off-road.cc

The Timber Mountain Bike Bell V4 is designed to chime with the motion of the trail. It does an excellent job with a loud and crisp ring which certainly grabs attention. The build quality is top-notch and the lever operation feels sturdy but it is on pricier side of the best bike bell spectrum - it also doesn't work as well on smoother trails as it does on rougher terrain.

• Your complete guide to backpacking
• Maps over apps, analogue route planning
• 9 tips to keep your suspension running sweeter for longer

Timber Mountain Bike Bell V4 - Technical details

There are two fitment options: the “band-on” option that stretches a rubber band around the bar which allows the quick mounting of the bell. This works best on the largest diameter of the bar (31.8 and 35mm) and shouldn't be affixed to the grip end. The “bolt-on” option is sturdier and uses a bolt-secured clamp. This can be mounted either on the grip end (22.2mm) or the middle of the bar (up to 31.8mm only).

Timber_Bell_2.JPG, by Ty Rutherford

It has a slimmer clamp on the “bolt-on” option so should fit even when lock-outs and other levers take up value bar room. It also claims to have stronger internals which will only make this bell more reliable and last longer.

Timber Mountain Bike Bell V4 - Performance

The bell has proven to be silent when in the closed position, even on some particularly chunky trails. Moving the thumb lever to the “activated” position, the trail does need to have some bumps and edges to get the bell to ring - but once it does the sound produced is loud and crisp. It alerts other users on the trail to your presence with an unmistakable bicycle bell sound.  

Timber_Bell_3.JPG, by Ty Rutherford

The downside to the bell is on smooth sections it won’t ring. In these situations, a manual ringer would be beneficial. With the bell hanging below the bars, it does also raise the issue of clashing with some frames during a crash - particularly if the bell is mounted inbound near the stem.

Timber_Bell_5.JPG, by Ty Rutherford

Timber Mountain Bike Bell V4 - Verdict

At £25, the Timber Mountain Bike Bell V4 isn’t cheap although I’d argue the build quality does go someway to justifying the price - it's a premium piece of equipment. That said, there are other bells worth considering. I'd recommend looking at the Granite Cricket Bell - it works out £5 cheaper and has a “cow bell” mode as well as a regular thumb striker allowing it to be used in all situations. It's also a little more compact.

The Timber Mountain Bike Bell V4 is designed for a very niche situation where you regularly ride trails/bridleways which are rough and shared with other users. Perhaps somewhere like the Lake District or Exmoor for example. In this situation, the bell works exactly as expected and does a great job making your presence known. Save for the lack of a thumb striker, the Mountain Bike Bell V4 is hard to fault.

• cyclorise.com

You might also like:

• Top tips to make the most of the off-road night riding season
• The best gravel bikes we've tested that you can buy and get shipped to your door
• Buyer’s guide to mountain bike saddles - get the best saddle for your MTB