My bike is too quiet!

[Jennycle]

Hello cyclists!

I've just bought a lovely new bicycle, a hybrid ladies Falcon with around 20 gears... it's lovely and am so happy to be pedaling around again after being bikeless for a few weeks!

One thing I have noticed on my new bike, is the noise it makes when I stop pedaling - or lack of noise!
My previous bike made a normal chain clacking noise when you freewheeled, which obviously was ideal for cycling around other people, as it made them gently aware that I was there, for times when the bell was not quite needed.

My new bike is disconcertingly silent and doesn't make that chain noise, so I don't feel quite as confident cycling around pedesties', as they are less likely to notice me now...

Does anybody know what the noise is, where it comes from, and if there is any way I can make my bike a bit louder?

Many thanks!

Jenny

 

[Drago]

What's wrong with a politely uttered "excuse me"?

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Just enjoy it: bicycles are supposed to be quiet, it's part of what makes them so much nicer than cars to use. Just use your bell or voice when you have to.

 

[uphillstruggler]

Hello Jennycle

get your self a peg and a playing card and attach it to the seat stay.

other than that, you could just enjoy your new bike and the miles you can do on it.

good luck

 

[simon.r]

The noise comes from the freewheel / free hub. Some brands are very loud, others near silent.

Edit - Chris King are renowned for being noisy:

View: http://youtu.be/X9dNxBwmX6A

 

[Broadside]

get your self a peg and a playing card and attach it to the seat stay.

good luck

My son jams a crushed plastic drink bottle between the rear (knobbly) tyre and the frame, he reckons it sounds like a motorbike now but he is only 4 years old!!

 

[Citius]

Hello cyclists!

I've just bought a lovely new bicycle, a hybrid ladies Falcon with around 20 gears... it's lovely and am so happy to be pedaling around again after being bikeless for a few weeks!

One thing I have noticed on my new bike, is the noise it makes when I stop pedaling - or lack of noise!
My previous bike made a normal chain clacking noise when you freewheeled, which obviously was ideal for cycling around other people, as it made them gently aware that I was there, for times when the bell was not quite needed.

My new bike is disconcertingly silent and doesn't make that chain noise, so I don't feel quite as confident cycling around pedesties', as they are less likely to notice me now...

Does anybody know what the noise is, where it comes from, and if there is any way I can make my bike a bit louder?

Many thanks!

Jenny

Just wait a week or so, it will soon be rattling like a good'un..

 

[Racing roadkill]

I like my bikes noisy as possible. A loud rattle from the freehub is guaranteed to get the peds out of the way better than any bell will. My roady has the noisiest internal brake cable route-ing in the world, it winds the hell up, out of the adenoid brigade, but doesn't actually cause me any problems. "Ohhhh what's that noise" "ohhhhh your bike's got problems", "ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh how an you live with that noise". Big time ROFL's.

 

[MichaelW2]

You need Trotify

 

[Racing roadkill]

You need Trotify

I do need that.

 

[uphillstruggler]

My son jams a crushed plastic drink bottle between the rear (knobbly) tyre and the frame, he reckons it sounds like a motorbike now but he is only 4 years old!!

that must be the up to date version, mine was a 70's solution

 

[Shut Up Legs]

You need Trotify

This video of it is better, though: