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Delta
Air-Zound 2 air horn
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Submitted by
spskark7
a Downhiller
from athens greece
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | immitos 10 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | very loud , cool , easy setup , easy to use , never end!!! | | Weaknesses: | NONE! | | Similar Products Used: | my mouth and my hands lol | | Bike Setup: | giant brass 2 with LOTS of upgreads! | | Bottom Line: | u should buy it i am not in town very often (i am moutain biker)
but when i am in town i MOST use this!!
buy it! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
wendyjoeyj
a Racer
from california
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | none | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | bicycle johns | | Strengths: | i have an air zound and it is awesome i honk at alot of people i love so go an buy it | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | goped push ped | | Bottom Line: | BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gates
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque, NM
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Commute | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | Loud, light, and easy | | Weaknesses: | Horn mount and button | | Similar Products Used: | cheap battery powered horn - found it at a flea market. | | Bike Setup: | Cross Woodrup | | Bottom Line: | I have ridden with my zound for over 10 years - I wouldn't give it up for anything. Scares stray dogs, wakes up most drivers and lets them know where I am. I only wish I could use my presta pump, all my bikes are presta. Don't let your kids play with it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nathan M
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Pecco's Cycle Shop | | Strengths: | Like most of the people posting, I use the Zzounds on the bike when commuting on the roads during rush hour. Some drivers have an aggressive attitude of "cars have right of way at all times, including when turning left at an intersection when a bike is going through on the green." The Zzounds horn will stop these drivers, because it gets their attention. The horn will get you noticed, and keep you safer when drivers try to pull out from driveways or parking lots without looking. Highly recommended for commuting cyclists.... If you mainly ride on pedestrian trails or bike paths, this horn might be overkill, because it is SO loud (nevertheless, you can give short "beep" sounds if you want to politely alert pedestrians) | | Weaknesses: | Does not work in the winter. To be fair, it seems to be a general problem with air horns. If you bring the horn inside to warm it up in the winter, it will work for a few minutes outside in the cold, but soon enough, it stops working. Even at full pressure, all you hear is a "pssffft" of air, but it doesn't produce any honk sound (we need a physicist to explain this... probably something to do with density of cold air, or the cold temperatures changing the shape of the sound-producing mechanism??) After the Zzounds air horn stopped working in the winter, I bought a boat air horn (with an aerosol can), and it showed the same pattern: blasts a loud sound inside in warm air, but bring it in the cold, and you just have the "pssfft" sound, no honk......About the bracket... it is true that the horn comes off very easily. However, if you take a little mini-tumble, it is an advantage that the horn part "breaks" off from the housing, because then you just snap it back on. If it was mounted very firmly, it would have broken off in my most recent tumble (self-caused...foolishly applied front brake on slick snow-covered road, causing wipeout!)...I am choosing to believe that they made it come off easily on purpose (perhaps I am deluding myself..perhaps it is just a design SNAFU?) | | Similar Products Used: | Boating air horn (aerosol can), "ding-ding" bell (which barely gets pedestrians' attention,and which does ZERO as far as getting drivers' attention) | | Bike Setup: | Aluminum frame no-name hybrid 700-style bike...in the winter I use metal studded tires for ice traction when commuting. | | Bottom Line: | Excellent product for city commuters to alert drivers to your presence on busy rush-hour streets...the loud blast of sound gets them to look up, and more often than not apply their brakes. One downfall is that mine won't work in the cold wintery days here in Canada, but that's just one season. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
corey jamol
a Weekend Warrior
from east windsor new jersey
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | commute to work / touring | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$5490.00 | | Purchased At: | sports unlimmited | | Strengths: | I use a rechargable boat horn called eco blast. its very loud. gets the attention of drivers in cars with closed windows. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | emergency storm whistle (loudest whistle in the world) | | Bike Setup: | I Have the horn mounted on the handle bar by a re movable clip. | | Bottom Line: | The horn is really loud. I love to use this horn to wake people up when they are not paying attention. or just being plain rude. I enjoy This because Every Car I Have To blow It At the people inside swing around in there seats real fast thinking a big truck is comming. this horn has made biking fun. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ron
a Cross Country Rider
from vancouver bc canada
Date Reviewed: July 22, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$23.00 | | Purchased At: | Mountain Equipment Coop MEC | | Strengths: | Louder than the non-Delta Air Zounds II, but.. see below | | Weaknesses: | Doesn't stop reckless automobile drivers anymore, unlike the | | Similar Products Used: | Air Zounds II, non-Delta model (5 of these) | | Bike Setup: | Heavily modded chain-driven Ego-2 ebike | | Bottom Line: | If you are a cyclist or biker using the Delta Air Zounds II air horn AND used the older non-Delta, Made In Toronto, Air Zounds II: Have you noticed any differences in effectivty? I haven't found this in any review, or reviews of the Delta Air Zounds II, but my opinion is that the older Made In Toronto version was instantly effective on reckless drivers, but not the Delta Air Zounds II. I believe that the frequency (pitch?) of the louder Delta Air Zounds is at fault, but this is just my two cents worth opinion. (With inflation, make that 25 cents opinion.) If you bike with Air Zounds II, please chime in. I haven't seen this topic covered in Mountain Bike Reviews, either, so let's talk about it. Biking should be safe, and the older (non Delta) Air Zounds II was excellent. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rob
a Cross Country Rider
from vancouver BC canada
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Mountain Equipment Coop | | Strengths: | Works subliminally in "freezing" reckless automobile drivers. There is NOTHING as good as the air zounds for SAFETY. It serves my life monthly or so. | | Weaknesses: | Can be knocked off its perch, but easily put back on again. (Minor weakness, really.) | | Similar Products Used: | Other horns | | Bike Setup: | 5 bikes, 5 air zounds horns | | Bottom Line: | If you bike and value your life, get it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: January 11, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Loud, light | | Weaknesses: | Cheap construction, poorly designed, don't last, don't hold much air | | Similar Products Used: | Rechargable boat horn | | Bike Setup: | Total commuter special: fenders, panniers, lights, etc. | | Bottom Line: | When I first found these, I thought they were great. Now, after going through three of these, my conclusion is that they're poorly designed and too cheaply made for long-term use. The air valve mounting is the worst part. It will quit on you. Do not depend on it. Also, they just don't hold that much "juice."
I now use a rechargeable boat horn called the Ecoblast strapped to my handlebar. It uses a steel canister with an air valve built right into the bottom. It's even louder than the Delta and still very light.
One final point...Use your horn, but not on pedestrians. A bell suffices for that. The horn I use now can literally damage hearing. Don't over-use them. Horns are for the clueless morons behind the wheel of the two-ton rolling phone booths who deserve a jolt of reality when your life is at stake. Get one and feel safer commuting! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Terrence McAleer
a
from Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Too many good one's to decide | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | bilenky cycle werks | | Strengths: | rap-splitting loud, cellphone proof, air conditioning resistant and instant pedestrian removal !!!!!. | | Weaknesses: | only one small imperfection, the plastic tang forward of the actuating button breaks off leaving you with a dangley horn you can not use!, I have tried to glue,epoxy,weld at no luck but at $20.00 bucks what the heck. | | Similar Products Used: | MY BIG MOUTH ie, BEHIND YOU, HEADS UP, YO.....!, FAT MAN WITH NO BRAKES. | | Bike Setup: | Bilenky hybred mtn-road,28"wheels,Rohloff at R.,deore DX-30 up front,dyad rims,truvativ bars,stem and seattube. | | Bottom Line: | cabbies,soccer moms,pets,truckers,drunks,wildlife of all kinds just jump out of thier skins when you just press the little button.
I also put one on my 1974 harley,but i cheat a little,care of a 20lb fire extinguisher CO/2 bottle & regulator,I put 1000 lbs in the bottle and have nitrogen for a month of safe horning. P. S. do not do what i did unless u r a pro
fessional technition.
Anyone who rides a bicycle or motorcycle and needs to survive to ride again needs this safty tool!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
H
a
from Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: October 7, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Big Pats Creek Warburton | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Dandenong Bicycle Superstore | | Strengths: | Hmmm, well, let's see, it has saved me many times from the pain of being bowled over by cars. An invaluable piece of commuting equipment. | | Weaknesses: | Not as loud as a foghorn. A b*tch to install on the handlebars, but once on it is secure. | | Similar Products Used: | Shouting "on your right". Fist in the air. | | Bike Setup: | Ok, my bike is equipped for commuting warfare. One Stadium 3 (back from repair), one Turbocat S47, pumping out a total of 120-146 watts. Two rear vistalites and one rear basta LED. Oh yeah and one big ass horn!!! | | Bottom Line: | I am surprised that the dufus who invented the bell did not first consider the possibilities of hardcore pneumatic power. So many cyclists would have been saved from injury (mortal or otherwise)!!!
Save yourself a ride in an ambulance that I had to endure.
Do not hesitate to buy this if:
1. You value your life and
2. Use your bike as daily transport.
I rigidly follow the road rules coz it is the only thing that protects us cycling commuters from being mauled. HOWEVER, if cars and especially trucks believe they are a law unto themselves, give em a blast with this little beauty. Prevention is so much better than the hospital cure. This thing is sooo cheap for the service it renders.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$21.00 | | Purchased At: | Velotique (2001) | | Strengths: | WOW! This thing is loud! It says on the box it's US Coast Guard approved, so it has to be good. Light weight, farily small, a great price, easy to remove, adjustable volume control, no batteries, schrader valve, re-fillable and durable. OH! Is this thing legal in CANADA? Ah, who cares -
HONNKKK!!!! Get the attention of those darn truckers that nearly run you over with their trailers. Get's every persons attention, even those little motor mouth cell phone b*st*rds and fun if you just want to scare people with it! | | Weaknesses: | On weekends in the summer time, I sometimes come home with a fully drained reservoir. Oh, sorry that's the pedestrians fault, hehe. | | Similar Products Used: | Saying "beep beep" or a "quack quack" sound with my mouth.
The odd yell of "look out", "no brakes no brakes" and "move!" | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Trek Fuel 90 Disk, 1996 GT Ricochet. | | Bottom Line: | Let's see... I first heard about this product in 2000, I think. So I got one in June 2001 for my 2001 Trek Fuel 90 Disk. I have it on for every bike ride except charity bike rides as we are all members of an international brother/sister-hood then. I don't press the "fun button" on water front bike paths at night as my bright light beam scares pedestrians enough. During the day it's a whole other matter. At 120db it gets everyones attention. Tuckers sitting a 1/2 step below god in their cabs. 16-19 year old punks in their Honda Civics with blasting rap music. Drivers on cell phones who think they own the road while "chit chatting". Pedestrians that think they own all parts left, middle and right hand sides of 6' wide bike paths. Pedestrians that think the path is 1 direction, their direction only. Or that 96% of every person I've come across in the past 3 years must be of English descent as they are always on the left side. Kids that pop out from any and everywhere like mice. Dogs off leashes in my path.
Canadian geese that almost refuse to move. I don't bother to adjust the volume, so I keep it at max. I give everyone a chance... by just giving a little "toot toot". Some jump, some look behind wondering "what the heck is comming up behind me?". I've got the odd comment about using it, but no profanity as of yet. If I see the same person on my return trip, then I give them a longer blast at the last second - that'll teach em!
Bottom Line: Light, durable after 3 falls, a great price, an ear piercing 120db, fast and easy to re-fill with a floor pump. It makes you the "safe" centre of attention, kind of like Moses parting the seas, hehe! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Spagnolo
a Weekend Warrior
from Keewatin MN USA
Date Reviewed: November 7, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Mesabi | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar | | Strengths: | simplicity. Easy to refill. Loud. REALLY loud | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Yelling and screaming! | | Bike Setup: | Trek Fuel and Giant OCR | | Bottom Line: | This is the greatest horn I have ever used. I have one horn for each bike and use them daily. The bike trails around here are used by walkers, dogs and assorted other animals. I have scared deer, skunks, a porcupine and many old ladies right off the trail with a quick blast from the horn. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wil Grove
a
from London, UK
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | regent's canal, London | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Condor cycles | | Strengths: | loudness, cheap to refill (max. a quarter/ 20 UK pence at a gas/ petrol station) lightweight, fairly easily accesible | | Weaknesses: | difficult to use whilst braking. Something odd (cracking?) happened to my first one and I needed to replace it. But i do use mine a lot. | | Similar Products Used: | F**king W**ker! Oi! You trying to get me killed! | | Bike Setup: | Old 1980's Vidscount Sebring steel framed german built racing bike. 31" slicks, goes faster than a mountain bike on the flat and more comfortable than a modern racer. Welded twice and refuses to rust... | | Bottom Line: | Necessary for avoiding pent up rage and 'pro-actively' avoiding accidents - a definite for the every day public road cycle commuter. Almost like your finger controls the brakes of cars that would otherwise take the p1ss. Unfortunately he who honks first also is assumed to be the one in the right/ with right of way, so being without the horn is like being a second class road user and prevents safely performing maneouvres that a car or even motorbike wouldn't think twice about. Just knowing I can use it lowers my stress levels, but a good journey is one when I haven't had to use it. Great stress relief to honk a motorist who has cut you up or tried to push you to the curb (sidewalk). Buy one and keep it pumped up. But I agree, it is a bit rude to use on pedestrians on high volume (there is a volume setting), unless they are stepping out without seeing you, and then it's a godsend. Someone did steel my bottle the other day, don't know why, I guess they were either thirsty and thought it had liquid in, liked the look of it or were one of the motorists I have honked...!) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Downhiller
from Mission Viejo, Ca USA
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Mud Sweat and Gears | | Strengths: | Inexpensive | | Weaknesses: | Clamp is poorly designed. The horn / valve is loose and rattles. | | Similar Products Used: | Ding Bell | | Bike Setup: | Tour Easy Recumbent | | Bottom Line: | Could not refill it. Tried frame pump, floor pump, and compressor. All to no avail. I'm not inept about the mechanics, it's just got a problem. The product came filled with air and was very loud. Too bad I can't re-fill it, although it has such a poorly designed mounting arrangement I don't think I'd keep it on my bike anyway. It's getting returned today. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Wallace
a Cross Country Rider
from Round Rock TX
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$16.00 | | Purchased At: | EBAY | | Strengths: | it works, LOUD, adjustable volume, no batteries, chemicals, easy to mount and remove, gets drivers attention | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Bike Setup: | use horn on road bike and city bike | | Bottom Line: | This is the horn, loud enugh for SUV drivers on the cell phone to hear. Saved my grits a couple of times | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MA CR
a Weekend Warrior
from Guadalajara, Mx
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | City streets | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Unnamed local cycling store | | Strengths: | Loud, convenient use and refill, light (accesory weight matters when you have a heavy MTB and do a lot of uphills or grocery shopping). | | Weaknesses: | Hard to fill up to recommended pressure, but a few strokes with handpump are enough to get from home to job. Hose needs some kind of yienlding, and plstic trigger seems quite fragile, even it has stood my three children playing to date. Would be good that pitch could be changed; even the factory pitch setting is good and even funny, semms some car drivers pay more attention to lower pitches, more "car horn alike" ones. | | Similar Products Used: | Yelling, official traffic hand signing. | | Bike Setup: | Traditional Turbo MTB frame, no suspensions, 21 speed (7*3), Oasis gel seat, 26*2.1 tires, Giant rear bags on cheap Chinese rack and who-knows-branded electronic odometer. Bell helmet and Third Eye eyeglass mirror. Under seat bag with patches and basic tools; Mini Blast hand pump. | | Bottom Line: | The best of all, is how this horn calls attention efficiently among playing children, overnighted peasants or imprudential dogs, not to tell the increasing number of egotist and stressed card drivers, and quite a bunch of cyclers who roll out there without paying attention to their surrounding.
About the cons I've read here, let me tell you a tip my supplier gave me (¡viva México!): if your bottle seems too big or too small, or results damaged, practicaly any disposable PET soda bottle will work well. And to better protect the hose, fix it to _the side_ of your frame with isolating tape or pastic strips; this way I can mount my MTB to a car trunk rack without uninstalling the Air Zound gadgetry everytime. Mine has never fell in the spokes nor messed with brakes, even I have a lot of bumping and jumping almost everyday; I belive it may be my three isolating tape strips on the frame and that my handlebar mounting is slightly forced (I used the thick rubber strip from the package), so it is two milimeters wider than the horn mounting piece: even it was harder to lock one part on the other, they don't the minimal movement... And I've _ever_ unmounted the horn.
To the webmaster: an "habitual urban rider" category or something alike is missing here, not all us cyclers are weekend sportmen. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Loud, baby! Light. | | Weaknesses: | Difficult to position on the handlebars within easy reach of your thumb. Easy to knock loose. Could use more capacity. Can't be secured to the bike using the factory mount. A severed hose appears to be impossible to replace. It seems almost disposable compared to most bike components. | | Similar Products Used: | Bell, battery-powered horn, vocal cords, hand gestures. | | Bike Setup: | Carbon fiber Jamis Diablo URT frame with Rock Shox Duke and Cane Creek AD-12 shocks, Avid Ultimate brakes and levers, SRAM drive train (rear derailleur only), Easton MonkeyLite carbon bar, Shimano 16-spoke wheels and 1.4" tires with Slime tubes, Thomson seatpost, Light&Motion HID head light, SKS fenders, 20 year old Sella Italian Flight saddle...this was a mountain bike that became my commuter bike when I got a Santa Cruz Blur, but it still gets ridden virtually every day. | | Bottom Line: | Along with my Light&Motion HID head light and an LED tail light, I wouldn't commute without it. Even though mine popped off and fell into the spokes last week, I'm getting another one. It helps level the playing field. When a driver tries to intimidate me by starting to roll out into the intersection out of turn, a blast attracts everyone's attention and the moron has to back down now that everyone is looking our way. It's a learning experience. He or she may think twice next time.
I also lean hard on that button when someone is pulling out in front of me without looking or blabbing on the phone or is otherwise oblivious to my right to exist. I would expect the same treatment if I drove so stupid and any other driver would do the same. I do use discretion. I never use it on pedestrians or dogs, but I do love the results I get when I really need to protect myself from the criminally oblivious.
I've never had a driver try to retaliate, but if it did happen, using a full-suspension mountain bike for commuting allows me to perform maneuvers like hopping curbs and cutting across lawns and plazas where a motor vehicle can't follow.
Seriously, since it's us bike commuters who are reading these posts about a bike horn, don't get sucked into a road rage situation with someone surrounded by two tons of armor and a ugly mood. This horn draws everyone else's attention, which is your best protection.
That said, how about a sturdier, higher capacity version with a lower tone, more like a Mack truck. I'd buy it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a
from Portland, Oregon USA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Gallery on Hall Blvd. | | Strengths: | Gets attention, can be pumped up to 100 psi easily, well-built and is holding together nicely, doubles as a dog deterrant | | Weaknesses: | Spurs its own kind of road rage, spooks drivers out of their wits | | Similar Products Used: | My voice, middle finger, etc. | | Bike Setup: | Not relevant | | Bottom Line: | I bought this for one reason: To get the attention of cell-phone toting 'drivers' with their heads up their butts. I got to try it out the day after I bought it and nearly scared a woman in a Honda Accord out of her sunroof. Of course, it was justified after she proceeded to pull in front of me when I was halfway into the intersection. Anyway, I used it the other day after a Montero almost hit me head-on and she started screaming at me like Ralph Kramden yelling at Ed Norton. This kind of thing shouldn't happen to cyclists but this is about all we can do about it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from Boynton Beach,FL,USA
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$28.00 | | Purchased At: | Online Sports | | Strengths: | Pretty loud, once you remove the volume adjustment knob. I pump it up before each ride as recommended.
Higher pressure equals better volume. No problem with mount as mentioned elsewhere. As a matter of fact, it mounted very quickly and smoothly, even on my atypical electric scooter handlebar. | | Weaknesses: | Short bursts a must. Long "car horn" bursts suck down a lot of pressure. | | Similar Products Used: | F-word. Shouting "HEY!!!" | | Bike Setup: | Used on my electric scooter. Pressure bottle hides very well. | | Bottom Line: | Not perfect or as loud as I had hoped. Still, its a pretty good attention getter. In this state of 100 year old drivers and other inattentive drivers, it has worked well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stannous Flouride
a
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | roads | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$22.00 | | Purchased At: | Roberts Hardware, San Francisco | | Strengths: | In addition to being able to get the attention of busdrivers and cellphone users, the Air Zounds horn is also built very solidly. A recent accident which knocked me unconscious even with a helmet, trashed my front wheel, bent my fork, and crushed my alloy drop handlebars, the Air Zounds horn was squeezed between a heavy steel mesh basket and my handlebars and suffered no more than a couple of dings. It is made of plastic and by all rights should have been crushed but it still works fine. | | Weaknesses: | The quick-release (quick-steal) mechanism makes it hard to mount the horn in a way that allows you to hit it at the same time you're hitting your brakes (when you need it most) but it can be done. | | Similar Products Used: | bells, my voice | | Bike Setup: | old steel road bike frame with high-end accessories (brakes, hub brakes, radials, etc.) | | Bottom Line: | Trying to get a driver's attention with anything else is a joke! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Keewatin, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Mesabi trail | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar.com | | Strengths: | simplicity, volume | | Weaknesses: | capacity | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | mounts well on the handlebars. No problems with the clamp | | Bottom Line: | This is a great horn! It is very loud. I can warn pedestrians and animals on the trail from 50 yards or more. The re-fill valve works great. I have used mine for six months with no problems at all. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from ThunderBay Ont
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | citystreets | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Mountain Equip Coop | | Strengths: | LOUD, REALLY, REALLY LOUD. And easy to refill. And easy to remove, to point at dogs, taxis, etc. Also very light. Still going strong two years later. | | Weaknesses: | volume knob is tricky (but irrelevant anyway?). It cuts out when the temperature drops below minus 10 C (20 F?) | | Similar Products Used: | my voicebox | | Bike Setup: | 24 sp touring bike, and an old nishiki evolution | | Bottom Line: | great deal- I can get maybe 60 short blasts on each refill. I find the shorter blasts stretch out the time between refills; some reviewers suggest a big bottle: do not try to put a bigger bottle. I've heard the one litre bottles are only rated to 30 psi or so. Convenience is definitely not worth the risk! I recently added horn #2 to my bike. A double blast can be heard miles away! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lush Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from London, England
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | www.evanscycles.com | | Strengths: | Very very loud, light, simple. | | Weaknesses: | Difficult to fit, hard to get the button in a nice position without upsetting other controls. | | Similar Products Used: | Bell, electric horn thingy, home made electric siren. | | Bike Setup: | Not relevant | | Bottom Line: | Excellent product if you want to make yourself heard, just make sure that you are prepared for the abuse you may get back for daring to make your presence known. It is louder than most car horns! Have not experienced the weak clamp problem others have reported. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy Watson
a Downhiller
from London, UK
Date Reviewed: January 8, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Upper Thames St EC4 ;) | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | www.SimpsonsCycles.co.uk | | Strengths: | Great. I'm commute to work in London about 10 miles each way and this product allows me to be more relaxed about careless motorists. When you see someone is about to cut you up, you can give them a preventative toot. When someone has cut you up, you can toot them. When someone toots you, you can toot them back... Just rememember to pump it up every day or two.
| | Weaknesses: | I've been through about 5 of these - the clips kept breaking. But it's quite cheap (for how useful it is).
I can't mount it properly on my handlebars. I had to mess with the brakes & shifts and it's pointing the wrong way now (kindof down at the ground) | | Similar Products Used: | You can only shout swear words, and that makes you the aggressive unreasonable one. This product means you don't have to shout. Ergo it makes you a more reasonable cyclist.
| | Bike Setup: | Specialized Crossroads A1 Sport (FLR?) comfort bike. | | Bottom Line: | I almost wouldn't cycle in town without this.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Roy
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria BC
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Kettle Valley Railroad | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | Mountain Equipment Co-op | | Strengths: | Loud, Loud, Loud which we need on our year round morning commute to school by tandem and single. I find it good for the on road commute (it will get the attention of drivers in closed window cars) and not bad for our extensive networ of off-road shared trails aka the Galloping Goose (it'll scare the poop out of horses and elders so watch it on shared paths.) | | Weaknesses: | Lousy clamp--well documented by others. Mine also seems to be non functional at the moment_I cannot fill it and I cannot figure out why!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Very loud backwoods emergency whistle (its cheap and it works but you have to ride with the damn thing in your mouth.) | | Bike Setup: | For Commuting and some off-road- KHS Tandemania Comp Tandem w Deore/Shimano circa 1997 towing a Burley D'Lite folding trailer. Tandem has adapted pedals on rear for 7 year old stoker (shortened crank arms.)
Also ride offroad and backcountry tour with this setup or Cannondale F1000 (1997) with full XT/Coda. | | Bottom Line: | Good but I wish they'd make the thing easier to take apart (so I could see if the tube is kinked under the restrictor thingy) and fix that clamp. I like the better and bigger bottle suggestions. When it worked I had to pump it every two days or so...... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joerky
a Cross Country Rider
from Bremen - Germany
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Olli's Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Yeah - that´s fun!!! It´s the first device which is loud enough! | | Weaknesses: | The Bottle ist too small - i replaced it with a normal 1 Liter Coke Bottle. | | Similar Products Used: | Normal bell - forgett it!!! | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Vertex Team Only - RockShox Judy SL | | Bottom Line: | A lot of fun for a good price! An it works well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Munt-Davies
a Racer
from Isle of Wight
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Expedia UK on-line Store | | Strengths: | I live and cycle to work on an Island where the average driver age seems to be in excess of one hundred years old! This horn has saved my life on several occasions. | | Weaknesses: | Fitting to racing bars is not easy plus the cable is too short.
The cable has now split and i do not seem to be able to buy a replacement in the UK. Do I have to buy the whole thing new and throw the old one out? | | Similar Products Used: | None. | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Allez racer used for weekend fun and commuting to work. | | Bottom Line: | If I can find the replacement part I'm looking for I think the thing is great value and an essential safety feature for road users. If I cant find the part then it's still a great safety device but no longer good value! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a fred
a
from CA
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Loud, refillable pressure canister. | | Weaknesses: | Poor mounting bracket, the hose is too short. They loose a chili for that. | | Bike Setup: | Raleigh Sport Comfrort bike, heavily modified. | | Bottom Line: | Throw away the cheap quick release mounting bracket. I mounted mine with zip ties. Through the top loop, over the bars on each side of the horn, then through the bottom loop of the horn at the back. Zip tight. Use two small zip ties to cinch the main one super tight. Before doing that it fell off whenever I touched it. Now it stays put! Delta customer support was EXCELLENT! Immediate e-mail reply & they immediately mailed me what I needed to improve the mounting of the bottle at no charge!
Don't use thing thing as revenge! I've used it only to warn people backing out of driveways with limited visibility that I was there, and in similar situations. They respond immediately! Respond first, question later! Also useful in situations where you are turning left in the suicide lane and somebody merges into the lane coming right at you while looking behind them! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brett
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz, CA
Date Reviewed: February 1, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Nisene Marks | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | loud, simple refill mechanism, at least in principle | | Weaknesses: | fragile: poor mounting mechanism led to breakage of clip on one, valve failed on the second... 2 broke in 3 months, now looking for new solution... needs frequent refills with any kind of use at all... | | Similar Products Used: | numerous bells, yodelling, yelling... yodelling works best so far... | | Bike Setup: | Greenspeed recumbent trike (GTR) loaded... Sclumphf mountain gearing up front, triple hydralic disk brakes, Shimano 3x7 shifter in rear... gps etc. etc. | | Bottom Line: | The concept is great: air refillable cannister with fairly loud sound.... too bad it's made like a cheap plastic toy... once a piece of ABS plastic gives way, or the valve goes, it's a throwaway... can't take any kind of punishment at all... wish I could find something like this made like a real bike part or car part... anyone have any ideas? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Weekend Warrior
from Ann Arbor, Mi.
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Poto! | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Use your search engine! Bought off the internet. | | Strengths: | Wow!....You can almost feel the sound. Sure makes my cat leave the room in a hurry, (heh heh).
I like the fact you can create the volume of the horn by the amount of pressure you apply to the horn button.
(Light touch, light horn..Heavy touch, LOUD horn)!
As long as your horn holds up, there is nothing to purchase to keep it going, like batteries. Just keep refilling with air as needed.
The horn comes with an excessively long air hose. Actually, that is a strength because you can cut it to adjust to your particular ride. The police around here on bikes use this horn and we have a hard time finding them in stores so I found it on the internet.
| | Weaknesses: | Not a good handle mount. If you use what comes with the horn, it will wiggle, waggle, and flop around your handle bars. I suggest you read a few posts down to see how another rider solved his problem. I'm going to give his suggestion a go. | | Similar Products Used: | "Excuse Me"--"Watch Out"--"Beep Beep" | | Bike Setup: | Kestrel CSX loaded up. | | Bottom Line: | Good product. Using only air to operate the horn you could run out of air before you reach your destination with heavy use. You can easily fill you horn back up at a gas station or with your hand held pump. It's not a big deal. I do kind of wonder if the plastic bottle will fatigue after long-term use. Only time will tell. At the present, no problem.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stefan
a Racer
from Rome, Italy
Date Reviewed: January 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Roman City Roads | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Very loud, light, easy to refill. | | Weaknesses: | Bottle containing pressurized air not solid enough.
On EXPLODED on me when refilling at a gas station: the noise of the explosion was even louder that the honk it used to make. A piece of flying plastic actually cut my leg through heavy woolen pants. Lucky me that it did't fly towards my eyes! A sticker on the bottle says that extreme cold inhibits performance. Well, it was somewhat chilly in Rome that day and the manager of the gas-station attributed the cold to the explosion. However, there's a biiiig difference between an inhibited performance and an explosion. Also, the temperatures in Rome never get anywhere near the cold seen in Canada - where the horn is made. The manufacturer should modify the design to re-enforce the container or use aluminum as they do on similar products for boats as they risk expensive suits. (Not from me as the damage was minor)
Also, the capacity is too limited: the horn still works after 15 honks but the effect is limited, so frequent refills are necessary (2-3/week in my case). | | Similar Products Used: | Good old bells: I actually carry a normal bell just for pedestrians as the horn is too loud for them. (However, when they do not react I use the horn: that usually works and leaves them puzzled!!) | | Bike Setup: | A 28" german-built "city bike" w/ 7-gear Shimano Nexus shift integrated into the hub, Shimano Nexave V-brake in front, hydraulic cantilever in back, lsm-suspension fork. | | Bottom Line: | Good product but not foolproof as explosion of bottle shows.
Stronger and bigger container desirable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Weekend Warrior
from London, UK
Date Reviewed: September 22, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Thetford forest | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
The look on pedestrians faces when you give them a shot of it from anything less than 10 yards.
Very loud, simple and reliable. | | Weaknesses: |
Having to pump it up every half hour or so, especially if you ride where the car drivers are as aggressive/blind/incompetent as they are in london.
Quite bulky. | | Similar Products Used: |
I did try an electric buzzer thing once - it was OK, but nothing like as much fun as this - also it stopped working reliably after about 6 months | | Bike Setup: |
Scott peak - all standard - not much to look at but does the job - I need something faster for city work - any ideas? | | Bottom Line: | Really is very very loud, and an absolute essential for riding in the city. Buy one. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tommy
a Weekend Warrior
from nyc
Date Reviewed: August 12, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
does the job | | Weaknesses: |
none | | Similar Products Used: |
usin the f word | | Bike Setup: |
scwhinn dual carbon, spins, judy 100 | | Bottom Line: | if you ride in nyc, you'll run out of air in half hour blastin this sh*t.....but well worth the money | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom Gleeman
a Weekend Warrior
from Mtn. View, CA 94041
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Stevens Creek Trail | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
The horn is Kick Ass Loud | | Weaknesses: |
The mounting clamp provides a loose
mount for the horn. See set up for
a better Air Zound installation below:
. | | Bike Setup: |
A better Air Zound installation is to throw
away the clamp and remove the volume
adjuster valve. Keep the rubber pad. Use a
cable tie through the hole left by the volume
valve to clamp the horn body to the outside
of the hand brake clamp. Add 2 more cable
ties on either side of the horn body on the
hand grip and the handle bar. Loop a fourth
cable tie under both cable ties and over the
horn body and PULL TIGHT! The horn
will be on top and slightly tilted down with
the red button up side down RIGHT NEXT
TO YOUR THUMB for an easier reach. The
horn is tighter than the factory supplied
clamp. I am using 2 Air Zounds on a aluminum,
Mongoose with Rock Shock Jett C's on the
front and a DVM mono shock on the back. | | Bottom Line: | Use this horn to save your life. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
louis
a Cross-Country Rider
from chicago
Date Reviewed: June 2, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
design, performance | | Similar Products Used: |
bells, compressed air horns | | Bike Setup: |
caribike urban, montague cx | | Bottom Line: | This product is a breakthru. It's a safety device that's fun to use. This horn is so loud that auto and truck drivers instinctively yield right-of-way first, then ask questions later. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fred
a Cross-Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 12, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Loud
Cheap
Rechargable | | Weaknesses: |
None | | Bottom Line: | A very good investment. You should see the looks on their faces after they cut you off with one of these! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Abe
a
from Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 27, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Style: Daily CommuterI have had this horn for 6 months now, and I would not ride without it. In the city, pedestrians cross against the lights (especially on the smaller intersections) - THIS HORN CLEARS THE ROAD !!
I also use it to warn drivers - especially taxis when they are about to pull out from the curb.Yes - it is loud, but I am a bike rider, and not a car, I have no outer armour,
I will not take any chances with my health or my life.I have had no problems with the horn. I have actually tried to pump it up by hand, but the valve came out a bit when I moved the pump too much. Now when I use it, it hisses a bit before it makes the normal horn sound (I can live with this). Now I only pump it up at a service station.Fellow riders all ask me Wow that's really loud, where did you get it ?Yours Digitally,Abe. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JOE MO FO
a downhiller
from SAN JOSE
Date Reviewed: January 5, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
This is great when there are old PEOPLE WALKING IN YOUR PATH, AND THE LITTLE TINY DING DING BELL DOES NOTHING! THIS WILL GIVE THEM A HEART ATTACH AND IT WELL GET THEM RUNNING IN NO TIME!!!!!!!!!!IF SOME DUMB KID DRIVER OR OLD NAG DRIVER GETS IN MY WAY I BLOW TH HORN AND WATCH OUT!@!!!! THIS THING I SO F**K**G LOUD, IT ALMOST HURTS TO PRESS IT ON THE BIKEE!!!!!! GET ONE AND RIDE LIKE A WILD MAN !!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michi Henning
a weekend warrior
from Brisbane, Australia
Date Reviewed: December 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This horn is engineered really well. Light, small, easy to install, simple
components that are not likely to fail, small footprint on the handlebar.
Ah, and of course, it is *extremely* loud (although you can turn it down
with a built-in volume control).I highly recommend it. By tapping lightly on the horn, you can emit a civilized
toot that won't leave pedestrians with a heart attack. Yet, press down, and
you have a horn that is as loud as the loudest truck horns.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron
a weekend warrior
from Victoria, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just got this baby today from Aardvark bike store. The reason for me buying it was due to the first person that reviewed this product. Man was he right in every way. It is extremely loud, easy to setup, very lightweight, etc, etc. If you ride a fair amount in the city, and HATE drivers, this horn is the best thing you can do.
My next project against cars is to devise a way I can carry eggs with me, so if I get cut off, their car gets it! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Skip
a weekend warrior
from Santa Cruz, CA
Date Reviewed: April 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Just about the best thing I put on my bike. Very loud and easily refillable. I use it every time I cross in front of a car waiting to enter the road I am on if I don't get eye contact, among other occasions. Much safer commute now, and feels better being able to tell idiot drivers to eat it, too. When you get used to the trigger, you can tap it to give a lighter, pedestrian-size watch out toot. Only complaint: You can remove it without tools. What do bike accessory manufacturers think? That we take off every damn thing every time we lock up? The bracket it also a little flimsy.Skip | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dinesh
a weekend warrior
from SINGAPORE
Date Reviewed: January 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
his thing is LOUD! VERY LOUD!! Exactly as I wanted to get even with inconsiderate cars and
bigger vehicles.
Living on a island city like Singapore means that whenever you go biking you're going to have to
deal with urban traffic. To get to the out of the way places, you have to share your road with idiots
who just don't know how (or want) to give way to cyclists. The worst thing is that these guys get
away scot free. No more! One blast form the Air Horn is enough to wake these guys up.(I hope).
One caution is that you should never use it too close to pedestrians. On a full setting, the horn might
just give someone a heart attack. Keep the horn away from small kids and other irresponsible
people! Also, if you use it on the wrong victim, you might just end up a victim of a road bully. So be
careful!
CONSTRUCTION:-
The entire system is very light. The weight is practically unnoticeable. It consists of two main parts :-
the bottle and the S-shaped horn. The bottle is none other than an empty plastic 'mineral water'
bottle. There is a plastic tube passing through the top cap of the bottle which has a plastic
wraparound to further prevent the cap from screwing out. Delta replied to my e-mail that in the
event that the bottle needed replacement (if you had a bad crash) you could use any plastic bottle.
This sounds good because replacing the bottle would be easy with some minor modifications to
accommodate the air-tube. I suppose the top cap of the original bottle could be used on a similarly
sized drink bottle.
The air tube is long enough to go round the bike top tube or down tube a few times with the bottle
placed in the cage on either the seat tube or down tube.
The horn also comes supplied with Velcro fasteners so that you can place the bottle on the
underside of the top tube. This is good if you need the water bottle cage to keep a water bottle or
your battery for your light system.
The plastic S-shaped horn is attached to the handlebar by a C-shaped plastic clip which is tightened
to fit around the handlebar via a Philips screw. The instructions say to just slide the S-shaped unit
over the C-clip. This is easier said than done as is the same when you try to remove the S-unit. It
escapes me why the designers could not come up with an easier way to place and remove the
S-unit. The set up allows for some movement by the S-unit. This allowance may be good in
situations where too much force (as in a crash) is applied to the S-unit because the unit would not
easily break off the mount.
OUTPUT ADJUSTMENT:-
One niggle about the horn is that although the output is adjustable, it is somewhat difficult to change
the output whilst cycling (by turning a lever which restricts the flow of air) when the horn is set up
below the handlebar because the brake lever, gear shifter and cables get in the way. If the horn is set
up above the handlebar, it would be easier to adjust it but more difficult to activate the press-on
trigger. I keep the output set at full because of the noise of city traffic and the fact that all drivers are
somewhat shielded by their enclosed cabins and because most situations where you would need to
use the horn would be sudden and quick.
RECHARGING:-
The horn can be recharged via lifting the press-on activator, turning the air flow valve to full and
using your shraeder valved pump or a gas station air pump to fill up the bottle. The instructions say
to fill the bottle at 100psi. This is much easier with the gas station air pump of course. It takes about
15 seconds to do this (or less if you are deft at doing this).
CONCLUSION:-
The horn is useful in city traffic but can sometimes be a bit of an overkill. Choose your victims
carefully. The horn is also great if you get a flat unknown to your cycling buddies who are out of
earshot. When you think of the other types of battery operated horns on the market, the Air Horn
sounds like a good idea in the long run (you save on buying batteries). This is especially so because
we tend to use horns more in urban traffic. Use it only when you have to at the higher setting. | | Overall Rating: |
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