High-end road bikes : very noisy freewheeling - why?

[the_mikey]

So what's the consensus here (if there is one)?
Are they noisy because the carbon frame and high profile rims propagate and amplifiy the noise? Or is it the design of freehub or something else?

It's the design of the Freehub, I recently disassembled one of my freehubs to grease the pawls, it didn't make it quiet and I couldn't see any good way to make it quiet, short of eliminating the spring tension where by doing so would cause the freehub to fail..

 

[Alex321]

So what's the consensus here (if there is one)?
Are they noisy because the carbon frame and high profile rims propagate and amplifiy the noise? Or is it the design of freehub or something else?

Probably a mixture.

Some makes (e.g. Hunt) have a reputation for noisy freehubs, so some of it must come from that design. But I suspect certain shapes of tbues will amplify the noise, and those shapes mostly mean carbon frames. I would be surprised if the rims make much difference to hub noise, but it is possible I suppose.

 

[matticus]

I don't think I've ever seen hubs marketed as "noisy". Or for that matter any sort of noise a bike makes. I'm not getting the noise = expensive = attention-grabbing argument at all.

I think you have a very simplistic view of marketing.

(and dickheads :P )

 

[Jameshow]

Probably similar to the noisy motorbikes that hells angels ride who tried to run me over crossing a po pedestrian crossing in Wales!

 

[wafter]

I don't think I've ever seen hubs marketed as "noisy". Or for that matter any sort of noise a bike makes. I'm not getting the noise = expensive = attention-grabbing argument at all.

That's certainly the impression I get from some of the road-centric content on youtube..

You rang

Would you have arrived even quicker if I've have made an obnoxiously loud clackity sound instead of ringing the bell?

 

[GuyBoden]

I rode along side a rider with a "Hunt" hub a few weeks back, the loudest hub I've ever heard.

 

[Bollo]

As an aside, the live sound of a full strength grand tour peloton going past giving it beans is one of sport’s most underrated noises. Goose pimples.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I rode along side a rider with a "Hunt" hub a few weeks back, the loudest hub I've ever heard.

I think the first letter is wrong inside the “”

 

[DaveReading]

Probably similar to the noisy motorbikes that hells angels ride who tried to run me over crossing a po pedestrian crossing in Wales!

Good job you heard them coming.

 

[wafter]

Good job you heard them coming.

Yeah, they missed a trick there

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Decibels Angels

 

[fossyant]

My Superstar hub on my new wheels for the MTB is seriously loud - very loud. My Shimano stuff, you can't hear much - a lot is design.

Shimano keep the pawls etc in the freehub. Most other designs have replaceable cartridge bearings and the freehub comes off the hub easily - these are often the noisy ones.

For MTB, the hub system where you can replace all the bits is great, but they are noisy. It's a cost thing (or shove some grease in - which is a bad idea).

 

[lazybloke]

Blimey, half of us have kittens if a bottom bracket or a shoe creaks; and some people like the "clackiest" freewheel.
I prefer a near silent ride, thanks.

Guess I'm not an extrovert.

 

[mustang1]

I have a low end MTB (bizango) which had a quiet hub. I needed a new rear wheel so ordered another low end wheel. This wheel came with a noisier hub.

I prefer the quieter one but the louder one has it's uses in that when I need to pass a pedestrian, I just coasting and the pedestrian moves out the way. If they don't, I frantically spin the pedals backwards and the pedestrian soon gets the message.

I have since taken the bell off my bike.

 

[Punkawallah]

I like the noisy free hubs.

Saves on the cost of a bell :-)