Stucky

'13 Venge Expert with Ultegra hubs; Shimano cassette on stock Roval Sl-35 wheels.....when freewheeling, sounds like a $99 BSo from the 1970's. I know this is more common on some modern bikes than on others- you guys know if this is normal for this bike, or is something nefarious going on in there? (Bike has very low mileage- probably under 1000)

hueyhoolihan

some freehubs click louder than others when freewheeling. is that the noise you are referring to? if so, if it annoys me, i disassemble the freehub and apply a bit of light blue grease i bought at Ace Hardware in a pint tub about 5 years ago. it quiets them down for a while anyway, maybe permanently.

IIRC freehubs and older freewheels traditionally had only two pawls that ratcheted on the teeth when freewheeling. now many have three, four, some even six pawls, god only knows why . no surprise they are so loud, i guess.

Stucky

Ah, yes, Huey!

I have a cassette lockring tool (just came today!) and some red tractor grease...maybe I'll give it a try (Why did I not think of that? Oh well...it's late)

I can't say that it really bothers me- I rarely even hear it on the road....but it just seems cheesy for an expensive bike!

Andrew R Stewart 

Agree with the above but hesitate to recommend a freehub disassembly. Now dripping medium/thick oil through it is fine. Some of the Shimano freehubs have a seal on their back side which can be removed to expose the bearings and replaced after lubing. I've used Phil Tenacious and Chain L many times for this.


Most freehubs are factory lubed with a fairly light oil. There is a concern that too thick a lube might cause a pawl to not fully snap out and engage the ratchet tooth. While I've added thicker lube (even grease) many times on my own bikes for customers I will only use oils. Andy.

Jeff Wills

I've removed Shimano cassette bodies and lubed the bearings with Phil Tenacious oil to quiet the pawls. I've done this for years and it makes the ratchet nearly silent.

Andrew R Stewart 

Don't ever get a Chris King hub then. Andy.

lopek77

I noticed that most modern/expensive road bikes have very loud freehubs. It sounds cheese...

Stucky

Alright guys, I'll nix the grease. I have White Lightning Clean Ride; motor erl; and 80W90 gear erl.... I'm guessing the Clean Ride is out of the running here....so 10W40 or 80W90?

Sheesh, my old Klein is silent! (Well, ever since I put a soda-can shim in the headset to stop the creaking!)

(You know you're a roadie when li'l stuff like this bothers you!)

lopek77

Maybe that's the reason I won't be one. I don't mind some bike noises. I enjoy the ride, views, surroundings...I even find the time to stop and take a pic or two, or check that mysterious road or a new trail on my way back.

I'm saying all of this, because it reminded me of my roadie buddy. He is all about the numbers. Every time we meet, I tell him what I saw, or where I went. I always have a bunch of pics from each ride. He is always amazed... Well...I'm always dissapointed that he is treating each ride like a race, instead of just enjoying the ride, fresh air and all the surroundings... He would like both, but it's easier to show off with your race times, than with a pretty picture...his own words...
I think that's the line between cyclists and roadies. Cyclists are folks in a convertible, while roadies are sweating in their helmets in F1. Both fun, but in a completely different way

spdracr39

When you have a loud hub it lets the guy your drafting know he isn't pedaling fast enough because your coasting

hueyhoolihan

mind games...

dsbrantjr

Keep pedaling and the freehub won't make a sound.

Stucky

Aww, I'm like you- I'm all about enjoying the ride. I even carry dog biscuits; and stop and give them to dogs I meet along the way! (My favorite part of the ride!).

Little noises drive me nuts though. Not so much this freehub clicking, as I usually don't even hear it, unless I'm walking the bike- but when the stem was creaking in the headset of my Klein, it was driving me crazy on my rides! I think it's the fact that coming from a mechanical background, I know when I hear a noise that something isn't quite right. Bicycles should be silent!

lopek77

That's the memo Li Wong Chong didn't get.
Well...My bikes are super quiet, if I don't count brakes, and saddles. My saddles last few months at best, before they are squeaking like crazy. Cheap saddles last longer though lol

FBinNY 

Shimano's are not normally among the noisier class of freehub, such as Mavic, or DT. You can run Chain-L (or Phil's, gear oil, or any thick oil into the freehub and it should quiet it down considerably. If you prefer, thin the oil with OMS (the real petroleum distillate, not the so-called "green" stuff). If you want to muffle the ratchet even more, mix a small batch of Phil grease (many will do, but not all will mix well with oil), Chain-L or a thick oil, and OMS to thin it enough to wick.

BTW- when you use solvent to thin oil, the freehub will sound horrendous at first, but when the solvent evaporates it'll sound like a fine watch.

Also, I wouldn't disassemble a freehub simply to lube it. It's not difficult, but is totally unnecessary.

Stucky

OMS? Would that be like mineral spirits?

That DOES sound like a plan- I'll use my 80W90, and if I can dilute it as you say, it'll get in there really good...and goodbye clickity-click! (Quiet freehubs are one of things that are supposed to separate good bikes from BSO's! )

Jeff Wills

I do it to get at the seal on the back of the cassette body. It's easy to remove and then you can see the bearings and fill the space with oil. Fill with Phil, spin it a few times to work the oil in, then put the seal back on. Reassemble the hub with fresh grease on the hub bearings and it'll be quiet for a long, long time.

FBinNY 

OMS ----- Oderless Mineral Spirits .


BTW- back in the dark ages, some freewheel makers drilled an oil port into the outer body. The mounted sprockets covered the hole, but it was easy to flush and service the freewheel by using the port. This was a nice cheap user friendly solution to freewheel maintenance.

For the life of me, I don't understand why freehub makers can't provide a similar solution. Once in a blue moon, when the freehub acts up, gets noisy, or might need some service, the cassette can be slipped off, and a drop or two of a thick oil injected.

Andrew R Stewart 

Most manufacturers aren't in the game of making their stuff last forever or even easy to extend the lifespan. But you knew that. Andy.

FBinNY 

I'm old school and consider the Pyramids as examples of building to last.

But seriously, manufacturers could provide for easier maintenance then rest easy sure in the knowledge that few will bother.

Look at hot water heaters. They come with 10 year warranties and typically last 11-12 years if you ignore them completely. But they have a consumable zinc "electrode" to protect against rust, and if you're good about replacing it as needed, odds are you'll see double the life. The maker knows this, and it gives them plausible denial when the unit fails, "did you replace the zinc element?". OTOH, offering the option to prolong the life costs them next to nothing in repeat business since probably fewer than one in ten homeowners bothers doing so.

dbg

Just an observation, but... I have a CF frame that seems to make the clicking much louder. I first noticed how LOUD the clicking was after getting a new rear wheel (bontrager). It sounded like someone was banging on a wooden percussion instrument. I mounted it on my steel frame and it was much quieter.

hueyhoolihan

carbon does that. one of two or three things i dislike about it. not that that kept me from buying a second carbon frame.

Stucky

Ah! That may well be the case- as my bike is very low-mileage....and I do tend to hear a lot of other noises while riding, too- such as the hub bearings (even though when I hold the wheel off the ground and spin it, it's silent). Very good point, which I hadn't thought of- but now that you mention it, it makes a lot of sense.

And while we're on the subject of "quiet", a little entertainment:

Andrew R Stewart 

The greater internal volume of a carbon frame (compared to a traditional steel one) will make many sounds seem louder. Andy.

Andrew R Stewart 

To hear the hub bearings, even with a monocoque frame, is a stretch (unless the bearings are really worn/dry/loose). More likely the sounds are other parts. Tires, wind, chain are much more likely. Andy.