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Long story, short ask (Re horns)

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Long story, short ask (Re horns)

Old 08-13-20, 08:37 AM
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Elbeinlaw
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Long story, short ask (Re horns)

For the first time since I went back to cycling in March or April, I just almost got run over. Lady pulling out of a driveway onto a busy street was looking only one direction-- away from me-- and for once my paranoid anticipation failed me. I managed to stop before she hit me, and as I screeched to a stop while shouting, she stopped. Unfortunately she was so close I couldn't put a foot down as I started falling so I ended up falling on her car, sprawled on her hood, nose to nose with her through her windshield. It wasn't all acting on my part, though maybe I didn't absolutely need to bounce a few times for a few extra sheet metal dents.

All's well that ends well. But now I'm in the market for an air horn.

Suggestions?
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Old 08-13-20, 12:07 PM
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Airzound is the one I've heard of. I thought about getting one, but there are a few things that kept me from it:
1. Giving up a water bottle for the air reservoir.
2. One more thing to pump up.
3. My handlebars already look like Cap'n Dashboard.
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Old 08-13-20, 12:32 PM
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I really wish there were a bike version of the marine safety/warning horns with a can of compressed air plus the horn. A miniature version would be great. As I wouldn't expect to use it much, having to replace a cartridge a few times a year for the occasional blast would be enough.
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Old 08-13-20, 03:08 PM
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unterhausen
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I always wanted an airzound, but having to refill the air always put me off. If I start riding in town again, I think I'll get a loudbicycle. Runs off a battery, sounds like a car https://loudbicycle.com/horn
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Old 08-13-20, 05:17 PM
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I can't imagine you would want to carry around one of these air horns. I bought it a couple decades ago to carry on my kayak for when I am in waters with power boats. Shradder valve on bottom, I do not recall the rated pressure on it but it is more than my pump will easily pump up. Slightly smaller than water bottle, so would not fit well in a cage.

Think about it, you probably can apply brakes and come to a complete stop before you would remember where the button on the horn is if you were in a panic. (Button is on the top, under the black electrical tape that I put on it to keep it in the locked position.) Very high pitch, does not have that semi-tractor deep sound that you don't want to hear when you are on the road.

I have only used this horn once, the idiot tour boat pilot was thinking about what was on shore and his microphone instead of thinking about other watercraft that had right of way. He heard it. My kayak was not a speed bump that day.



I recall seeing a horn in a store over a decade ago that used a soda pop bottle for air pressure. I have no knowledge about it or if they still exist, but they did over a decade ago. That would make a lot more sense. But I would still prefer a loud voice and good brakes, but not so good that I go over the bars.
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Old 08-13-20, 11:35 PM
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Thumbs up AirZounds horn is great

I highly recommend the AirZounds. I'm on my third. The first lasted about 6 years; the second, with an aluminum canister that could be pumped to 100 lbs, instead of 80, died in a garage fire; and now a third. The Schrader valve on the first two was a bit too short. My floor pump wouldn't work, so I had to use my Topeak Road Morph to fill it. The horn simply does not leak; it will stay at full pressure for months if you do not use it. My guess is that one fill is good for 20-30 2 second blasts.


The horn mounting leaves a bit to be desired. It is not possible to use both brakes while pressing the horn button, at least with my set-up. The canister need not take up a water bottle cage. It can be hung from the top tube with the provided velcro straps.


I use the horn infrequently, usually to warn motorists backing out of driveways into my path, or opening a car door into my lane. Of course, if things are happening too fast, use your brakes or swerve, if possible. I would never use the AirZounds to signal a pedestrian; it is too loud. A bell is nicer, and a friendly shout is quicker.
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Old 08-15-20, 12:34 PM
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I bought AirZound when they first switched to a metal bottle and it has been a safety necessity! Cagers are notoriously distracted and MUST be focussed in some way.... Usually, two warning bursts are enough, but sometimes
For peds, use the two toots at moderate distance, both because it is loud AND to give them time to do every dumb thing before reaching their position. Also, just in the probable case that they are wired into their electronics.
Filling it is like pumping a tire... no biggie.... My button is at the end of my left thumb and I easily brake while using.
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Old 08-16-20, 02:34 PM
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I just almost got run over again, this time on Digger's trail. Same situation: driver merging into traffic from a side street, looking the other direction, looked at me and then back in the other direction and kept going. On the way home from my ride I bought a small compressed air horn, though I'm thinking a hand grenade might be more appropriate. Where do I mount the horn, though, so I can quickly get to it? I don't have a top horizontal tube and my handlebars are pretty full.

There's no mount for this thing, so I'm going to need to create something--if some of you crypto-engineers have come up with something, let me know, please.
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Old 08-16-20, 09:44 PM
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Forget the air horn as it takes too much bother to activate in peril. Get this, and search it otherwise using keywords 'horn', 'USB charge', '1300mAh'. It comes with a pushbutton for activation. There is a version with an alarm, but the latter is useless to the best of my knowledge. It sounds like a scooter horn, maybe a tad better.

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Old 10-18-20, 04:18 PM
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I know that situation too well.

by the time you need the horn, it’s too freaking late and both parties are, in the least bad scenario, at the very least annoyed.

Horns are like a morning after pill/phone number change, lights are like condoms.

Two L&M Urban 1000’s, one on the left side of the bars aimed straight, one off to the right for exactly the drivers you’re talking about. These are almost Mercedes/Lexus DRL bright up to about 20 degrees from center.

My close calls have dropped to nearly zero since adopting this setup.

The only way I now see to get to zero close calls is to religiously take the left side of the lane at every intersection to be visible to oncoming cars that may want to turn left while barely missing the rear bumper of the car in front of me, or strap the straight U1K to my helmet and stand through the city portion of my ride.

edit- just experimented with strapping the U1K to my helmet. I feel like a dummy for not doing this before. It’s lightweight enough that it really isn’t a hinderance to the ride while still being visible on a sunny day.

Last edited by hsuBM; 10-18-20 at 04:31 PM.
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