# Hubs that are very loud



## Bartman1 (Aug 15, 2014)

What's up with the folks that come by and the hubs sound like they are going to come apart. I know my new hubs are a lot more noisy than my factory hubs. But why do some sound like ratchets on steroids. ?


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## wgscott (Jul 14, 2013)

I think the idea is that they engage faster when you start pedaling.

I use a Chris King ringtone. This morning I was awakened to the sound of the hub at 5:30 am as my wife sent me a series of text messages with instructions on what I was supposed to do instead of ride my bike.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Bartman1 said:


> But why do some sound like ratchets on steroids. ?


It wakes the Rabbits up on the MUT who are otherwise in unreachable mental oblivion.


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## November Dave (Dec 7, 2011)

Bartman1 your factory hubs must have been something quiet, as I can barely even hear the WIs when coasting (or maybe I'm just deaf). Some kinds of hubs are REALLY loud though, somewhat unbearably so. 

Noise can be mitigated by adding additional appropriate grease/oil at the cassette body drive transmission (pawls/drive ring or equivalent). A hub becoming significantly louder over time is telling you it needs fresh grease. 

The quietest hubs I've ever owned are CK R45s. Nearly silent. Their classic mtb hubs are really loud, though.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

November Dave said:


> Noise can be mitigated by adding additional appropriate grease/oil at the cassette body drive transmission (pawls/drive ring or equivalent). A hub becoming significantly louder over time is telling you it needs fresh grease.


Very true. Any open pawl hubs (Asian origin, WI etc) can easily and quickly be quietened by applying new lube.



> The quietest hubs I've ever owned are CK R45s. Nearly silent. Their classic mtb hubs are really loud, though.


The quietest I ever heard are my Shimano Ultegra. They are silent - even on the workshop. The noisiest I ever heard were the Swiss Edco MTB hubs from the '90s. OMG the clacking of those things would scare wildlife in the bush.


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## changingleaf (Aug 20, 2009)

Hubs that are loud generally include on or more of the following:
- Large number of engagment points
- strong (stiff) pawls springs
- lack of lube, although lubing the pawls or ratchets is temporary

Shimano hubs, White Industry hubs, American Classic hubs, and the 18 point version of the DT swiss hubs are all fairly quiet.


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## bikerector (Oct 31, 2012)

I received a freshly built Velocity wheel with an Industry nine torch hub, sounds like a battle from Braveheart when I'm coasting. It's quite obnoxious but the hubs are pretty nice. I guess that's the cost for the crazy amount of engagement points.

Shimano hubs are the quietest hubs I've ever used for either mtb or road.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

I find my Mavic hubs to be too quiet.

I want angry bees sound of the Chris King hubs, one of these years


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## dgaddis1 (Sep 27, 2008)

I like loud hubs, always have. Great for letting people around you know that A) you're there (useful on MUT) B) you're not pedalling (useful when the person in front of you is too slow and needs to move out of the way).

White, Shimano, American Classic are all very quiet. Some DT's are quiet, some are fairly loud.

It's funny that people think Chris Kings are loud, I don't find that to be the case. They used to be, but either they've changed something a bit to quiet them down, or everything else has gotten louder making them seem quiet by comparison.

Hope is loud, Industry Nine is loud. Profile is REALLY loud. Roll up to a group ride and people go "dude, WTF is wrong with your wheels?" kinda loud.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Mike T. said:


> The quietest I ever heard are my Shimano Ultegra. They are silent - even on the workshop.


Shimano hubs are stealthy. They are silky smooth and quiet...just like Shimano shifters and derailleurs. Like buhddah...

Tune 170 hubs are loud. So loud that a gentleman who purchased some Enve wheels I had built with Tune hubs thought the hubs were broken. Nope. They're just loud.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

one of the guys our group has the occasional misfortune to ride with has crazy loud hubs, don't know which ones...

this dude also has the maddening habit of coasting for a couple of seconds about every minute or so...so we get to hear his stupid, cheap-sounding hubs almost constantly for 30 miles.

not amusing.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

My Chris King hubs are nearly silent compared to the hubs on my C24's


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## laffeaux (Dec 12, 2001)

I own several sets of nice hubs (mostly on mountain bikes) and yes they can be loud - unfortunately it's the higher-end fast-engaging hubs that are the worst. My experience with nice hubs from quietest to loudest:

- DT Swiss 240 hubs: when properly greased these are quiet, when they are low on grease they're loud

- Chris King: these hubs are bullet-proof and make a loud buzzing noise

- Hope Pro: these are nice hubs at a reasonable price, but they're loud

- Industry 9: these have instant engagement, well made, light, and look great; however, they're too loud - loud enough that I'll likely not buy another I9 rear hub


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

Migen21 said:


> My Chris King hubs are nearly silent compared to the hubs on my C24's


my C24s are whisper-quiet.

you almost have to strain to hear them.


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## Bartman1 (Aug 15, 2014)

November Dave said:


> Bartman1 your factory hubs must have been something quiet, as I can barely even hear the WIs when coasting (or maybe I'm just deaf). Some kinds of hubs are REALLY loud though, somewhat unbearably so.
> 
> Noise can be mitigated by adding additional appropriate grease/oil at the cassette body drive transmission (pawls/drive ring or equivalent). A hub becoming significantly louder over time is telling you it needs fresh grease.
> 
> The quietest hubs I've ever owned are CK R45s. Nearly silent. Their classic mtb hubs are really loud, though.


Dave , my stock hubs were really quiet. The new hubs are not that loud,just so much louder than my stock hubs. And they do alert people that are walking in the middle of the lane. But I have had a couple guys come by me before, and they're hubs sounded like a winch or a come - along. I am getting use to mine and starting to like the noise a ,little


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Kings are the worst. Extremely annoying.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

Marc said:


> It wakes the Rabbits up on the MUT who are otherwise in unreachable mental oblivion.


^^^^

This

I coast coming up to walkers and joggers with my Williams 66 hub. The hear and it's nice


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

Len J said:


> Kings are the worst. Extremely annoying.


What are scared of bees???


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

I have CK hubs on my enve wheels... love that sound


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

obed said:


> I have CK hubs on my enve wheels... love that sound


Damn I'm jealous............


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Migen21 said:


> My Chris King hubs are nearly silent compared to the hubs on my C24's


If that's actually true you better grease your Dura Ace hub. R45's aren't that loud but they are louder than Dura Ace.


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## Bremerradkurier (May 25, 2012)

'90s vintage 8 speed Record hubs can be loud, but easily fixed with some grease into the center hub zerk fitting.


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## jimhefpgh (Apr 10, 2009)

My Zipp hubs are really loud compared to my old 90's vintage Campy 8-speed hub.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxSr46Vne2A

Check out this video to see why some are so loud.


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