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review
Crane E-NE SBR Bell£35.00
VERDICT:
Excellent quality bell for drop bars with a nice long and gentle ring
Doesn't take up space at the top of handlebar
Super easy to use without compromising braking
Great quality, well made
On the expensive side
Weight:
92g
Contact:
This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
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Having a bell on bikes with drop handlebars can be a real pain because most won't fit near enough the hoods, which means that when you want to ring it you have to take your hand off the brake. Enter the Crane E-Ne SBR bell, specifically designed for drop bars and a definite contender for our best bike bells buyer's guide. No need to look for the bell that is somewhere in the middle of an already crowded bar, just simply lift your thumb and ding.
> Buy now: Crane E-Ne SBR bell for £35 from Brick Lane Bikes
I've used the bell on gravel rides that have incorporated some busier hiking trails, as well as on my urban commutes, and I wouldn't want to go back to using a normal bell. The ease of ringing this while still having my hand securely on the brake and shifter hood is so easy that I really wish I'd had this bell earlier.
It's a lot chunkier in design than most simple bike bells out there, and because of that I have rung it accidentally quite a few times when adjusting my hand on the bar without looking (you get used to it being there, though).
The attachment is easy, with the two little screws that tighten the bell's band around the drop section of the handlebar, and because you attach it on top of the bar tape it doesn't scratch the bar.
And what about the ding, then? Crane bells are rather known for their good ring, and this one is no exception. The ring is long and though quite high-pitched to start with, it has a gentleness to it. Guaranteed, it's not going to make the noise-cancelling-headphone-wearing walkers get out of your way, but then again no bell does.
The only downside to it is that it's a bit pricey – its closest competitor is probably the Trigger Bell, which is just £9.99, but that's made of plastic and straps around in a way that could leave your palm rubbing against it... You could go for a bar-end bell for less, such as the Canyon Road Cycling Bell, now £23.95, but for those you still need to move your hand from the most secure hood position to ring it.
So, overall I think the Crane E-Ne SBR justifies the price, and looks like it'll last you a lifetime. It comes in various finishes as well – black, chrome and copper as well as the polished gold we have here.
> Buy now: Crane E-Ne SBR bell for £35 from Brick Lane Bikes
Verdict
Excellent quality bell for drop bars with a nice long and gentle ring
road.cc test report
Make and model: Crane E-NE SBR Bell
Size tested: One size, polished gold finish
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it?
It's a bell specifically designed for drop bar bikes.
On Crane Bell's US site it says: "The E-ne Bell's compact design and ring quality help make putting bells on road bikes more acceptable.
The E-ne SBR allows using a bell to be more intuitive and safer. With the addition of this low profile adapter (made of stiff aluminum), the cyclist can operate it with hands not leaving the hoods."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product
Material:Brass
Mount:Drop Bar Mount
Dome Ø:37mm
Mount Ø:up to 35mm
Weight: 92g
Rate the product for quality:
10/10
Rate the product for performance:
10/10
Rate the product for value:
5/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Performed just as described; I didn't need to take my hand off the hood to ring the bell. The ring is also a very good pitch.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
I like the ring, it's long and gentle enough to not sound too aggressive to pedestrians (in my opinion...). Super well made, good quality.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's quite pricey – its closest competitor is probably the Trigger Bell which only costs £9.99, but it's made of plastic and straps around in a way that will leave your palm rubbing against the strap; not an issue on a commuter but on gravel or long rides, I'd not want that. Bar-end bells are another cheaper option, such as the Canyon Road Cycling Bell (£23.95), but for those you still need to move your hand from the most secure hood position to ring it.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's excellent. Superb quality, great ring, usable without having to take your hand off the hood.
About the tester
Age: 30
I usually ride: Specialized Tarmac Sl6 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 5-10 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, general fitness riding, mtb, Ultra-distances
Suvi joined F-At in 2022, first writing for off-road.cc and then road.cc and ebiketips too until August 2024. She contributed to all of the sites covering tech news, features, reviews and women's cycling content. A lover of long-distance cycling, Suvi is easily convinced to join any rides and events that cover over 100km, and ideally, plenty of cake and coffee stops.
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Add new comment
10 comments
Interesting design.
However, I've decided that bells are for decoration only (just in case someone complains that you don't have one fitted) as it's more effective to call out "ding ding" and if you use a pleasant tone, it can come across as more polite and friendly. Variants also include "beep beep" if you want to sound more like a driver.
Wouldn't that be more like "GET OUT THE [BIRDSONG] WAY!"?
Well, that's the advantage of using your voice - you can tailor the message to the situation.
Let them know something big is coming through.
Lovely tone on a crane brass bell.
No criticism of the detailed review implied, but for a product like this surely a short video demonstrating the actual noise the bell makes would be rather useful?
Or even some pictures showing hand position in use (like there are on the linked Trigger Bell review).
This please. Riding Campag I would have to think about the clearance from the thumb shifter. Also is it reversible, or do you have to fit it on the right side of your bars?
Hoping to add one soon...
Trigger bell owner here. It doesnt rub, it doesnt get accidentally knocked, it has a nice tone and you can buy 3 for the same price as this.....