FAQS

1. How do you mount the bike bell?

 First, decide where on your handlebar you want to mount the bell. Some people prefer it closer to the grips, some closer to the center stem. If you have frequent need to use your bell, you can mount in directly on your grips, so you always have both hands on the bike and instant shifting between silent and ring mode. You want to make sure that there are no brake or shifter cables touching the bell, as they will mute the sound somewhat. The larger o-ring is for mounts on the grips, or near the thicker stem end of the bar. The smaller o-ring is for the narrower end of the bar, closer to the grips. Snap the o-ring into the lower slot, with the small finger tab pointed upward and facing forward.  Place the bell on the bar, and then stretch the o-ring and snap it into the upper slot. 

We recommend that you face the bottom of the bell slightly forward (and away from your knees), in order to avoid possible injury during a crash.

More information on mounting the Bolt-On model can be found here.

2. What's the best way to use a TIMBER mountain bike bell?

The VIDEO page will give you a good example of a typical usage for our bells. When riding on trails with good visibility, we typically leave TIMBER in silent mode until we are approaching a passing situation. We then flip TIMBER to ring mode until we have successfully passed. When riding a downhill section or in an area with blind corners, we may choose to  leave TIMBER in ring mode. The same applies when riding in an area where wildlife such as bears or mountain lions may be present. If riding gnarly DH trails with lots of bumps and airs, we recommend that you leave TIMBER in silent mode in order to keep your focus.

3. What if one of my o-rings breaks?

We have o-rings available for sale, dirt cheap if you lose or break one. Here is a link to the shopping page.  The o-rings are down at the bottom of the page. We recently upgraded the material to UV resistant EPDM, so the o-rings now last much longer than the originals.

If you're in a hurry and can't wait to order online, you can go to your local hardware store and pick up a 1/8" thick rubber o-ring from the plumbing aisle.  They work just fine, minus the finger tab. The large rings are  1 1/2" inside diameter by 1 3/4" outside diameter.  The small rings are 1" inside diameter by 1 1/4" outside diameter.  They cost about fifty cents each at the Ace down the street from us.

4. Does TIMBER work on road bikes?

The short answer is yes, but read on.  TIMBER was designed for mountain biking, so the bumpier the ground, the more it rings. The sound of the bell is so crisp and sweet, it makes hikers shuffle to the sides of the trail like Moses parting the Red Sea.  And your TIMBER will definitely ring while riding on the road. (It's great for pedestrian clogged bike paths.) On smooth roads, it tends to ring more when you pedal, and go fairly quiet when you coast.  If you need a little extra sound while on the road,  you can always give the handlebars a brief shake, or lightly tap the brakes. But we don't want to mislead you,  it wasn't made for noisy city streets, or urgent signaling situations.  A Manhattan cabbie may not notice TIMBER'S ring while he's screaming into his cell phone over the sound of jackhammers.  So if you are riding in heavy traffic with lots of distractions, TIMBER will probably not solve all of your signaling issues. 

5. What if anything else breaks, or I'm not happy

If anything else breaks on your TIMBER, let us know. We'll either help you fix it or get you a new one.  Please see our warranty page for more information.

With every production run, we continue to make improvements, so our bells keep getting better and stronger. If you're just not happy at all, with your bell you can always return it for a full refund. 

6. How much do you charge for shipping?

USA:  Free Shipping
Canada: $10 per order. (Pay for shipping on the first bell only. All others are free.)
​International: $15 per order. (Pay for shipping on the first bell only. All others are free.)
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7. Can my local riding club get bells imprinted with our logo?

TIMBER supports trail clubs, teams, and non-profits.  Just shoot an email to info@mtbbell.com   Let us know about how many you think you might want and we'll get back to you right away with details and pricing.

8. What is the weight of the bells?

The bells weigh 69 grams, including the o-ring.  

9. The ringer on the bell sometimes sticks. 

Occasionally your clapper become stuck to the silencing mechanism, even after you have lowered the lever.  A quick bounce of the bars will normally dislodge it. If it continues, a quick spray of some chain lube to the top interior of the bell should fix it.

10. Will it fit DH handlebars?

Yes, if you mount it out towards the grips and use the included 22.2mm shim.  It will not fit on the 35mm diameter section of your bars year the stem.