Mountain Biking - Who makes the loudest freehub?

I am in the early stages of assembling a new wheelset, and I
really prefer a loud freehub.

I have a Ringle SuperDuperEight right now, and it's pretty loud, but I seem to recall Hugi's and or Sachs' to be rather distinctive as well. Anybody heard one of these and care to comment?

Thanks.

Thats an odd request. Usually people want their bike to be quiet. I haven't heard a ringle to compare but the Hugi's are very loud. Does sach even make a hub anymore?

this way people know he is coming so he doesn't have to ride over them. i guess he doesn't want to but baseball cards in his spokes for the same effect.

I meant an odd request on here. I should say a lot of people I know want the loudest highest end sounding hub. Mine will be loud but still not the loudest :)

i should have used sarcasm brackets. gar! i hate not being able to talk sarcastically online.

Probably the loudest hubs are ChrisKing they are best described as sounding like a small motor :)

Originally posted by stinkyonions
this way people know he is coming so he doesn't have to ride over them.

stinkyonions is right...when I get up behind some unsuspecting slower rider, I just backpedal for maximum effect.:p

Oddly enough, I don't think I've ever noticed the Kings being loud. I have to check that out.

I use a King hubset - all of my buddies say that's what makes me fast - the sound of 10,000 angry bees is so annoying that I never stop pedaling.

I too have a King set.It is loud,engagement is awesome.Everyone knows what you have by the noise!

Yea, great components - I've used that hub for 3 years, without a hitch - I did buy the rebuild tool, and serviced it once. I think I went through 3 hubs proior to King - good, solid, (exspensive), loud product.

Huffy, but that loud sound is generally the hub beginning to seize up.

I've ridden with people who have Chris King hubs and they make a sound ike a cross between a buzzsaw and a fishing reel. My next hubs will be Chris King hubs. My Mavics on my roadbike are fairly loud too.

Originally posted by WorldIRC
Huffy, but that loud sound is generally the hub beginning to seize up.

Yes, but the hubs found on Huffy bikes generally make that noise regardless of whether it's freewheeling. :D

I had Hugis on my tandem. It had a rather loud, but pleasant sounding winding, solid ratcheting noise. ...... a tough, strong, macho, mechanical noise.

I love loud hubs. I'm pretty sure the Chris King's are the loudest I've heard. I love a loud hub. I hate my XT's because they're practically silent. If I could afford the King's and didn't already have a nice wheelset I'd buy some :o

Originally posted by gastrocnemius
I am in the early stages of assembling a new wheelset, and I
really prefer a loud freehub.

I have a Ringle SuperDuperEight right now, and it's pretty loud, but I seem to recall Hugi's and or Sachs' to be rather distinctive as well. Anybody heard one of these and care to comment?

Thanks.

I assume you want a loud free hub so you can be heard. How about getting a bike bell (is that what it’s called these days?)

Bell on MTB = Dork
Loud Hub = part freak (wanted to use another word but it would be censored)

Big difference :)

Originally posted by Chuvak
How about getting a bike bell (is that what it’s called these days?)

I don't think I could sacrifice the extra grams :D

Then scream really loud!

Originally posted by gastrocnemius
I am in the early stages of assembling a new wheelset



Originally posted by Chuvak
Then scream really loud!


I don't see how that would hold my spokes together :confused:

..

My S-Works mtb wheelset use a hugi freehub. It has a distinct click, but I think that Chris King hubs are louder. The new Campy Record freehub certainly has it beat for freaking noise!! ..that's what's on my road bike. and it's loud!

You definately would not want Atom Labs hubs, very silent.

You could fake it by clipping a card to your seat stay so it rubs on the spokes ;)

Thanks to all for the input.:)

My goal is not simply to be louder. If that were the case, I would just carry a freon horn and scare the bejeebus out of everyone within a half-mile radius.

My rationale is that more freehub noise = more pawls = quicker engagement + more strength.
(silent clutch notwithstanding)

I'm pretty sure I'll go with the Chris King...I've had good experiences with his headsets in the past.

to be honest that is not 100% true...you can make silent fast engaging hubs. Chris King is definately the king for quality and precision but you would be surprised to hear that Hadley also makes a hub with the same number of pawls (for trials) and True Precision makes one with 120 engagement points (thereabout)...I believe Atom labs have 36 like regular hadley and they are quiet...it all depends on how they are made...personally for half the price and more strength I chose hadley...but thats just me ;)...

I have to agree with Maelstrom, Chris King has some of the most pawls but the True precision hubs are silent and I believe have the most engagement/pawls of any hub out there. Supposedly they are the closest you can come to instant engagement without running a fixed gear.
http://www.trueprecision.net/c_products_mountain.html

Maelstrom and Kev,
I have no doubt you're correct. However, a trials type hub is not really what I'm looking for, and although other companies may manufacture silent, strong hubs, I tend to stick with tried (by me) and true designs and manufacturers when purchasing bike componentry or anything else.
I went through a phase in the early 90's buying all sorts of ultralite, hard to find gear (remember Grafton and Nuke Proof?) and summarily broke it all to pieces in short order. I'd rather pay a little more for a product from a company with a larger R&D budget and avoid potential hassles down the trail.
Besides, I do like loud freehubs.:)

edit: misspelling is inexcuzable

Maybe I'm nit-picking here but Chris King doesn't use pawls. They use an interlocking ringdrive. it's true that it has only 72 engagement points but in a design like the CK's hubs each engagement point is far superior in durability to a pawl arrangement. To see what the internals of the hub mechanism looks like, check out this movie (http://www.chrisking.com/tech/tech_movies/hshell_r_assy.mov). If you've got an eye for mechanics then you can easily understand how the ring drive system works.

I went out to buy a new set of wheels last week and was looking at building them around King hubs. The shop had a set in the back they were building and asked if I wanted to see them. Of course I said yes. Well when they spun the wheel it sounded like a cat getting thrown into a blender. I will stick with Shimano.

Try Atomic Labs. I just put a rear hub on, it's pretty dang loud. Everybody on MTBreview.com will agree. A riding buddy just dropped some serious cash on a new Trek with a Chris King hub, and it's nowhere the sound of mine. His does sound cool, but it's much quieter. I like the bolt-on style too.

http://www.atomlab.com/mtbhub.html

Not sure why, but I totally agree with gastro' on this one. I love a nice, re-affirming 'clicking' noise to come from my free-hub. I think it's because that way I know everything is working (or at least the rachetting mechanism is).

Well, I don't think noise equates to strength, but one 3-pawl hub that's strong, loud and very easy to rebuild is the White Industries. It's not as loud as a King, but it's a different sound.