STUPID QUESTION: Rear Wheel Noise
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Daly City, California
Posts: 858
Bikes: Trek 2.1, CAAD10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
STUPID QUESTION: Rear Wheel Noise
This is stupid to the ones who have been exposed to Cycling for quite a bit, but i really want to know this.
What is the roulette-like clicking noise in the rear wheel when a rider coasts? It's found in higher-end wheels and i wanna know if it's a bad thing or a good thing.
I personally like it, and if anyone has Bontrager Lites, (Not X Lite or anything higher) please tell me if they have this "noise"
Thanks, and sorry for the stupid question =p
What is the roulette-like clicking noise in the rear wheel when a rider coasts? It's found in higher-end wheels and i wanna know if it's a bad thing or a good thing.
I personally like it, and if anyone has Bontrager Lites, (Not X Lite or anything higher) please tell me if they have this "noise"
Thanks, and sorry for the stupid question =p
#3
B+ roadie I guess?
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Roseville, CA
Posts: 1,287
Bikes: 2013 BMC GranFondo GF01 Ui2
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I believe the term is "Freewheel", it is the device that allows your rear wheel to continue spinning despite you not pedaling. It is found on all road bikes (I think), and the only time you will not see it on a bike is on a fixed gear (unless they have it installed). The noise varies depending on the bike... I know that with my Allez it was very quiet but on my Tarmac it is definitely louder.
#4
Crawl uphill fly downhill
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 103
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It's generally a bad thing. It's sound coming from the freewheel. Sound= energy = energy not used in spinning.
Although it's pretty insignificant. I had a wheelset that could wake the dead but they were high end wheels.
It's from the hub, not the wheel. It's nothing to worry about. To fix, just apply much grease.
NINJA EDIT: It's like a ratchet wrench. It clicks when it locks. That's the mechanism in the free wheel.
Cheers.
Although it's pretty insignificant. I had a wheelset that could wake the dead but they were high end wheels.
It's from the hub, not the wheel. It's nothing to worry about. To fix, just apply much grease.
NINJA EDIT: It's like a ratchet wrench. It clicks when it locks. That's the mechanism in the free wheel.
Cheers.
#5
Sua Ku
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hot as hell, Singapore
Posts: 5,705
Bikes: Trek 5200, BMC SLC01, BMC SSX, Specialized FSR, Holdsworth Criterium
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
It's neither good nor bad. It's your bike's way of telling you to "Keep Pedaling Nancy!"
My bontrager race lites were silent.
If you want to hear loud wheels try to get near someone riding a Chris King rear hub, it's like being chased by a hive full of hornets!
It's not necessarily linked to higher end wheels.
My bontrager race lites were silent.
If you want to hear loud wheels try to get near someone riding a Chris King rear hub, it's like being chased by a hive full of hornets!
It's not necessarily linked to higher end wheels.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Cambridge, UK
Posts: 1,051
Bikes: Specialized Allez (2007)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#8
Hills hurt.. Couches kill
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Brazil, IN
Posts: 3,370
Bikes: 1991 Specialized Sirrus Triple, 2010 Trek Madone 6.5 Project One, 2012 Cannondale Caad10, 2013 Trek Crockett
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I suggest you disassemble it, that's the only way you'll know how it works. If you can get it back together that's a big bonus!
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 550
Bikes: I hate bikes.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Gottaa pull mine apart anyway will post some pics for you in a sec so you understand.
EDIT:
EDIT:
Last edited by Braden1550; 12-23-09 at 03:34 AM.
#10
Old & Getting Older Racer
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 5,343
Bikes: Bicycle Transportation: 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric, 2019 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
5 Posts
Hi 7bmwm3gtr,
As the saying goes, there's no such thing as stupid questions, but sometimes there are stupid answers.
The clicking noise is kind of hard to explain without photos, but fortunately Braden1550 supplied some interesting photos.
Anyway, in Braden1550's first photo, the three (3) object covered in grease that look like teeth are pawls. These are the things that cause the clicking noise. Braden1550's second photo shows the surface on the hub that the pawls engage. The pawls are spring loaded. When you stop pedaling the cassette is rotating in the opposite direction to the hub (relative to the hub) so the pawls click over the "teeth" in the hub. When you pedal, the pawls and the hub are moving in the relative same rotation and the springs are pushing the pawls so that they engage the teeth in hub.
A few corrections to some of the information above. All modern wheels have the pawl and engaging surface as part of the hub. So today the rear hub is sometimes referred to as a freehub. The gear assembly is called a cassette.
In the past, the pawls, etc. were part of the gear assembly and that was called a freewheel. The entire assembly screwed onto the hub.
There are a lot of advantages to the current design (freehub and cassette) and few disadvantages.
Finally, yes you can reduce the noise by putting more or heavier grease into the pawl assembly but don't. If you do the pawls may not engage the teeth properly and you can damage it to the point where they won't engaged at all.
Hope this helps.
As the saying goes, there's no such thing as stupid questions, but sometimes there are stupid answers.
The clicking noise is kind of hard to explain without photos, but fortunately Braden1550 supplied some interesting photos.
Anyway, in Braden1550's first photo, the three (3) object covered in grease that look like teeth are pawls. These are the things that cause the clicking noise. Braden1550's second photo shows the surface on the hub that the pawls engage. The pawls are spring loaded. When you stop pedaling the cassette is rotating in the opposite direction to the hub (relative to the hub) so the pawls click over the "teeth" in the hub. When you pedal, the pawls and the hub are moving in the relative same rotation and the springs are pushing the pawls so that they engage the teeth in hub.
A few corrections to some of the information above. All modern wheels have the pawl and engaging surface as part of the hub. So today the rear hub is sometimes referred to as a freehub. The gear assembly is called a cassette.
In the past, the pawls, etc. were part of the gear assembly and that was called a freewheel. The entire assembly screwed onto the hub.
There are a lot of advantages to the current design (freehub and cassette) and few disadvantages.
Finally, yes you can reduce the noise by putting more or heavier grease into the pawl assembly but don't. If you do the pawls may not engage the teeth properly and you can damage it to the point where they won't engaged at all.
Hope this helps.
__________________
Thanks.
Cleave
"Real men still wear pink."
Visit my blog at https://cleavesblant.wordpress.com/
Lightning Velo Cycling Club: https://www.lightningvelo.org/
Learn about our Green Dream Home at https://www.lawville.org/
Thanks.
Cleave
"Real men still wear pink."
Visit my blog at https://cleavesblant.wordpress.com/
Lightning Velo Cycling Club: https://www.lightningvelo.org/
Learn about our Green Dream Home at https://www.lawville.org/
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Montreal
Posts: 6,521
Bikes: Peugeot Hybrid, Minelli Hybrid
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
There are silent ones where the pawls are almost radial and the friction against a smooth surface is enough to lock them in position.
#13
Making a kilometer blurry
***I'm thinking Braden may have just done this, but I can't see photobucket at work.***
Here's one opened up. You can see the ratchet bit on the end of the freehub body in his hand, and you can see the teeth inside the hub. The click occurs when the ratchets fall off one ramp and accelerate into the next one.
Here's one opened up. You can see the ratchet bit on the end of the freehub body in his hand, and you can see the teeth inside the hub. The click occurs when the ratchets fall off one ramp and accelerate into the next one.
#14
Lost
***I'm thinking Braden may have just done this, but I can't see photobucket at work.***
Here's one opened up. You can see the ratchet bit on the end of the freehub body in his hand, and you can see the teeth inside the hub. The click occurs when the ratchets fall off one ramp and accelerate into the next one.
Here's one opened up. You can see the ratchet bit on the end of the freehub body in his hand, and you can see the teeth inside the hub. The click occurs when the ratchets fall off one ramp and accelerate into the next one.
#15
Making a kilometer blurry
Good call. I couldn't for the life of me think of the word "pawl." Man, I'm only 38 (this month). My memory recall is already getting a skip here and there.
#16
Medicinal Cyclist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Mohawk Valley/Adks, NYS
Posts: 2,807
Bikes: 2003 Klein Q Carbon Race; 2009 Giant OCR-1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Set it back down on the workbench and slowly step away from the grease, sir.
#18
I eat carbide.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Elgin, IL
Posts: 21,627
Bikes: Lots. Van Dessel and Squid Dealer
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1325 Post(s)
Liked 1,306 Times
in
560 Posts
Grease.....:facepalm:
yes...use lots of heavy grease to silence it. Then be sure to take a video of you riding it once you get it all back together.
yes...use lots of heavy grease to silence it. Then be sure to take a video of you riding it once you get it all back together.
__________________
PSIMET Wheels, PSIMET Racing, PSIMET Neutral Race Support, and 11 Jackson Coffee
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 772
Bikes: Panasonic 500
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
No one actually explained why some are quite and some are noisy. Having not taken any of the "high end" freewheels apart, I have always assumed that the noisy ones are because their pawl springs are stronger and/or they have more pawls or deeper engagement teeth.
What's the real answer? I'm curious as well.
And to the guy that made the "noise = energy = bad" comment. Right concept, wrong application. Nice try, though. Save it for the next time you hear some one slapping their feet when they run and use.
What's the real answer? I'm curious as well.
And to the guy that made the "noise = energy = bad" comment. Right concept, wrong application. Nice try, though. Save it for the next time you hear some one slapping their feet when they run and use.
#20
gmt
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Binghamton, NY
Posts: 12,509
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
#21
I eat carbide.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Elgin, IL
Posts: 21,627
Bikes: Lots. Van Dessel and Squid Dealer
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1325 Post(s)
Liked 1,306 Times
in
560 Posts
No one actually explained why some are quite and some are noisy. Having not taken any of the "high end" freewheels apart, I have always assumed that the noisy ones are because their pawl springs are stronger and/or they have more pawls or deeper engagement teeth.
What's the real answer? I'm curious as well.
And to the guy that made the "noise = energy = bad" comment. Right concept, wrong application. Nice try, though. Save it for the next time you hear some one slapping their feet when they run and use.
What's the real answer? I'm curious as well.
And to the guy that made the "noise = energy = bad" comment. Right concept, wrong application. Nice try, though. Save it for the next time you hear some one slapping their feet when they run and use.
__________________
PSIMET Wheels, PSIMET Racing, PSIMET Neutral Race Support, and 11 Jackson Coffee
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 382
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Waterrockets' freehub looks like it has two pawls. Here is a picture of a freehub with three pawls. This particular freehub was rather loud until I added some extra grease into these areas.
1223091442.jpg
1223091442.jpg
Last edited by sd790; 12-23-09 at 01:53 PM.
#23
gmt
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Binghamton, NY
Posts: 12,509
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
The extra grease would probably soon be displaced by the pawls once you gave it a few revolutions. It would probably also act as an acoustic dampening material, like stuffing a helmholz resonator (or guitar box) with fiberglass insulation.
#24
Making a kilometer blurry
Waterrockets' freehub looks like it has two pawls. Here is a picture of a freehub with three pawls. This particular freehub was rather loud until I added some extra grease into these areas.
Attachment 129935
Attachment 129935
#25
I eat carbide.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Elgin, IL
Posts: 21,627
Bikes: Lots. Van Dessel and Squid Dealer
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1325 Post(s)
Liked 1,306 Times
in
560 Posts
It is and it does, but it also has a nasty habit of making a little bit f vacum like suction not unlike getting your boot stuck in mud resulting in the pawls wanting to stick - loss of engagement.
__________________
PSIMET Wheels, PSIMET Racing, PSIMET Neutral Race Support, and 11 Jackson Coffee
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels