I'm delighted with it. Oh yes

[Tangled Metal]

This thread has too many spurcycle fanbois who won't accept any view but their own. Shall we talk about apple products anyone?

[reohn2]

This thread has too many spurcycle fanbois who won't accept any view but their own.

The Bros Rock and sometimes ding,
Though I'm assured Spurcycles ring,
No need to worry or be disheartened,
If The Bros bell sounds like someone fartin'
I've been dingin' it an' diggin' it's sound man,
The Bros got it right an' made me a fan!
Man

Shall we talk about apple products anyone?

Cider!
Where's Mick F when you need an opinion?

[steelframe]

This thread has too many spurcycle fanbois who won't accept any view but their own.

Funny, I feel exactly the opposite. Calling someone a "fanboi" just because he has a different opinion than you doesn't seem a convincing sign of tolerance towards other opinions...
BTW: W/o the Spurcycle the Rockbos wouldn't exist (whereas it would have no negative effects on Spurcycle if the Rockbros didn't exist). So you should be respectful towards Spurcycle - in the end it is their work has enabeled you to buy the cheap knockoff that you favor.

Regarding the "fanboi"-term: As you did statements about the Spurcycle and about the Rockbros in comparison to the Spurcycle: Did you ever use a Spurcycle in real life? If not: On which foundation do you do do your statements? In this case they would have no foundation at all and all of a sudden it turned out that you would be a "fanboi" of the Rockbros - claiming phantasy things in defense of it (a sure sign of fanboyism).

[Tangled Metal]

Once I got in a conversation with a roadie wearing clothing that probably cost more than my bike at the time, riding a bike that cost more than our car when we bought it and he had a spurcycle bell. Absolutely nothing wrong with any of that. When we both set off on a mixed use path his bell got him noticed by pedestrians and later on in similar circumstances my bell got me noticed too.

My bell had a simple ring that didn't have the reverberation or n longevity of a church bell or whatever qualities more expensive bells have but it does a job. Utilitarianism is more important to me than going for the fancy but if fancy is your thing I have no issues with it.

As to all that about one brand existing without the other but the uther needsthe first to exist, or whatever the argument was. Well there's a few other bell companies that's been around longer than spurcycle with metal bells with simple spring hammer striker and by reputation a beautiful note such as crane E.ne bell. Quality Japanese engineering and bell design for £21 - 26.

https://bellsbicycles.co.uk/products/crane-e-ne-bell

[reohn2]

Stella was a bella
she's off with her fella,
Both down the road
Ringing their bell a
His a Rock Bros
Hers a Spurcycle
Her name was Stella
and his name was Micheal.


Please add a verse if you like

[Cugel]

This thread has too many spurcycle fanbois who won't accept any view but their own. Shall we talk about apple products anyone?

A little harsh, that. we all tend to get slightly carried away in praising a bought-item that we feel is an excellent performer. Just be grateful I don't give you my 5-page list of "reasons" why I bought not just one but several very expensive but ever-so-lovely woodworking planes!

The value of a thing doesn't always consist of a single attribute, such as a high function or an inexpensive cost. There are all sorts of other values involved when we buy summick. There's also the overarching meta-valuation, which consists of the "sum" of all those values. The problem there is that we all employ different "arithmetic" to calculate this sum. And our value-weighing scales all have different indices.

On the other hand, some purported valuable aspects of a thing can be tending to the imaginary. Advertmen are good at painting on thick coatings of glamour, which is made entirely of what in other contexts are called "lies".

*********
As to bicycle bells in general, my own top scoring values are to do with: volume, a long sustain; an unaggressive tone & pitch; ergonomics (ease of use); quality of materials & design serving longevity of the item; price. There might be some minor values such as colour or the type of fastener employed.

Next is a thing to do with the buying process. When I find one that meets my value-list and "sum" I don't go looking for an even better one. That can lead to a very bad place, economically and psychologically. There's always a better one that costs even more, so soon you're a pauper, selling off your consumer jewels for a pittance on e-bay, just to buy your next crust and unit of lecky.

Cugel

[Tangled Metal]

Cugel, with your turn of phrase I would certainly be interested in why you chose your expensive planes. I'm sure to be interested.

PS glad you're back, missed your posts.

PPS don't you think there could be little bit of Apple Inc fandom style or attitude about a few spurcycle vs rockers posts?

[simonineaston]

Hmmm.... I did try using my iPhone but tbh, by the time I'd dug it out my pocket and said "Hey Siri, can you find anything on the internet that sounds like a bicycle bell?" and she'd thought about it a bit, I was waaaay past the pedestrians!

[pedalsheep]

My poetic take on this composed while out on my ride this morning.

My best bike has a Lion bell, it's ring is loud and long,
My other bikes have Rockbros bells whose ring is not so strong.
Yet both go ting and ting-a-ling and people turn and smile,
They don't spread out across the road but walk in single file.
It's nice to have a fancy bell, it fills my heart with glee,
But both bells warn of my approach, that's good enough for me.

[nomm]

Once I got in a conversation with a roadie wearing clothing that probably cost more than my bike at the time, riding a bike that cost more than our car when we bought it and he had a spurcycle bell. Absolutely nothing wrong with any of that. When we both set off on a mixed use path his bell got him noticed by pedestrians and later on in similar circumstances my bell got me noticed too.

My bell had a simple ring that didn't have the reverberation or n longevity of a church bell or whatever qualities more expensive bells have but it does a job. Utilitarianism is more important to me than going for the fancy but if fancy is your thing I have no issues with it.

As to all that about one brand existing without the other but the uther needsthe first to exist, or whatever the argument was. Well there's a few other bell companies that's been around longer than spurcycle with metal bells with simple spring hammer striker and by reputation a beautiful note such as crane E.ne bell. Quality Japanese engineering and bell design for £21 - 26.

https://bellsbicycles.co.uk/products/crane-e-ne-bell

A bike came in the other day with one of those crane bells on... was a lovely bell indeed... certainly a match for my spurcycle bell... or rockbros... I would have to ask leftpoole which one it is, as it came on one of his 853 Audax's.