Bell Program

History

SBMTV bell program was started out of concern for awareness. Increasing trail usage among the multitude of user groups was leading towards more encounters between the different users. This was and still is especially true on front country trails which tend to be the most heavily used. Surprise encounters are the biggest concern. There was a need for a safe and effective way to communicate the presence of a bike without having to pass laws. National bike manufacturer Kona Mountain Bikes was one of the first to underwrite the costs of buying bells.

Summary

Mountain bike bells alert others to approaching bikes and significantly reduce the number of surprise encounters. The act of attaching a bell reminds riders of other trail users and shows a concern for other user's safety. This in turn leads to a more satisfying trail experience for all parties involved.

SBMTV likes to stress that attaching a bell to the bike does NOT give the rider the right of way. This also means other trail users do not need to move out of the way when they hear bikes approaching. The bell's sole purpose is to eliminate that element of surprise.

Bells

The bells are not your typical bike bells that require rider action to ring. Instead they are small "cowbells" attached by a velcro strap. They are patterned after "bear bells" worn by back country hikers wishing to avoid surprise encounters with bears. Strapped to the handlebar or seat, the bells ring constantly in response to bumps in the trail. They are loud enough to give ample warning of an approaching bike without being obnoxious and destroying the natural experience for parties within earshot.

• A couple different bells

• Closeup of one cowbell

At Trail Head

Central to the program's success is the placement of "bell boxes" at the top and bottom of most trail heads. On each box is signage indicating the reasoning/purpose behind the boxes and the bells. Riders who do not already have a bell can take one from the upper trail head box, strap it to their bike for the ride down, and then return it to the lower trail head box. Volunteers and members of SBMTV monitor the bell supply and return bells to the upper boxes or restock as needed. Thousands of bells have already been placed in the boxes for use. Wherever possible, the bell boxes and appropriate signage will be attached to existing trail head structures.

This will be a picture of one of bell boxes.

Bike Shop Participation

Sadly, the responsible riding message has slowly disappeared from the mainstream mountain biking media. However, local bike shops are beginning to again stress the need for responsible riding to their customers and visitors from out of town. Within the last year a new partnership has begun with the local bike shops and SBMTV. Bike shops are now purchasing bells with their logo imprinted on them. This will provide a valuable marketing opportunity to the local bike shops by branding the bells with their name and logo. Half of the bells purchased will be delivered to the shop for direct sales to the customers. The other half of the bells will be placed into the mix of bells in the boxes located at the trail heads. In addition to brand recognition, trail users will recognize the shop's awareness and caring towards promoting and contributing to trail safety. Hang tags are also being distributed to the shops. They will hang from the handlebars on bikes being sold in shops. It looks cool and again promotes both the shop and the bell program. For more information about becoming a participating shop contact

Education

The bells are just one part of the overall program. Intensive efforts are underway to educate mountain bikers on proper trail etiquette, responsible trail use and the need to work for the long-term health of our trails. In addition, SBMTV is reaching out to other local organizations such as the Sierra Club, Montecito Trails Foundation, and Santa Barbara Trails Council for cooperation on educating all user groups in proper trail use and maintenance.

For more information the SBMTV bell program, see this article from Decline Magazine.