We cyclists tend to spend a lot of time accumulating all types of gear to make our bikes faster, lighter, quieter, and just plain more fun to ride. The Delaware Trail Spinners recommend one simple but very important addition to your arsenal: a bike bell.

Many of the trails in our region are multi-use trails, which means the likelihood of encountering a hiker, equestrian, trail runner, or even another mountain biker is highly probable. Having a bike bell mounted on your handlebar means you can simply ding your bell a couple of times to let other users know you're approaching. It's a lot easier to ring your bell than to have to yell "biker on your left!" -- and it's a lot louder and safer too!

For more than four years, we've been distributing bells to bikers that we'd meet at the trailhead or at our events and encouraging their use. Since the program began, we've distributed more than 2,500 bells! To get your own free bell, just attend one of our events. Or, to learn more about the bell program, contact Todd Forrest.