# Carbon wheel sound



## empre (May 27, 2013)

Does smaller (28mm and 40mm) carbon wheels also sound like you are riding with wooden wheels without tires?

Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAopSxhcrLU&t=2m17s

I was planning to buy a pair of carbons but just now heard about the annoying sound they make and as I like to ride bike that makes as little noise as possible it seems aluminium is the only choise?


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## meat (Aug 10, 2006)

All carbon wheels that I have ridden and those used by people I ride with make that distinctive noise.


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## ToffieBoi (May 1, 2011)

Does anybody know what causes that noise?


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## empre (May 27, 2013)

ToffieBoi said:


> Does anybody know what causes that noise?


From what I've read the hollow carbon rim acts like an amplifier. Shorter rims should be quiter in theory, but I don't think there's big differences. Good thing I heard it before buying carbon wheels


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

The rim profile has a lot to do with it. Shorter profile carbon rims, this noise is highly minimized. 

The noise is just the worst on full disc wheels.


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## Warpdatframe (Dec 9, 2012)

Personally I find that medium depth rims 45-60mm don't make that much noise. It only becomes really noticeable while I'm sprinting. The only time the sound is really distinctive is with a disc, or double discs on the track.


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## bobonker (Feb 12, 2011)

Wow, that sounds terrible IMO. I've ridden Reynolds carbon clinchers in 32mm depth (Thirty Twos and Attacks) and 46mm (Assaults). They certainly don't have that wagon wheel sound.

Bob


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## mgringle (May 20, 2011)

I ride with a guy that has Mad Fibers, and you can hear them, but the video is not representative of what they sound like in person. My Zipp 303's are not that loud at all...


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## coachboyd (Jan 13, 2008)

Yes, the deeper the wheel, the more the sound will be. I am surprised the Madfibers are that loud as they are not over the top deep, it may have something to do with the construction of the rim as it is a very light weight rim.

I know for myself in the 30-50mm range the wheels are not that loud. My everyday wheels are 44mm and they are not loud at all. The 60mm range starts to get some of that wooshing noise, and the 90's are very "wooshy" (I'm trademarking that term), especially when sprinting. I know a lot of people love that sound. Full disc wheels will be the loudest, especially when you start getting a very light weight disc (like the old style flat Zipp discs that weighed 960 grams).


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## ergott (Feb 26, 2006)

Low profile rims like the Hyperon, Enve 25mm et al are as quiet as alloy rims. Foam filled rims should be quieter. Corima fills their rims with a structural foam that makes them quiet.


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## JimF22003 (Apr 30, 2009)

I have Zipp 101 (aluminum) and Zipp 202 wheels. Neither are super deep. They sound the same except when braking, where the carbon wheel makes extra noise because of the textured brake track. (That seems to be lessening as well as I get more miles onthem.)


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## empre (May 27, 2013)

Tried to find more videos of 30-40mm deep wheels on youtube but didn't find any that had original sound on the video.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

empre said:


> Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAopSxhcrLU&t=2m17s


That's a strange video... the guy's claiming a '5 to 10% improvement in speed' just 'cuz he changed wheels? That seems pretty unlikely, unless there's somehow other factors at work (fitness level, body weight, wind/weather?).

IIRC, for it to all be the wheels, for a 5-10% speed improvement on the flats you'd have to essentially make your entire bike dragless, which no wheelset will do, or even come close to doing. 

For a 5-10% speed improvement in climbing, you'd have to drop 8-20 lbs of weight (half that if you buy into the 'rotating weight counts double' thing), and obviously no wheelset will do that either. 

Frankly, it sounds like a commercial for Mad Fiber. Well, except for the part where the wheels are very loud throughout the entire vid, which I think a lot of ppl wouldn't dig.


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## empre (May 27, 2013)

SystemShock said:


> That's a strange video... the guy's claiming a '5 to 10% improvement in speed' just 'cuz he changed wheels? That seems pretty unlikely, unless there's somehow other factors at work (fitness level, body weight, wind/weather?).
> 
> IIRC, for it to all be the wheels, for a 5-10% speed improvement on the flats you'd have to essentially make your entire bike dragless, which no wheelset will do, or even come close to doing.
> 
> ...


I ignored everything else from that video minus the wheel noise


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

madfibers are louder than other carbon wheels. Most are a more subtle 'swoosh' sound. Not sure why sound is an issue in a wheel - unless you're planning on ninja attacks from the back of the pack....



empre said:


> I ignored everything else from that video minus the wheel noise


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

stevesbike said:


> Not sure why sound is an issue in a wheel


I think on long training rides, a really loud wheel would drive some ppl batsh!t. 

Sure, you can get used to loud, but only up to a point.


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