Ratchet sounds yes or no?

[nickyboy]

I've got clicky Campag hubs. But it's not an issue as I'm either going uphill....definitely no freewheeling there....or downhill...in which case I 'm going faster than the speed of sound so I'm, in effect, silent

 

[Cuchilo]

All of mine have a click but my 40mm handbuilts sound like a fishing reel .

 

[jonny jeez]

I love the sound of my Ambrosio zenith hubs. I also like how they perform considering they're so cheap.
My riding buddy can't stand it when I'm not pedalling and the loud ratchet sound buzzes away. For me it's a feel good sound.

What do you prefer?

On the commute, nice and loud please.

In a group ride, loud is proper annoying.

Riding with mates, loud is fun as coasting behind them, letting it rattle away reminds them that they are doing all the work!!

Untill its your turn

My uberloud hope hub has gotten quieter each day and is now almost silent...i suspect its about to go pop!

Then i'll be the one making all the noise, whilst stranded at the kerb!

 

[jonny jeez]

You can always tell the lazy sod in a bunch ride who's not pulling there weight when they have a noisy free hub

Yep...splitters!

No, wait.......

 

[Sixmile]

When I first went out on my Cube I couldn't help but notice how loud the ratchet sound was. Although I'll admit, I didn't know at the time that it was called that! I actually thought there may have been something wrong. I would prefer it was a little quieter to be honest.

 

[Adam4868]

Reminds me of being a kid and putting playing cards in my chopper spokes.

 

[smutchin]

Generally the people are all liking the sound of their own wheels or disliking the sounds of others.

I dislike the excessively noisy sound of my Cero wheels. But as others have said, it does at least serve as a reminder to keep pedalling.

Can't say I usually notice it on other bikes. Unless they have Hope hubs, when you can hear them approximately a mile off.

 

[Lozz360]

\

You are comparing apples and oranges. You like the sound of your own wheel, and your buddy hates the sound of someone else's.

Generally the people are all liking the sound of their own wheels or disliking the sounds of others.

Just like children. You love your own but hate everyone else's.

I thought that a ratchet sound equals quality and a silent freewheel equals cheap. Reading these threads I could be ill-informed?

 

[boydj]

There's nothing quite like the banshee howl of Mavic Aksiums when the freehub has dried out a little. It's a great incentive to keep pedalling, even on the steepest downhill.

My Hope hubs, however, completely remove the need to have a bell, but in a good way.

 

[mark c]

My Mavic Equips are nosier than hell which realy hacks the better half of as i free wheel behind her !!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

when i first started club riding, all the fast riders had 'noisy' bikes; hearing them freewheeling en masse down a descent was amazing. they were all riding with campag hubs and, to me, it's as much a part of the sounds of cycling as the current clip-clip-beep of a rider moving off from stop…

 

[XiShT]

Silent for me, I feel like it makes your bike feel stealthier-ish. Plus it helps with listening to see if any weird noises are coming from your bike when trying to diagnose it from the saddle - the freewheel ratchet stymies efforts, sometimes.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I don't know what hubs i have on one of my bikes (It's hidden behind my 2 others and stuff) that makes that ratchet sound,but yes i do like that sound!

Someone in the cycling club told me the sound wears off eventually. Is this true or was he pulling my leg?

 

[sackville d]

Someone in the cycling club told me the sound wears off eventually. Is this true or was he pulling my leg?

Hubs do become quieter over time, but that is only because the pawl springs have snapped and are no longer engaging the pawls with the teeth of the freehub.

I`m speaking from the standpoint of a Hope hub user though. Those pawl springs can be a bit fragile but cheap and easy to replace.
The guy (or gal) from the club is either pulling your chain or doesn`t know what he`s on about i`m afraid.

To be fair though Hope hubs are getting slightly more cultured sounding The Pro 3 had 24 teeth engagement, the RS Mono has 40 and the new RS4 Mono has 44 teeth