[aBicycle]

Is the air zounds still the best horn?

What MTB rear derailleurs will work with a 10 speed front bar end shifter? I'm thinking of going back down to a 9 speed MTB cassette. I'm guessing I'll have the change that shifter too?

And are there any mirrors like the take a look, but better? Less breaky?

 

[aBicycle]

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[wschruba]

1) I guess, but may not be legal, depending on your jurisdiction.

2) Supposedly, Shimano 10 speed bar end shifters work well with 9 speed Shimano shadow derailleurs. I haven't personally done it, but have numerous reports from other mechanics that say it works fine. 9 speed Shimano is cross-compatible between road and mountain, 10 is not. Use at your own risk.

3) Anything that hangs off anywhere is going to break eventually. Personally, the Take-a-Look is my favorite commercial helmet mirror. Mirracyle makes bar end mirrors for both flat and drop bars, so that's another option.

 

[fotooutdoors]

If Dropping to 9 speed, you could friction shift if your bar ends are the version that can switch between friction and index. Not sure if I would want to always friction shift, but I often do because I am lazy about adjusting my rear derailleur

Sent from a one-finger keyboard...pardon my autocorrect

 

[Cayenne_Pepa]

Don't trust the mirror.....they cannot tolerate crashes and its hard to predict the distance and speed of something behind you, plus simply NOTHING beats the safety procedure known as craning your neck.

 

[big_papa_nuts]

You will not be able to use a 10 speed shifter on a 9 speed cassette without an adaptor. Check out the J-tek Shiftmate.

Airzounds rule. I took mine off because the got in the way though. I wish they had a remote button. The Hornit is decent, but it doesn't sound like a horn so people don't know how to react.

 

[wschruba]

Let me back up a bit.

You can use a 9 speed rear shadow derailleur with 10 speed Shimano bar ends as part of a 10 speed system.

Otherwise, you have to deal with 9 speed.

 

[Harold]

You can use a 9 speed rear shadow derailleur with 10 speed Shimano bar ends as part of a 10 speed system.

I do this on my bike. I have a 9spd SLX shadow rear derailleur on a 10spd road shifter (microshift, for shimano cable pull) and an 11-36 mtb 10spd cassette.

I have never heard that the AirZound may be illegal anywhere. keep in mind that they will not fit on oversized bars without modifications. I haven't used mine for a long time because of this, and I haven't felt like modding it yet. It's definitely effective, though.

 

[wschruba]

Nate, not illegal, strictly speaking, but not enough by itself according to local NJ laws. They require a sounding device that is not a horn, for whatever reason.

To be fair, you'd really have to PO an officer to get a citation for that alone.

 

[Harold]

Nate, not illegal, strictly speaking, but not enough by itself according to local NJ laws. They require a sounding device that is not a horn, for whatever reason.

To be fair, you'd really have to PO an officer to get a citation for that alone.

Interesting. Most state laws I'm aware of don't put any kinds of limitations on the types of devices you use on a bike for "audible signaling". Might be some variation on some laws I'm aware of that do not permit you to install, say, a semi horn on your econobox to make it "sound" bigger than it is. But for audible signaling, I think that's not the point that the AirZound and similar devices are trying to make. The point is that for a bike that is used on the roads with cars, you need an audible device loud enough to penetrate the cabin of an automobile. A ding-ding bell isn't going to be heard AT ALL. All that's useful for is for pedestrians and maybe other cyclists on the MUP. Worthless on the road with traffic.

 

[wschruba]

My mistake. You can't have a siren or whistle.

 

[aBicycle]

I don't know what the hell I was thinking when I wrote that.

I meant 10 speed cassette and shifter. Just needed to know the right MTB derailleur to use.

And why does it have to be a shadow?

 

[woodway]

My commuter has drop bars with this mirror attached. It's been there for five years and over 30,000 miles without breaking. You do have to tighten it up every once in a while.

Amazon.com : Third Eye Bar End Bicycle Mirror : Bike Mirrors : Sports & Outdoors

 

[Medic Zero]

You will not be able to use a 10 speed shifter on a 9 speed cassette without an adaptor. Check out the J-tek Shiftmate.

Airzounds rule. I took mine off because the got in the way though. I wish they had a remote button. The Hornit is decent, but it doesn't sound like a horn so people don't know how to react.

I had to flip mine over so it is upside-down to fit on my handlebars with my rapid-fire shifters and still have it where I wanted it.

As far as I am concerned, my Airzoundz and my helmet mirror (Safe Zone) are as important as lights. I never ride without all three.

 

[Bimmer74]

I have a Zefal Spy on the left bar of every bike I ride. I can look between my left arm and torso to see what's approaching from the left rear (when I'm in the bike lane, it's a good view of the lane closest to me).

Zachariah is right that it's not a good "negative" indicator (if you can't see a car, then there might be a car, anyway), but it's an excellent "positive" indicator (if you do see a car, then there IS a car there).

 

[jrm]

Use a short or mid cage. No. No

 

[Whatbrakes]

The airzound is the best of the simplest solutions that I have seen. The only other option for me would be a car/motorcycle horn and a drill battery or something similar. I did this mounting mod which works well. I happened to find my airzound on craigslist 3yrs ago for $7.00. The guy used it while walking his dog.

Airzounds rule. I took mine off because the got in the way though. I wish they had a remote button. The Hornit is decent, but it doesn't sound like a horn so people don't know how to react.

This remote mod is next on my list.
AirZound Air Button