Back in 2016, Australian manufacturer Knog successfully Kickstarted its quirky Oi, a streamlined ring-shaped bicycle bell that encircles the handlebars. Now, the company has introduced the new-and-improved Oi Luxe.
Like the original Oi, the Luxe consists of an injection-molded stainless steel inner mounting ring, over top of which is suspended the CNC-machined half-ring-shaped resonator (aka the "ringer"). A spring-loaded thumb-operated striker is used to actually ring the bell.
Whereas the original model has a simple coil spring in its striker, however, the Luxe has a more effective lever hammer design – the widely-regarded (and more expensive) Spurcycle bell utilizes a similar mechanism. This means that the striker's brass "dinger" hits the resonator more directly, and with more force.
Other features include a stitched faux leather shim to help the bell grip the bars, along with gaps in the inside of the mounting ring that allow cables to be routed through.
And should you be wondering what the whole point of the Oi line is, besides simply looking different … well, the bells don't stick up as high as traditional dome-shaped models, plus they aren't as wide, so they're easier to squeeze onto bars that may already be cluttered with things like headlights or cycling computers.
The Oi Luxe is available now, in two handlebar-diameter sizes and three colors (brass, silver and black). It's priced at approximately US$36.
Source: Knog
