Road Cycling - Quiet quality freewheel hubs?

I was riding a pretty loud Spinergy Xaero freewheel hub for a while, but a crack in the rim put me back into my old Alex 295's. The Alex freewheel is so quiet I can barely hear it. It was kind of strange at first but now I like it.

Most high quality freewheel hubs seems to be reported as being pretty loud. Which good hubs/wheels are quiet too? I am considering buying new wheels in the $500 price range.

This also brings out the question, why are many freewheels so loud anyway?

I like the DT Swiss hubs. I used to ride Chris King on my mtb, but the sound became tiring so I switched to XTR hubs when it was time for a new wheelset.

Chris King is quiet if you are pedalling

Shimano Ultegra. Nearly silent.

Tip the hub sideways, and pour in several drops of 10w-30 and let it soak in. That should help.

Campagnolo Record hubs are near silent once you lube the pawls on the freehub. They work just as well too.

They may not be high enough quality for you but the hubs on the Neuvation wheels are virtually silent.

Shimano OE hubs are quietest I've heard. Excellent quality also with the best quick releases.

if you want an assault rifle on your rear hub, Chris King is he guy to talk to. lol

Quiet Quality Hub.

For the road I would go with DT Swiss. The sound is comparable to most of the hubs on Bontrager wheelsets to give you an idea.

I don't get it...why do people want a quite freehub? Why exactly does it matter?

I don't get it...why do people want a quite freehub? Why exactly does it matter?

On most road races with lots of hills, you can easily gap the pack leader with an attack down the descent. The trick is to let him pull you up the mountains without him knowing it. Then, he should be plenty tired at the top that's when you launch your attack. Sometimes when you get too close and need to fall back, a loud freewheel blows your cover.

American Classic rear hub is the quietest I have ever used. When coasting that is.

My Mavic Ksryium Elite is silent 24-7.

Easton hubs seem pretty quiet too...

DuraAce hubs are the quitest available.. they are silent

They may not be high enough quality for you but the hubs on the Neuvation wheels are virtually silent.

My Neuvation hub is much louder than the no-name one that came on my stock bontrager wheels.

My Neuvation hub is much louder than the no-name one that came on my stock bontrager wheels.
LOL now that is funny. Do you actually think the Neuvation hub is of better quality than what Bontrager uses? I don't know what Bontrager wheels you had but the higher end ones have had Hugi hubs in them in the past...much better quality than Neuvations hubs.

I don't get it...why do people want a quite freehub? Why exactly does it matter?

On group rides, I'm always reminded of a king mackerel stripping line off the reel every time somebody coasts.

They may not be high enough quality for you but the hubs on the Neuvation wheels are virtually silent.

-1. The hub on my R28 SL2s remind me of Chris King hubs.

The Formula hub on my Velocity wheels is silent. Kinda nice.

Easton hubs seem pretty quiet too...

+1

Just got some Easton Ascent II and I am diggin' the quite....

I don't get it...why do people want a quite freehub? Why exactly does it matter?
Doesn't matter to me in the city but out on the country roads I can hear the approaching cars better, birds singing etc. On a MUP a noisy hub is an advantage as it alerts others of an approaching bike.

I saw a Shimano silent clutch freehub at a bike jumble last weekend. If you really want quiet... The seller joked that they are perfect for hunters!
I like the click of my Campagnolo Athena hubs. I would like to think it lets my fellow racers know that I am not having to work too hard keeping up. Doesn't work too often mind....

-1. The hub on my R28 SL2s remind me of Chris King hubs.

The Formula hub on my Velocity wheels is silent. Kinda nice.


Maybe he uses a different hub on the M28s.. my M28s make no noise at all freewheeling.

i realize this is semantics, but the thread isn't about freewheels. Freewheels are something that screwed onto hubs, and fell out of common useage about 1990. The correct term for what this thread is discussing is a freehub.

I seem to be the only person that used the term freewheel.

By freewheeling, I mean not pedaling.

"My M28s make no noise at all when freehubbing"

Better?

I know we're all hardcore racers training for the next assault on the yellow jersey, but sometimes there's something sweet and beautiful about coasting down a winding road out in the country listening to the sounds of nature. In those moments, it would be nice to be on a quiet bike.

-1

easton orion II. not loud but nowhere near silent.

what about the white industries h1 hubs? Anyone able to vouch for their sound (loud/quiet)?

I believe the White Industries have a fairly loud click to them. Buddy has a pair and if I remember right they weren't any quieter than my campagnolo hubs.

Yea.. I was talking to Troy at Ligero last week and he spun a set of White hubs for me.. even over the phone, they arent exactly quiet.

i realize this is semantics, but the thread isn't about freewheels. Freewheels are something that screwed onto hubs, and fell out of common useage about 1990. The correct term for what this thread is discussing is a freehub.



I seem to be the only person that used the term freewheel.

By freewheeling, I mean not pedaling.

"My M28s make no noise at all when freehubbing"

Better?


:fight:

I don't get it...why do people want a quite freehub? Why exactly does it matter?

Because some of them make a huge racket that is really annoying. There was a guy in a race with one (don't know the brand), but it sounded like he had something stuck in his spokes.

I don't care about the freehub noise, since the playing card slapping my spokes makes a really cool motorcycle noise :D

I will agree that Dura ace are nice and quiet. They also spin great with very little drag. I have heard the chris king hubs besides being extremely loud, have quite a bit of drag until you put 1000 miles or so on them.

Does anyone have any insight on Tune hubs? Are they loud...or silent... and how to they fare compared to the Chris Kings or the WhiteInd H1s or.... ???
Yes, they're quite expensive!
Cheers.

You might wanna call Troy at Ligero and ask him. He sells Whites and Tunes.

My latest wheelbuild has King hubs.. theyre noisy but in a different way. I really expected them to be louder than they are.

+1 on the DA hubs.. I rode with 2 guys yesterday that ahd DA hub wheels and they were virtually silent.