Incredibell
Incredibell Pedestrian Alert System
The Incredibell is a solid brass bell that mounts cleanly to your handlebars. It’s got a double action, meaning that you press it once, you hear two bell strikes. And these aren’t wimpy ceramic dinner bell tinkles, either. This is solid brass, people! The sound really carries and has a beautiful tone to it. Everyone who hears this bell loves the sound of it. The double action is also handy for adding percussion to the music on a cruiser ride. More on that later.
During the 90’s having a bell was one of those things we were taught to look down on for no good reason. The dominance of ‘performance’ emphasis in the bike industry turned useful accessories like bells and kickstands into ‘excess weight’.
The bell is back. The Incredibell is small. It weighs just about nothing. Only a truly heartless bastard would steal it. It’s about the most cheerful thing on your bike. It is simply the coolest, most dignified way there is to say “I’m coming. Please be careful.” If you don’t have one, you’ll just end up grumbling unrecognizable noises or clicking your brake levers at some grandma or a cute female. These behaviors contribute to the perception that bicyclists are ‘wierd,’ ‘geeky,’ and self-centered. By contrast, ringing a bell evokes all the charm of the bike aura and spreads the love, big time. So get yourself a bell!
I used to have a girlfriend, who, every time she came over, she’d ring her bike bell outside my apartment to let me know she was home. All the way up in the attic I’d hear the mellifluous tones and run down to greet her. That bell, ladies and gentlemen, was an Incredibell.
Second Wind Chimes
Think hammocks, sun tea, gardening, and sea breezes. Sleep in and wake up to the sound of your wind chimes in the breeze outside your bedroom. Daydream about sunny bike rides on a stormy day.
Handmade in our Berkeley workshop by inventor/craftsman Mike Cobb. Around the workshop, Cobb is known for his passionate recycling and reuse. He has been seen hack-sawing aerosol cans to separate the recyclable metal from the plastic nozzle. Prior to developing the ‘Second Wind’ chimes, he manufactured “Oyster Buckets” bike panniers and “Tube Saver” innertube-enclosed patch kits while running the green business he called Cobbworks in Olympia, Washington.
Mike personally selects and removes the valuable parts from bikes destined for landfills, transforming this trash into a beautiful item for your home. These hand-made chimes help you transform an ordinary afternoon into a relaxing excursion. Made from salvaged bicycle parts including cogs, chainrings, freewheel bodies, cranks, chains, and derailleur cables. No two are the same.
Offers a resonant-chime in medium breezes. Protected with a light coat of acryllic varnish, these chimes start out with a glossy shine, but are not weatherproof. They will develop a rusty patina over the years. However, as the various metals — cromoly steel, aluminum, and nickel-plated steel — take on the color of age, the stainless steel cables and brass hardware maintain their integrity.
Blank Journal
If you’re fed up with getting a new digital organizer thingy every 2 years, we highly recommend these sturdy, simple blank journals.
In our experience, using a paper journal has several distinct advantages over the latest gizmo:
- It’s romantic. The feel of pen on paper inspires you to greatness.
- You’re less likely to lose it. It’s larger. If you do lose it and you provide a “if found” notice at the front, people wil probably contact you. (It has low street value).
- It has an inner pocket for both inspiring mementos and minutia like receipts and such.
