Review: Spurcycle Bell
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In the summer of 2015 yet another cheap bell fell of my bike. So there I was, shopping for another bell but determined not to waste my time and money again. A fair bit of time spent researching and a trip down to Bikes on Wheels and I was riding home with a Spurcycle Bell. At the time I was so impressed by the Spurcycle Bell that I whipped up a quick blog post. You can read it here.
Why an update and more detailed review now? Despite it’s discreet stature, the Spurcycle Bell seems to garner a lot of attention. People always ask what it is and how much it costs. Funny enough the answer to the latter is almost always followed by “Is it worth it?” To me it seems like there are still a lot of people who don’t know about this little wonder.
initial impressions
The first thing you’ll notice is that the Spurcycle Bell is not packaged like your typical bike accessories It’s not haphazardly attached to an oversized slab of cardboard as if packaging was merely an afterthought. Instead it is presented with a simple design in clean packaging. Open up that little box and you’ll quickly notice that the bell itself is quite petite. But put it in your hand and it instantly conveys the quality of its construction. I was stoked to try it out.
design & construction
Spurcycle Bell designs and manufactures the bell in the US. It’s made of both stainless steel and brass and comes in 2 finishes; raw metal or Black DLC. Spurcycle do include two matching bands for securing the bell snugly to bars from 22.2 to 31.8mm in diameter. The Spurcycle website quotes a final weight of 45grams and according to my scale it comes in at 46 grams. To put it into context, thats 20 grams heavier than the cheap bells that you can get with any number of brands printed on them. However this one works and won’t go flying off.
The Spurcycle Bell is a perfect design that is worthy to adorn your prize ride.
The Spurcycle Bell does well to make itself know by sound while hidden by view.
on the bike
Attaching the Spurcycle Bell to your bars is done by wrapping the appropriate sized band around your bars and inserting the tabs into the guts of the bell’s dome. Then tighten it down via the bolt head you see atop the bell dome. This give it a snug and firm fit. If you look at the Spurcycle site all the product photos show the bell mounted facing forward. Personally I found this a bit too obvious and the cable routing on my bars doesn’t really allow for it. So I’ve mounted mine in reverse and it’s had no effect on the functionality.
Because of the minimal design, the Spurcycle Bell is discreet. The first time you flick the striker though, you’re going to notice the best part. It sounds like no other bell you’ve heard before. It’s loud... with a long drawn out fade. Trust me, it’s going to be hard for anyone not to hear you when you want them to. Better than trying to describe the sound, I recorded this short video embedded here.
Over the past year I’ve ridden with the bell in everything from ideal to foul weather and everything in between. The Spurcycle Bell shows no sign of corrosion and just minimal wear and tear.
bottom line
The Spurcycle Bell is a great product that looks as good as it works. Yes it costs a pretty penny, but rather see it as an investment. It’s built to endure and is the last bell you’ll buy. If not for anything other than vanity, it's the bell worthy of adorning your prize ride.
