Bike bell design really hasn’t changed much since 1877. You basically have a big huge dome that sits on top of your handle bars and doesn’t blend in very well with the whole aesthetic. As Knog is all about elegantly re-designing bike accessories, they set out to design a totally new bell where form and function played an equal part.
The Oi bell’s shape is modeled after the handlebar itself. Instead of protruding above the bars, it hovers around them discreetly. With a spring-loaded actuator built into the mount, the strike of the bell is firm and fast, allowing a good balance of volume and longevity of sound. The bell actually has several pitch tones–one core and several supportive higher tones to ensure it’s unmistakable and safely heard.
The bells fit on almost all cylindrical bars, 22.2 mm up to 31.8 mm. The Oiwill also work on any aero bar with a 16 mm cylindrical section (usually near the stem). A cable management system built into the shape of the mount helps gather your cables for a cleaner looking front end. Installation is simple–just pop it over your handle bars, give it a quick tighten up, and you’re good to go.
Knog made five bike bell styles–the standard aluminum model that comes in 4 finishes: brushed aluminum, brass-plated, copper-plated, and black. And the top of the range Oi is made from titanium.
Knog is taking pre-orders for the Oi bike bell over on Kickstarter. For $26, you can get your Oi of choice to match your bike.
