Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

After some wheels that do NOT make the freewheel ratchet sound. The more silent, the better. After some training wheels so I can slip out of the yard in them AM without our dogs noticing and going nuts. They don't make a fuss when I leave on my single speed which is silent.

Alternatively can anyone tell me how to make my Mavic Ksyriums silent?

Pack the free hub with grease mate.
The more grease around the pawls is what affects the loudness

http://dirt.mpora.com/news/work-freehub-body.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was going to say, keen to hear options apart from packing it with grease which is a temp solution at best.

MarkG wrote:Pack the free hub with grease mate.

NOT good advice. Grease runs the risk of causing your pawls to stick open - freewheeling in both directions is the result

Shimano hubs are generally pretty silent in operation. There are some hubs that run a roller clutch and are silent in operation. However I don't see the problem with a clicking freehub - a sign of a precision instrument in operation.

il padrone wrote:

MarkG wrote:Pack the free hub with grease mate.

NOT good advice. Grease runs the risk of causing your pawls to stick open - freewheeling in both directions is the result

Shimano hubs are generally pretty silent in operation. There are some hubs that run a roller clutch and are silent in operation. However I don't see the problem with a clicking freehub - a sign of a precision instrument in operation.

I have no issues with how and why they click, I want one that doesn't for the aforementioned reason

Light lithium grease ...

swaz wrote:I have no issues with how and why they click, I want one that doesn't for the aforementioned reason

Crikey mate, I gave you a couple of tips to get you started. You want us to do the searching for you as well??

Here is one possible option. Not sure if it's available in 8/9/10 spd versions. Like I said, most Shimano freehubs are virtually silent.

http://www.this link is broken/shimano-ro50-7- ... er-clutch/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

swaz wrote:I was going to say, keen to hear options apart from packing it with grease which is a temp solution at best.

Shimano Hubs are almost silent. As far as I am aware, all Shimano Hubs are like this. The Ultegra 6700 Hubs on my roadie are almost stealth in nature, and the Deore XT hubs on my commuter bike are just as quiet.

Why they make them sounding like a bunch of cicadas is beyond me. The last thing I wanted my opponents to know was, when I was on them. The noise from some of these clusters is heard from 15mtrs away these days.

Foo

I have two wheelsets with Ultegra hubs (6600 and 6700) that are very close to silent. My wheelset with Dura-Ace 7900 hubs makes a bit more ratchet noise than the Ultegra ones, but it's not loud by any means.

To answer Foo, personally I'd rather have a noisy ratchet for the commute bike, as a subtle way of letting people know I'm coming up behind them before I have to speak up or ring the bell etc. Of course I totally take your point though, with respect to racing.

The DT Swiss 240 hubs are the loudest I have ever heard by a loooooong way.

foo on patrol wrote:Why they make them sounding like a bunch of cicadas is beyond me. The last thing I wanted my opponents to know was, when I was on them. The noise from some of these clusters is heard from 15mtrs away these days.

Foo

Shouldn't you be pedaling?

il padrone wrote:

swaz wrote:I have no issues with how and why they click, I want one that doesn't for the aforementioned reason

Crikey mate, I gave you a couple of tips to get you started. You want us to do the searching for you as well??

Here is one possible option. Not sure if it's available in 8/9/10 spd versions. Like I said, most Shimano freehubs are virtually silent.

http://www.this link is broken/shimano-ro50-7- ... er-clutch/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No, I can search myself, thanks.

bprb wrote:I have two wheelsets with Ultegra hubs (6600 and 6700) that are very close to silent. My wheelset with Dura-Ace 7900 hubs makes a bit more ratchet noise than the Ultegra ones, but it's not loud by any means.

To answer Foo, personally I'd rather have a noisy ratchet for the commute bike, as a subtle way of letting people know I'm coming up behind them before I have to speak up or ring the bell etc. Of course I totally take your point though, with respect to racing.

Thanks very much. Have always liked the 6700 wheels! Now to find some on sale.

See if you can find out what hub that TWE uses as they are virtually silent on my old wheels.

15wilsonwu wrote:

foo on patrol wrote:Why they make them sounding like a bunch of cicadas is beyond me. The last thing I wanted my opponents to know was, when I was on them. The noise from some of these clusters is heard from 15mtrs away these days.

Foo

Shouldn't you be pedaling?

Not when cornering at speed or coming up to lights, stop signs, peds on narrow bridges, getting ready to get off the bike, in a bunch when they concertina and when some goose pulls out in front of you.

Why aren't you out riding huh?

Foo

foo on patrol wrote:

15wilsonwu wrote:

foo on patrol wrote:Why they make them sounding like a bunch of cicadas is beyond me. The last thing I wanted my opponents to know was, when I was on them. The noise from some of these clusters is heard from 15mtrs away these days.

Foo

Shouldn't you be pedaling?

Not when cornering at speed or coming up to lights, stop signs, peds on narrow bridges, getting ready to get off the bike, in a bunch when they concertina and when some goose pulls out in front of you.

Why aren't you out riding huh?

Foo

Lights? Ppffttt, just cars.
Peds? Ppfffttt, knock them over!
Someone pulls out? Speed up and pull out!

The ratchet sound is aka the lazy alarm!!...turn the pedals!!

Just wheel your bike out backwards. Works for me when I need to sneak out without waking the family.

Re packing hubs with grease. Do wheels need regular maintenance (greasing)?

Currently using Zeros.

My Campy Zonda's are very very quiet as well

black4tress wrote:Just wheel your bike out backwards. Works for me when I need to sneak out without waking the family.

Sounds like the easiest solution to me...

Mulger bill wrote:

black4tress wrote:Just wheel your bike out backwards. Works for me when I need to sneak out without waking the family.

Sounds like the easiest solution to me...

Often the simplest is the best. I will give this a go. They (the dogs) know I am going, no way of sneeking out, but they seem to react to the ratchet sound.

It is a bit odd. I just bought my Trek Domane - the test ride was on an upmarket 5.9 and the free hub was loud as, to the point where it was almost irritating. On my 4.5 it's almost silent. Both wheel sets were Bontrager the only difference was the wheels on the 5.9 were supposed to be a higher grade. The bloke in the LBS reckoned when people pay more they want more noise - it sounds expensive

AndyRevill wrote: The bloke in the LBS reckoned when people pay more they want more noise - it sounds expensive

What a first class tool he is, never heard so much BS about a bike before in my life!

Foo