# Looking for quiet rear wheel



## DaveW88 (Sep 3, 2006)

I recently acquired a Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert that has Fulcrum 4 wheels. The rear hub has a fairly annoying clackety-clack sound when freewheeling. I have another bike with Dura Ace hubs that are nice and quiet. Any suggestions for a set of wheels with a quieter hub that are in the $500-600 range?


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## cdhbrad (Feb 18, 2003)

Dura Ace was going to be my suggestion. You might get a Rear Wheel built using a DA hub, but not a new set, in your price range. Many of the Taiwanese hubs are relatively quiet too, but they won't match Dura Ace for overall quality.


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## spdntrxi (Jul 25, 2013)

I'll third fourth etc DA hubs are nearly silent.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

I have both DA hubs and Ultegra and the Ultegra is dead silent, even in the workshop. Most hubs can be made more quiet with new grease on the pawls - especially Taiwan hubs.


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## cnardone (Jun 28, 2014)

If you can squeeze a little more out of your budget

https://www.coloradocyclist.com/shimano-dura-ace-wheelsets

or maybe something like this right in your budget.

https://www.coloradocyclist.com/shimano-ultegra-hed-belgium-series-c2-wheelset


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

I have had hubs that had zero grease on the pawls when new. You need a light non-sticky grease, I use white lithium, and it will have a dramatic impact. Suggest OP tries that first, as well as freewheeling less.


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## changingleaf (Aug 20, 2009)

A custom build with Shimano Ultegra hubs will work.


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

DaveW88 said:


> I recently acquired a Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert that has Fulcrum 4 wheels. The rear hub has a fairly annoying clackety-clack sound when freewheeling. I have another bike with Dura Ace hubs that are nice and quiet. Any suggestions for a set of wheels with a quieter hub that are in the $500-600 range?


It could be done with Dura Ace for this price range BUT there are two catches:
a) you got to procure the hubs from the UK/Ireland online stores and
b) lace them yourself
A couple of months ago I built a set with Dura Ace 9000, HED C2 rims and Sapim Race spokes for a total cost within the cost range you indicated. 

Ultegra hubs are as quiet and a wheel builder could build a nice training set within your price range but the wheels will be heavier than the Fulcrums and may "feel" less agile to you in comparison to the Fulcrum 4's. Just in case that would matter to you.


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## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

changingleaf said:


> A custom build with Shimano Ultegra hubs will work.


+1 on that.


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## Clipped_in (May 5, 2011)

dcgriz said:


> t
> A couple of months ago I built a set with Dura Ace 9000, HED C2 rims and Sapim Race spokes...


So what do you think off those wheels? I've been riding an identical set for a while now and simply love them.


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

Clipped_in said:


> So what do you think off those wheels? I've been riding an identical set for a while now and simply love them.


I really like them. The hubs are very good, the rims were uniformly round and true and were easily built to even spoke tensions all around. No flat spots, no hops. Lateral stiffness feels acceptable when sprinting. The wheel feels to have a nice balance between agility and stability. 
It also came out with high marks in the looks department. I used black spokes and red Polyax nipples to continue with the color theme of the bike. I also used nipple washers to help the nipple-rim interface during the building process and also see if they help after long term use in a coastal environment. I typically use brass nipples but on this one I was looking for a splash of red.....we'll see how well they hold up.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

I have 105 hubs on my bikes. Also silent and a little less expensive than Ultegra. Much less than DuraAce. You'll have no problem getting a wheelset built up in your price range.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

From my observations, whether your rear hub is quiet or noisy is more BRAND specific than any model within a brand. Here is what I have observed:

Shimano - Quietest
Mavic - Noisier
Fulcrum - Even noisier still
DT Swiss - The most annoyingly noisy I have come across that I want to get away from that rider!!!!!

If you are looking for a high-end alloy wheelset, go for Shimano Ultegra WH-6800s (you can run either tubeless or tubed on these). If you don't mind 200 or so extra grams, the Shimano RS-11s or RS-21s (not tubeless compatible) are a great bang for the buck!


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

DaveW88 said:


> I recently acquired a Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert that has Fulcrum 4 wheels. The rear hub has a fairly annoying clackety-clack sound when freewheeling. I have another bike with Dura Ace hubs that are nice and quiet. Any suggestions for a set of wheels with a quieter hub that are in the $500-600 range?


Grease will cost about $.03. Might want to at least try that before jumping straight to the $500 fix.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Grease will cost about $.03. Might want to at least try that before jumping straight to the $500 fix.


It's certainly worth a try, but I doubt it will make much difference for very long. I think it's inherent in the design.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Lombard said:


> It's certainly worth a try, but I doubt it will make much difference for very long. I think it's inherent in the design.


Could be, not familiar with those hubs. My Royce rear hub gets REALLY loud if I neglect greasing it but quiets right down with grease and that lasts about 2000 miles.


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## DaveW88 (Sep 3, 2006)

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried the grease and the hubs are now quiet, but I am still shopping for wheels because, you know, upgrade.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

If you like quiet, don't get a disc wheel. The large rigid surface is an efficient sound radiator. Deep carbon rims will do the same, though to a lesser extent. 

FWIW, I know a number of riders, including myself, who kinda like loud angry bee freehub noise.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

looigi said:


> FWIW, I know a number of riders, including myself, who kinda like loud angry bee freehub noise.


Absolutely; it's a safety feature: Lets the guy behind you in the peloton know that you've stopped laying down the power so he won't run into you.


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## myhui (Aug 11, 2012)

I almost always soft pedal instead of let the freehub clack away. I thought that's the preferred behavior based on past comments from experienced riders who post here.


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

myhui said:


> I almost always soft pedal instead of let the freehub clack away. I thought that's the preferred behavior based on past comments from experienced riders who post here.


Absolutely and for several reasons having nothing to do with noise however nothing more annoying than a loud hub allowed to be loud. 
Well...maybe not, but a loud hub clicking away is right up there.


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## myhui (Aug 11, 2012)

dcgriz said:


> Absolutely and for several reasons having nothing to do with noise


I think a key reason is to keep the blood circulation going, and keep the blood pressure high.


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

Let's not derail this thread..... it's sufficient to say that a more effective way to raise my blood pressure is attempting a tight pace line when somebody starts repetitive coasting and with a loud hub on top. Then the paceline becomes a surge line with a lot of potential for pile-ups.
That's why I don't do pacelines with people I don't know how they react.
Anyway, back to topic......


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Pirx said:


> Absolutely; it's a safety feature: Lets the guy behind you in the peloton know that you've stopped laying down the power so he won't run into you.



Yeah sure! I've also heard this argument from motorcyclists about noisy exhausts being a safety feature, when in reality, it's more about dangerously elevated levels of testosterone.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

nevermind,


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Lombard said:


> Yeah sure! I've also heard this argument from motorcyclists about noisy exhausts being a safety feature, when in reality, it's more about dangerously elevated levels of testosterone.


And dangerously suppressed levels of self-image.


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