# Silent rear hubs...



## razredge (Feb 3, 2011)

I'm reffering to the clicking noise from the rear hub, when coating, caused by the pawls clicking over.

Are there hubs that are do not make this noise...or are less noticable than others?

Thanks.


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Just stop coasting and you wouldn't hear the noise!


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

I believe that there are a few Shimano hubs out there that are almost completely silent.


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## valleycyclist (Nov 1, 2009)

Shimano Ultegra and 105 hubs are the quietest I have heard. They are practically silent. Dura-Ace is also quiet, but slightly louder than Ultegra/105.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

My experience of this is that identical hubs (ie Campy), will have different noise levels, depending on the lubrication in the pawl area. I have one set of Record hubs that's totally silent, when generally I'd describe Campy hubs as medium and noticeable for freewheel sound. I have used a very light lithium grease to achieve this. You need to be careful that nothing too viscous is used, but I have been OK with this treatment even in cold weather.


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## rlrj (Nov 17, 2005)

I've got a wheelset with a ultegra 6500 hub, and a set with a ligero hub and they are both extremely quiet, and a set with white h2 hub and they are the opposite (noisy)


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## [email protected] (Feb 1, 2009)

Shimano makes an LX hub that is silent. I had one one a bike about ten years ago. I loved it.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

My Ultegras can't be heard.


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## nismo73 (Jul 29, 2009)

Sometimes I wish I had louder hubs so I don't have to say something dopey like "Passing" Duhhhhhh I'm passing duuuhhhhhhh...."On your left"...Duhhhhhhh


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## [email protected] (Feb 1, 2009)

I have the bontrager x lites and they are load. I have white Industries and it sounds like a Rattle snake.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Grease*



razredge said:


> I'm reffering to the clicking noise from the rear hub, when coating, caused by the pawls clicking over.
> 
> Are there hubs that are do not make this noise...or are less noticable than others?


All else equal, you can make a hub quieter by using a light grease on the pawls. If you ride in very cold weather, you may need to add a little oil to thin the grease. 90W gear lube is another more silent option between oil and grease.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

I've never understood the concern about freehub noise level. Unless you're a cop of course, which is what the Shimano LX silent hubs were usually spec'd on - Cop Bikes. They also weighed a ton.

Of the "noisy" hubs, Hugi had the best sound. Chris King has the worst.


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

PlatyPius said:


> Of the "noisy" hubs, Hugi had the best sound. Chris King has the worst.


I definitely disagree on the King noise. Yes there are definitely some out there that dont sound so great (which could use a bit of work) but the crisp, quick engagement of a King has always been a standout IMO. The Industry Nine's rival that though...


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## rx-79g (Sep 14, 2010)

I can never believe it when I see a $6000 bike that is annoyingly loud when coasting. No one ever paid extra for a watch that ticks louder.


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## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

I've got some old-ish Shimano mountain hubs (Altus or Alivio level) that are silent. They supposedly came off of an old Kona Jake, if that helps anything.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Zen Cyclery said:


> I definitely disagree on the King noise. Yes there are definitely some out there that dont sound so great (which could use a bit of work) but the crisp, quick engagement of a King has always been a standout IMO. The Industry Nine's rival that though...


I'm not a fan of the angry swarm of bees sound....


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

rx-79g said:


> I can never believe it when I see a $6000 bike that is annoyingly loud when coasting. No one ever paid extra for a watch that ticks louder.


I can never believe it when I see a $6000 bike being ridden by someone who coasts a lot.

Lots of people pay lots of money for cars that make more noise, and I don't see many people wearing bikes on their wrists....


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

PlatyPius said:


> I'm not a fan of the angry swarm of bees sound....


Yet you don't understand other people caring about free hub noise?

Anyway OP, Ultegra is the quietest I'm aware of. It's not 'silent' but you can barely hear it if you spin the wheel in your living room and not at all when riding.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Hank Stamper said:


> Yet you don't understand other people caring about free hub noise?


I don't like the sound of Chris Kings, but the sound wouldn't stop me from buying them.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

My Easton EA-90s are pretty quiet. Rolf's are not bad. I have Kings on my MTB. They do sing.


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## razredge (Feb 3, 2011)

PlatyPius said:


> I'm not a fan of the angry swarm of bees sound....


 Angry swarm of bees....Good one. Never actually thought of the sound that way...

Guess if I did I wouldn't be coasting, but pedaling like a mad man instead


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

My Azonic Outlaw wheels for my mountain bike are nearly silent.. My powertap isn't very loud.. Campy Vento wheels were fairly quiet. My new beater wheels... Fulcrum Racing 7's are he loudest things I've ever heard. 

Now the real trick is to get the loudest nastiest sounding hub you can... This way when you're in a group you can pi$$ off everyone by announcing the fact you're coasting


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Ok, we've determined that people are pitiful. Yebit had never heard Chris King hubs before. So I searched YouTube. There are dozens of clips of people spinning their Chris King hubs. Really? Also found: Mavic, DT/Swiss, Shimano, and a dozen others. 

"My wheel makes noise! Yay!"


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## one80 (Feb 22, 2006)

My old Shimano RS30s were nearly silent, and I hated it. Now I've got noisy Shamals and love em! They still don't compare to the Hope Pro II's on my MTB...


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## carveitup (Oct 25, 2008)

Shimano did some hubs in the 90's on their lower end (like alivio or acera) that used a "roller cam" engagement. It was heavier and said to be less durable but it also had nearly instant engagement. I think somebody else used to do this (machine tech maybe?) in a higher quality hub.

Hubs don't have to be silent when spinning on the stand to be effectively silent when riding. Wind noise covers a fair bit of sound.

My white industries H2 hubs are pretty quiet on the road. Quieter than my wife's mavic ksyrium elites. My old Neuvations were really noisy. My late 90's Ultegras are very quiet. Don't know about newer ones.


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## pmt (Aug 4, 2009)

Just pack it with grease and it'll be quiet. I rode down to 10F this winter with regular grease-packed freehubs with no trouble at all.


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## valleycyclist (Nov 1, 2009)

pmt said:


> Just pack it with grease and it'll be quiet. I rode down to 10F this winter with regular grease-packed freehubs with no trouble at all.


That doesn't work with every freehub as regular grease can make the pawls get stuck in some freehubs.


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## jkk (Apr 2, 2007)

I got a new Bontrager Race wheel a couple of months ago. If there is any noise, it is barely audible.


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## rx-79g (Sep 14, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> I can never believe it when I see a $6000 bike being ridden by someone who coasts a lot.
> 
> Lots of people pay lots of money for cars that make more noise, and I don't see many people wearing bikes on their wrists....


Oh, well you must not have hills where you ride.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

rx-79g said:


> Oh, well you must not have hills where you ride.


We do. Most people (who weigh less than me) pedal down them.


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## rruff (Feb 28, 2006)

PlatyPius said:


> I can never believe it when I see a $6000 bike being ridden by someone who coasts a lot.


Or cares...

It's only the guys behind you that can really hear it anyway.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

rruff said:


> Or cares...
> 
> *It's only the guys behind you that can really hear it anyway.*


Yup. Hence me not understanding why people seem to care so much about this...


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## Aggdaddy (Jun 18, 2010)

ZoSoSwiM said:


> My Azonic Outlaw wheels for my mountain bike are nearly silent.. My powertap isn't very loud.. Campy Vento wheels were fairly quiet. My new beater wheels... Fulcrum Racing 7's are he loudest things I've ever heard.
> 
> Now the real trick is to get the loudest nastiest sounding hub you can... This way when you're in a group you can pi$$ off everyone by announcing the fact you're coasting


I am one of these guys. I have been wanting some Chris King hubs strictly for the "Angry Bees" noise. I love it. I don't have them though. I have some stock rims that came with my Cannondale Six. R500. Too quiet. Yes, give me the noisy hub, but efficient and strong


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Aggdaddy said:


> I am one of these guys. I have been wanting some Chris King hubs strictly for the "Angry Bees" noise. I love it. I don't have them though. *I have some stock rims that came with my Cannondale Six. R500. Too quiet.* Yes, give me the noisy hub, but efficient and strong


Personally, I quite like it when my *rims* are silent. The alternative is often disastrous.


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## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

My Easton Vista training wheels are dead silent; my EA90SLX hubs make a tiny bit of sound, but not much; my EC90TT (okay I'm an Easton fanatic!) hubs are quite loud, but still not the loudest I've heard. I enjoy riding the loud ones more because I can let people know I'm about to pass if I'm on a bike trail with lots of 'traffic'. In a race, well, I try not to coast if I don't have to...


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## mimason (Oct 7, 2006)

I took out a set of Shimano C24 tubes today on a maiden voyage. These are the quietest hubs I have ridden....and an awesome ride to boot. I typically run a much louder drive train with either Reynolds/DT swiss or Enve Chris King R45s. In addition, I recently swapped out the latest chain from Sram 1090 to a DA 7801 with Red cassette. The combo DA chain and DA hubs is near silent and I liked being able to sneak up on a break away. Normally, everyone knows its me coming up.(Especially with the awesome R45 sound). I am loving the extremes of both quiet and loud.:thumbsup:


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