KNOG’s Oi! Bike bells have been a popular option for cyclists thanks to their sleek design and unique color options. Currently there are three Oi! Bike bell variations available: Oi! Classic, the newly released Oi! Prima and the Oi! Luxe. We have the unique opportunity to show all three bells side-by-side so we can show the differences in design and sound. The Oi! Classic is the most affordable at $21.99 and has a low-profile design with metal and plastic construction. At $32.99 the Prima is the newest bell in the lineup and features a WAVETEK technology with slim trigger. Finally, the Oi! Lux is the most expensive at $44.99 and has a full metal construction that stands out on any bike.
The KNOG Oi! Classic, Prima and Luxe bike bells offer sleek designs and loud crisp dings to ensure people hear you coming.
| Retail Price | $21.99 (Classic), $32.99 (Prima), $44.99 (Luxe) |
| Rating | 9.0 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 25 (Classic), 29 (Prima), 47 (Luxe) |
| Likes | + Low profile design that blends into handlebars + Pleasant yet crisp and loud ding sound + Built-in cable pass through makes installation easy |
| Dislikes | – Premium price compared to basic bells for Prima / Luxe versions |
| Where to Buy (US) | KNOG |
UNBOXING
As with all of KNOG’s products, the bells all come in environmentally friendly packaging that consists of a cardboard backing with simple twist ties holding the bell in place.
OI! CLASSIC
The Oi! Classic is the benchmark of the KNOG bell lineup and one of the most popular models in the lineup. It’s a low profile bell design that can blend into nearly any bike handle with a wrap-around metal bell portion and a plastic inner clamp. The inner plastic piece is black while the metal outer piece is available with different finishes to give it a different style. KNOG offers the bell in four colors currently: black, silver, copper and brass which we have in this review. It’s a beautiful brushed finish that gives the bell a premium appearance and feel compared to other bells on the market.
The unique feature of the Oi! Classic is the large cable pass through which has two deep slots cut into the inner body to allow cables to go through the bell instead of interfering with it. This bell also has a simple spring mounted striker that tits backward as you push down on it. KNOG has also added a nice divot to the top surface to give it a more ergonomic feel and a simple K for branding. There is also a more representative Knog logo on the front face of the bell that is debossed into the plastic.
OI! PRIMA
The Oi! Prima is one of the latest additions to the KNOG Oi! bells and offers a more robust trigger design. One of the most obvious differences of the Prima is the WAVETEK technology that uses a new striker or hammer design. It conceals the spring underneath an elongated striker to improve the robustness and aesthetic design of the bell. As with the other Oi! Bells it’s a two piece design with a plastic inner piece and a metal outer piece. KNOG offers the bell in two colors currently: anthracite and the primer grey we have here. It’s a sleek off-white primer color on the plastic inner portion and a classic silver for the metal bell portion that gives the bell a premium look. The bell retains a cable pass through the inside of the clamp but it is slightly thinner than the Oi! Classic.
OI! LUXE
The Oi! Luxe is the most refined and expensive bell in the lineup that uses an all-metal design to give it a retro appearance. There is no plastic used on the bell, instead you have CNC machined parts on all the components, a brass dinger and metal injection molded stainless steel. Even the standard plastic shim has been replaced with a synthetic stitched fabric which has a contrasting tan color. It’s an eye-catching design that has a minimalist striker that is hinged on the center with a fully concealed spring. KNOG currently offers the Luxe in three colors: black, silver and brass. For all the color variations the trigger is polished with the brass dinger while the ringer and inner body have different colors.
RIDING IMPRESSIONS
We installed all three of the Oi! bells onto our Priority Bicycles Ace of Spades side-by-side to get a sense of the on road performance. Installation for all three is simple and easy with single bolt hinged design. As with any bell, you’ll need to be careful to avoid having any bike cables or other accessories from rubbing against the bell as it will prevent it from ringing or reduce the sound. The built-in pass throughs are nice details that can be useful for bike setups with cables near the cut outs. All three bells look great, while the Oi! Luxe looks the most expensive with the full metal construction. It’s a retro design that is nice to see on a bike, but you do pay for it with the higher retail price.
On the road, the bells all sound very similar with a slightly different tone between the Classic and the Prima and Luxe versions. All the bells have a nice crisp ding sound that attracts peoples attention while still being pleasant – something that most electronic bells have difficulty doing. As far as competition, the Ravemen Q1 has the most similar design with a low profile wrap-around bell that blends into the handlebars but lacks the clarity of the Oi! bells while offering a lower retail price. More classic bell designs like the Portland Design Works Alexander Bell and King of Ding have large brass bells that take up more space but are quite a bit louder which is helpful on noisy trails. If we had a choose a bell, the Luxe would be our favorite while the Prima has the most ergonomic trigger and lower price point
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Knog Oi! Classic, Prima and Luxe bells all have sleek designs and pleasant yet loud ding sound to attract attention. The Classic lives up to the classic branding with a single spring trigger and multiple color variations to match nearly any bike setup. KNOG’s newer Prima bell offers an improved trigger design with curved edges that give the bell a slightly more modern appearance and slightly louder sound. Finally, the Luxe bell has an all metal construction with retro details that feels and looks high-end. We found all the bells were easy to install and had a nice ding sound that worked well on shared-use trails. The Prima and Luxe are slightly louder and our personal preference, but we’d still recommend any of the models. As far as negatives, the price points on the Prima and Luxe are slightly higher than other bells on the market. That said, the KNOG Oi! bells offer a full range of loud and sleek bike bells to improve your safety on the road.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Knog. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.