Cycling - some bikes' freewheel hub REALLY loud??

[masraum]

I've run into a few people while I was out riding that had REALLY loud freewheel noise. Not loud, not kind of loud, REALLY FREAKIN' LOUD! At least one of them was on what looked like a very expensive bike. What's the deal? Did I just not see the playing cards and clothes pins?

And I've seen someone riding a bike with Salsa woodchipper handlebars. What an odd looking handlebar!



And today I saw someone on a MTB with a flatbar with tri aerobar extensions. That was really odd looking too.

Something like

[herr_oberst]

Chris King hubs are really loud and really expensive.

[mepstein]

Hugi hubs were very loud. Reminds you to pedal and not coast.

[vmb]

seemingly more popular than Chris King are Industry 9 hubs, at least on my trails here in Baltimore. Faster engagement with more pawls is the reason. I personally don't like the sound, but they're silent when you're pedaling

One definite advantage is that when you do come up on hikers (or are worried about bears), you can just coast or even spin the cranks backwards to make some noise and they will know you're coming. No need to yell out or mount a silly bell on your handlebar.

[Jeff Alton]

All depends on the brand.

[look 171]

Some of mine are pretty loud, some not so much. I never like the loud ones until I already purchased the wheels so its not really a big deal. You hardly hear it when riding. Now I know why they are loud. That means get the hell off the front. you are going too slow

Loud hubs really doesn't mean anything.

[Hugh R]

Take it off if you have the tool, soak it in mineral spirits, let dry in the sun for a day, and then oil the crap out of where ever you can stuff oil in.

[look 171]

I ahve a tool that will allow you to inject grease into the freehub body to silence the clicker or paw up that you can bearly hear it. I do not recommend it because the paw has to catch. I ahve done it to my own bike but will not do that again now.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

The really loud hubs are annoying, but I've found in group rides, they let you know if the person in front of you has let up. It's almost like a third brakelight on a car, an extra little thingee to let you know they might be slowing down. There is though, always that one person, with a super loud freewheel. Arghhhh...

[billybek]

My mountain hubs are Industry 9's.
It sounds like I am being pursued by a swarm of angry bees.
A few years back, people would say that was the sound of money.
Doesn't bother me as the noise is behind me and I don't hear well but some people comment on it.

[85eurocarrera]

Those Industry 9's are loud!

I've come full circle with my hubs. When mtb'ing it was nice to have my Chris Kings alert the rider in front of me to let me pass without having to ask. A bell helps too.

I now have Onyx hubs. They are SILENT and Instant engagement using a Sprag Clutch. It's is hard jumping on my other bikes w/o Onyx. The slop in the drivetrain is very annoying. Now if they can't her my 4" tires rolling up on them, or they're on Industry 9's, it's my bell.

[mepstein]

I was a test rider for the DuPont Tri spokes, now Hed tri spokes. When there was a tail wind, they sounded like a helicopter. It used to freak other riders out.

[flatbutt]

Don't loud hubs save lives?

[vmb]

Agree with Look 171's comments about grease and the pawls needing to catch. I too made that mistake once. I currently use mineral oil or Dumonde Tech freehub oil, but just saw this video last week re: the new I9 Hydra hubs (with 690 points of engagement!) that talks about silencing the noise with Dumonde ProX grease instead of oil.

[masraum]

Wow, crazy. It's good to know. I don't mind some noise. There have been a few times that I've thought a little more noise would be good when approaching people, but I don't want a ton of noise and I guess I'd prefer quiet to loud. If I need/want to get someone's attention, I've got one of those voices that "carry."