Bag yourself a bicycle whistle

The Bookman bicycle whistle might be based on nineteenth century technology, but its benefits for urban cyclists are current.

Established in Birmingham in 1870, Acme Whistles has teamed up with Swedish bicycle accessory supremo, Bookman, to create a new design of whistle for today’s rider. According to Bookman’s Johan Lidehall: “Most of our customers probably wouldn’t like the look of a big horn attached to their bike, so that’s why we decided on the small but loud whistle instead.”

The bicycle whistle produces a loud high-pitched sound without the need for any moving parts - the perfect way to alert other road users of your presence.

The police have been using both the bicycle and the whistle for over 100 years – two designs so efficient and reliable that they have changed remarkably little over the course of a century.

As cities have grown over time, so too has noise pollution and congestion. Luckily the bicycle and whistle remain the ideal tools to tackle both.

Different sounds elicit different responses depending on geography and culture. A traditional bike bell might work in some areas if it can be heard, but sometimes your surroundings necessitate a different audible or visual signal. Police outriders leave a whistle resting on their lip because, even though their bikes are equipped with powerful sirens, they know that the shrill sound of a whistle works universally to grab the attention of other road users.

Win a Bookman bicycle whistle

We have four Bookman whistles, worth £13 each, to give away. Simply leave us a comment at the bottom of this page and we will pick winners next week.

Cycle insurance

Making yourself heard when you need to is just one of the challenges that face today's rider. Cycle insurance from the ETA is designed to make your life on two wheels as easy as possible. We protect against theft, but unlike other insurers will never devalue your bike. We reimburse you when bicycle parts are pinched, but unlike other insurers we will not penalise you if have not secured quick release items. Just two of the things that set us apart. After all, we have been voted ethical by The Good Shopping Guide. Find out more

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