Bicycle Mechanics - Freewheel types

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4SEVEN3
10-02-06, 08:34 AM
A question was brought up in the roadie section about freewheel clicking noise, and how a louder freeweheel was of better quality. Anyways, my Campy Veloche freewheel is right noisy, always have been......the freewheel on my Trek MTB is silent.

Are there different types of freewheel enguagemet types, liks springloaded enguagement pawls (clicking) and maybe rollerbearing ramps (silent)???

HillRider
10-02-06, 08:37 AM
In general Campy freehubs are much noisier than their Shimano equivalents. My new Chorus hubs are very loud compaired to Shimano 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace hubs I also use. It's a difference, not a design defect, but I would like them quieter.

BTW, the loudest hubs I've ever come across are Huigi (now DT) and Chris Kings. They make Campy hubs seem dead silent.
jcm
10-02-06, 08:42 AM
Yeah, I've got a bud who uses a Chris King. I like to tease him about falling asleep with a Fish-On!

top506
10-02-06, 10:50 AM
My 13-30 SunRace freewheel is MUCH louder than my Shimano 11-28. I think I KNOW which is the higher quality freewheel.......
Top
(who likes the cheapo SunRace comp anyway)
bigbossman
10-02-06, 11:31 AM
I've got a DT Swiss 240 road hub that is sinister-quiet. Well built, and quiet. But it doesn't have the traditional pawls inside that make the characteristic "buzzing" noise we're familiar with.

It's long been considered that the more engagement pawls a hub has, the better quality the hub. And the more engagement pawls, the louder the noise. This was more or less a general rule of thumb from way back, but probably not so true anymore.

BTW, the Chris Kings are in a class by themselves, noise-wise. I think the noise they make is sort of a "trademark" - it sets them apart. A lot of people buy them for their quality AND for that characteristic noise. They like to hear it, because it's distinctive - only a Chris King sounds like that.

Me, I like quiet - that's one of the reasons I bought the DT Swiss hubs.
John E
10-02-06, 02:31 PM
Given the reputation of DT-Swiss spokes, one of the very few brands I will use when building a wheel, I would expect their freehubs to be good, as well.
froze
10-03-06, 01:04 AM
Louder is not better, nor is quieter! It's just design. In fact all cheap freewheels were known to be cheap because they were loud...that was until DT Swiss came out and they were really loud. But in general the lower quality freewheels were louder. My Suntour Superbe is so quiet I can't even hear it when I'm riding.