Video: Friday Fails #118

May 15, 2020
by Pinkbike Originals  

We say Friday, you say fails!

Author Info:
pinkbikeoriginals avatar

Member since Feb 15, 2012
1,095 articles

132 Comments
  • 101 1
 Thankfully the tree took that bell outta commission at 2:29
  • 18 8
 I ended up buying one of these:
www.mtbbell.com

I put it on for solo rides when it's busy or solo rides when the trails take me to places where I might spook a bear in sections.

Here is a guy reviewing it. I have the same conclusions. Good buy for just over $20.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_coEyE_2NA
  • 12 0
 Agree generally with Arepiscopo, but Sedona trails are often very busy with hikers.
  • 22 0
 In my neck of the woods, if you plow into a hiker at mach 4 around a blind corner, but you have a bell on, they'll apologize for being in your way and thank you for wearing a bell.

If you pass them at 3mph going uphill WITHOUT a bell, they'll give you a snarky, "Where's your bell?"
  • 42 0
 @rrolly: Can you not just get louder hubs and scream Alice in Chains songs on the descents like everyone else?!
  • 70 0
 @stoo61: Whenever I think of scaring wildlife away I think of the woman on Vancouver Island that saw a cougar and blasted Metallica at it, which made it take off. I laugh because it's probably the first time in history a cougar wasn't attracted to Metallica. Wink
  • 1 0
 @stoo61: Right? Can we get this poor man an I9? Or even a Nukeproof Horizon?
  • 2 0
 I hate the sound of them but there are a lot of trails in CO as well (video is in Sedona) where you can get REAL fast on and hikers or even other bikers don't have any idea you're there even with loud hubs. I honestly need to get one that @rrolly posted.
  • 13 0
 @rrolly: The snare sound from St Anger has proven to deter most predators. And anything with ears or rudimentary sensory organs.
  • 1 0
 @rrolly: You win the internets for today.
  • 1 0
 @rrolly: you devil ????
  • 30 1
 @NorCalNomad: Agreed.

Haha, all the hate for the bell.

I have a timber bell, pretty sure that's what he is using. I HATE the damn thing. Most annoying sound in the world, tempted to just rip it off and throw it on most rides. Fortunately it has an off switch so you can silence it when climbing.

The worst part? Damn thing works. Since I have been using it, hikers have been nothing but polite and have even yielded the trail to me. Even had a group of 5 elderly hikers all want to thank me for using it and were all smiles.

The trails here in AZ are packed with hikers/walkers/families/dogs. Relying on your loud hubs doesn't work. And a manual bell pisses hikers off. Now since other riders are now using these bells, it has become the standard. Before I got mine, I had an elderly hiker curse me out and yell at me for not having one. So...it is what it is. I can deal with some annoyance if it means I can actually have a good ride without hiker interference.

Besides, we are all dorks anyway, you aren't any cooler without the bell. No matter what PB/the industry/your friends say.
  • 6 0
 @KavuRider: yeah I've experienced the same - people actually jump off the trail for me if I'm wearing a bell.
  • 5 0
 @KavuRider: Same.... I absolutely HATE the sound, but absolutely love the results. Too bad I have to listen to it as well.
  • 2 2
 @txclg: I would have thought other people on the trails would find the sound of bells annoying and a disturbance. If have to make noise when you are riding, why wouldn't you just play music on your phone or something that a bit more palatable then a bell?
  • 2 0
 @rrolly: This comment is Amazing!!
  • 9 0
 @tbubier: Bear in mind, what I am about to say is from the hiker's perspective NOT mine:

music playing on your phone = seen as only for the rider. Also...we have a lot of elderly hikers here who pretty much control the trails. Unless you are playing classical/hits from the 50's, I doubt they will appreciate it.

bell ringing = seen as FOR the hikers/walkers. Sounds innocent, friendly. Reminds them of kids.

The perspective makes all the difference. So far, all of the hikers have loved the bell and many have stopped and thanked me for using it.
  • 2 0
 @KavuRider: Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense. I LOLed hard at the "reminds them of kids".
  • 2 0
 @DidNotSendIt: not to get to audiophile on everybody, but this is because later metallica (and other artists) crank up the compression so they can make everything louder without having hotspots. The resulting sound waves actually push animals, hikers and even small trees out of your way.
  • 2 0
 no bell on the mountain bike but 2 on the commuter:

1) a regularly "ring ring" for everybody
2) an electric air-horn for the oblivious ignorers of #1

I should add a go-pro to catch their reactions...
  • 2 0
 @rrolly: a 9 minute video for just a bell?
  • 1 0
 @plyawn: Is "crank up the compression" tech jargon for "Lars recorded his drum parts in a metal bin"?

(Fun Fact: metal bin is the part of the record store where you can find St Anger on sale)

I assume he really liked the the way it echoed when he said "Uumm..." in there and thought it would make the drums sound awesome.

For what it's worth, i thought Hardwired was a banger. Master Of Puppets will always be my all time favourite though. I was never that keen on the Black album but people get upset when i say that.

Although i don't know why anyone is bothering to make music anymore while Mastodon exist.
  • 1 0
 @rrolly: So we need a Bell that plays Metallica mash up with (What song makes most cougars run?)
  • 2 0
 @asmtb: Obviously including For Whom The Bell Tolls.
  • 2 0
 @tbubier: There are a few bird watchers who are annoyed but at least that user group is even smaller than bikers. #boomers
  • 1 1
 Agreed that bell probably would drive most nuts. Better off upgrading hub engagement to something fast and loud if you want to warn other trail users.
  • 3 0
 @trails801: the problem is that most hikers don't immediately recognize the sound of a loud hub and think "bike".

On a few occasions I have had people think it's a rattlesnake haha.

As annoying as the bell is...it works.
  • 2 0
 @KavuRider: yep Timber bell. Annoying but amazing. I tend to treat mine like a dropper lever...would I want to crash into someone here? No. Flick...and it has worked on so many occasions.
  • 2 0
 Nobody wins against a tree
  • 2 0
 @KavuRider: as much as I hate to admit it, I’ve had the same experience.
  • 2 0
 @Alvey72: used it again today. Annoying bell ringing like mad. Had 3 hikers yield the trail with a smile.

Damn bell. Haha.
  • 1 0
 @KavuRider: Yeah I had the obnoxious thing running the whole time and I had two groups of people yield the trail and thank me. I don't love the noise but it definitely improves the ride experience on the SoCal trails.
  • 1 0
 @aka-bigsteve: We're all tight, singletrack around here in WNY. I usually can count on loud hubs but sometimes people really aren't paying attention. I should get a bell but I just never think about it.
  • 1 0
 @Arepiscopo: I don't have it on all the time. And when I have the Timber Bell on my bike, I only turn it "on" when I'm about to enter blind sections or when there's tall grass, streams, or other bear areas.
  • 34 1
 Jolanda Neff at the end going sideways - LOL
  • 5 0
 JoCodylanda KelNeffey you mean
  • 23 1
 Some brutal tree encounters there but the ringing bell thing is pure gold
  • 4 0
 I was surprised that crash happened. Surely the bell is a safety feature?
  • 8 0
 @DidNotSendIt: He probably has GXP crankset, wanted to distract himself from constant creaking. But that abrupt silence... some of the best stuff out there
  • 3 0
 @DidNotSendIt: Having a bell in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah can be really helpful since there are so many more trail users than just mountain bikers and they always somehow seem oblivious to bikers. Hell there are some trails that during the warm months aren't even worth going on after 10am since there are so many other users on the trail.
  • 1 0
 @NorCalNomad: I'm quite lucky that any trails i ride MTB are for bike use only and walkers have their own trails to use.

The promenade where i used to cycle for pleasure (ice cream, yum) had a lot of pedestrians on it though. And even though the particularly wide path was split in two and clearly lane-marked bikes and pedestrians, the oblivious muppets still got the hump with you for cycling in the cycle lane that they're walking in. So yeah, i used to have a bell on my bike for there.
  • 2 0
 @NorCalNomad: I am not saying having a bell is stupid or discussing whether bell is more real than beeper and which one is best for carbon bar. The abrupt stop of ringing due to crashing was funny.
  • 21 0
 To the guy at 0:22..... i hope you're alive......
  • 3 0
 His knees aren't
  • 2 0
 That's the stuff of nightmares!
  • 4 0
 That feeling of watching the landing pass by and your still sailin...
  • 12 0
 I almost reflexively bailed out of my office chair watching that. He would have been so much better off tossing the bike.
  • 4 1
 That one gave me the chills.
  • 9 1
 My 12 year old had almost that EXACT wreck about a month ago (to the point that I yelled into the other room: check out the wreck at :22, that's exactly what yours looked like). Poor decision to hit a new big gap for first time without anyone to tow him in and help judge speed. Overcooked it by about 3x the speed required and overshot the landing by a good 20 feet.

He bailed from his bike before this guy did, pretty much right past the apex, but he still landed pretty much just just like that. Unfortunately, I only caught the first of the jump on video, then he went so high he was out of frame, then I tossed my phone and started running to him before he ever hit the ground... so no good video.

Two broken wrists and not much else, luckily. Lots of fun wiping his butt for the last month. At least it's only temporary. Could have been much worse.
  • 10 0
 @Hogfly: dude...I'd have bought a Bidet on day 1 haha
  • 3 0
 It's footage of Space X's new prototype landing procedure Razz
  • 3 0
 @IsaacO: A friend of a friend broke both wrists and said he laid out tp on the edge of the bathtub and would drag his ass along it, sorta like a dog dragging it's ass on carpet.
  • 1 0
 Running a lefty threw him off
  • 19 0
 Fuck, this one was brutal
  • 14 0
 Carnage today. Total carnage
  • 19 6
 I rather be eaten by a bear or a mountain lion or whatever the fuck than ride with that bell.
  • 5 0
 Make sure never to visit Southern California then! Riding with a bell is practically a necessity on most trails.
  • 2 0
 Pretty sure it's a tinderbell, they are annoying AF if you leave them on all of the time but you can turn them off, only use mine on busy days and on the downhills
  • 1 0
 @pumpjumpnflow: Nah I wont, ran into a bear in South Lake Tahoe, well I skidded hard managed to scare it and I hid behind a tree (thats the rules right, shit yourself then hide behind a tree?) Also, ran into bears with cubs in BC a few times and I guess I got lucky AND I didnt have my ear drums pierced by a bell. Win win.
  • 2 0
 @stoo61: Wildlife isn't the concern... 2 legged oblivious hikers that can sue me for their obliviousness are. I'd rather ride without one, but lately there have been Sunday hikers in places they shouldn't be.
  • 10 1
 PB just put the bell one on this episode to see how many of you Hodads are true Friday Fails Groupies. If you were you would have known that was in one a few months ago. Geez. Now back to the number of near death tree encounters in this one. Wow.
  • 14 2
 Buy/Sell ads for these bikes - low miles, only ridden three times!
  • 10 0
 This bike practically rides itself!
  • 15 0
 Only ridden tree times!
  • 2 0
 Never crashed, only pedaled around the block .
  • 9 0
 Is it just me or did I see a few "reruns" from past Friday Fails in this edition. Like the guy with the bell, smacking' his hand on limb stump?
  • 11 0
 1:50 gets my vote.
  • 10 0
 Holy Moses, that and 3:20 could've been broken necks.
  • 6 0
 That one and 3:20 were brutal.
  • 2 0
 Came here to say the same. I don't usually watch with the sound on, those two are examples why.
  • 1 0
 this and 3:20 are exactly why I always wear a fullface...
  • 1 0
 sooo bad!!!
  • 1 0
 @jmcapra2018: My votes as well...how are they still alive?!
  • 9 0
 Nuts exploding at 3:13??
  • 3 0
 Maybe he broke the sound barrier Smile
  • 7 0
 hats off to all the folks practicing nose wheelies in the middle of a rock garden.
  • 7 0
 this friday's lesson: don't follow so close
  • 3 0
 I often watch this with my 7 year old daughter, she loves it. She comments I could have made that easy, I couldn't make that, that was dumb,,, depending on the crash. She can be fairly judgmental. Last summer watching Friday Fails I had to explain to her its ok to say F!!! if you are actually bleeding.
  • 3 0
 I didn't realize it was Wash-out Wednesday.

a few observations:

* Some of the ones involving trees look particularly painful
* Almost everything in snow should be culled. They're typically the worst riders with bad ideas and weak fails.
* The guy who blew out his tube on that big hit did not fail - he should wait until tomorrow for Saturday Saves
* Although I know it makes me a bad person, several of these people deserved what they got. examples: slowly edging the front tire into the biggest bomb hole you can find, making a jump out of a log and old upholstered couch(?)...

Overall very decent set, especially the rapid-fire series of crashes in the front half. 8 out of 10
  • 6 0
 I've never seen someone's backpack stripped off!! He got mugged!!
  • 6 0
 did the second to last guy just sling shot around a tree using his head?
  • 4 0
 It still amazes me the amount of riders with just a helmet on....elbows, knees and hands need protection too
  • 5 1
 1:47 so freaky, the speed and what felt like a blind send into dark forest.
  • 1 0
 Totally
  • 2 0
 I was scared for sure
  • 2 0
 2:33 is like "ah yeah, that was a sweet manual... little skeeze off this bump jump, man I'm killing it... pump this loose turn... and now I'm on the ground getting run over by my friend".

2:33 is all of us
  • 4 0
 At 2:25 that tree was sick of hearing that bell.
  • 1 0
 Well, I had a bit more sympathy for the failees this week, as Friday's ride ended up in A&E :-( And I couldn't find my GoPro yesterday, so it can't even make it into next week's Fails!
  • 3 0
 1:52... closed one eye to watch... holy crap
  • 3 0
 3:10 Was that his nut busting?
  • 1 0
 Shots fired!
  • 3 0
 Lots of Italian swearing this week.
3:11 was it a sniper?
  • 2 0
 I spotted Val di Sole, Paganella and maybe Canazei
  • 1 0
 1:07 Carlo goes into the bushes with what sounds like 10 friends laughing "Ohhh Carlo!!" I can't explain why I liked that one so much.
  • 1 0
 was a quarter of this video dedicated the the idiot on the Evil and his friend who can't stay upright?
  • 2 0
 Either that or his confidence deflating rapidly..
  • 3 1
 PB can we see videos of the aftermath damage on the body? Bike?
  • 2 0
 I have been asking for this for a while, PB listen to the people!!!!
  • 2 0
 1:31 and 1:49 have to be the two scariest ones yet...
  • 2 0
 1:31 was the winner for me. Never expected him to suddenly Hit the B button on the controller on that 2nd tabletop!!!

Must have been going for the Turbo bonus shortcut in the woods hidden in the game code.
  • 1 0
 @blowmyfuse: It's not rare on that track. It's so easy and flat that most tourists go warp speed even on the very first run. Then 3 tabletops in sequence and some of them win the helitour...
  • 1 0
 @flowisforpussies: I'm still pulling fibers from my chair out of my arse, it puckered so hard when I saw him boost. Beer
  • 1 0
 All those people pushing the front end to much in loose dirt conditions as if they were on pavement !
  • 1 0
 Orange lowers went from being the way to tell if a guy was pro or not, to a pretty much guaranteed way into Fail Friaday's
  • 1 0
 1:57. When you need to use your own arm to move your leg, probably not a good sign.
  • 1 0
 Thought this week would be nasty tree free, then bam, 1:53. That gave me a headache just watching it.
  • 1 0
 0:26 - Pretty sure that is NOT how you play lawn darts!
  • 1 0
 0:31 is that Pennywise the clown I hear?
  • 1 0
 Was that actually jolanda neff????
  • 2 2
 Recycling joke:
JoCodylanda KelNeffey you mean
  • 1 0
 OTB-Friday, it's a thing now Big Grin
  • 1 0
 It looked like every one was on flats and had a dropper.............
  • 1 0
 tree schmakin' good times
  • 1 0
 What was with the non-fail edit at 3:04? that must be an all time first.
  • 1 0
 I was really hoping for a " Putain de merde" today.
  • 1 1
 I think that many new words r made up each time that some1 crashes!!
For example 3:20... I learnt the word arwlegrough
  • 1 0
 It's the tree ones that get me. They just don't bend!
  • 1 0
 Man I'm with you on that.
  • 1 0
 guy at 3:13 is lucky to be alive
  • 1 0
 That tree hated the fucking bell, too.
  • 1 0
 2:32 and 3:30, thank you for showing off.
  • 1 0
 TBH we are all here for crashes&swearing ;-)
  • 1 0
 A lot of chaotic energy in this video..
  • 2 2
 Damn, this one was pretty brutal to watch. I cringed a few times haha but to the rider with the cow bell.....Please don't.
  • 1 1
 Keep your distance from the rider in front!!! All those washouts - go get Plus tyres
  • 1 0
 Silly rabbit, trees are an immovable object !
  • 1 0
 WTF is with all the crashing into trees the last few weeks? hahahha
  • 1 0
 Beer league fails
  • 1 0
 Oh Jesus, then 3:20.
  • 7 10
 Well I kind of wish you weren't fine, guy with stupid bell.
  • 7 0
 From what I understand bells are used in some areas across the globe (inc US, Portugal and Spain I think) where riders share paths with walkers and horse riders. I think it would drive me nuts at the end of a days riding and I would still hear it when going to bed but might be worth using if it keeps all trail user safe and happy.







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