ColonelJLloyd 

The SunRaces I've used are pretty quiet. I like that.

The IRD I'm using is ninja quiet. I love that.

Doohickie

Looks like White Industries make the loudest freewheels, but they only make them for single speeds.

Casey Jones

During the last charity ride that I did, I was in the front of the pack for the first 15 miles or so, until the second climb (climb=bridge in Florida). About ten miles in a guy came up beside me and we all coasted around a corner. His was the only bike that made any noise. I was on a Specialized Roubaix, and everyone else also were riding modern bikes. This guy was the only one on a C&V and it was obvious because of the loud freewheel. I think about that everytime I hear my freewheel coasting.

ColonelJLloyd 

Quiet freewheeling is not a common trait of freehubs, Casey. That is to say, freehubs are probably, on average, louder than freewheels.

Casey Jones

Maybe I'm confusing terminology. I think I need some education. Do you mind telling me what the difference between a freewheel and a freehub? Is a freehub a hub that accepts a cassette? Sorry, I have ridden bikes my whole life, and worked on them quite a bit (tune ups mainly), but have never really been part of a bike culture, or member of a forum. My bike part vocabulary is lacking.

old's'cool

If your freewheel isn't loud enough for you, there's always the playing card/clothespin/spokes noisemaker option.

ColonelJLloyd 

You're correct, sir.

Casey Jones

Didn't think about that. Maybe that will be next. I won;t even have to coast to get the noise.

Casey Jones

So, you are saying that frehubs are typically louder than freewheels? Maybe it is just that my modern bikes had high quality hubs that were super quite, and the freewheels that I have are cheap. Maybe I'll just get one of these to make noise.

Doohickie

Yes, a freehub accepts a cassette. The part that "freewheels" is part of the hub, thus freehub. It has splines on it and the cassette slides over the splines and attaches with a lock ring (sometimes the smallest sprocket doubles as the lock ring). In a freewheel, the freewheeling part is built into the part that has the gears, and it screws onto threads on the hub.

Here's a good pic from Sheldon Brown:



Don't feel bad. I got back into cycling in 2008 after 20 years away and I had a lot of learning to do about the changes in technology and terminology.

Alan Edwards

I have a DA7700 wheelset on my LeMond and it is vary quiet. My veulta wheelset in 10s is vary loud, loudeer then all of the bikes freewheels and all.

LesterOfPuppets

Nope. You have to layout a good amount of cash for really loud freehubs:

RosyRambler

I apologize for going off topic with this but had to grab the opportunity.....

Stunning bike, is it a Paramount? Are they 650B wheels? And did you have any problems putting fenders under the center-pull brakes? They are center-pulls aren't they?

If want to convert my Schwinn World Voyageur to 650Bs with fenders, and much prefer center-pulls to side-pull calipers. I didn't think it could be done.

Also what size tires do you have on the bike?

Gonzo Bob

That seems to be my experience. My loudest rear wheel is a Nimble Crosswind freehub (the carbon fiber tri-spoke wheel body also helps amplify it, too). I like that, though, as that is my ITT/triathlon race wheel and the loud ratcheting reminds me that I should not be coasting

ThermionicScott 

Drat, you beat me to it! The OP asked about loud freehubs/freewheels, and "Chris King" were the first two words that came to mind.

Doohickie

In my case, it was "Angry Bees."

ColonelJLloyd 

It's a Voyageur 11.8 with 700Cx29mm tires. Installing fenders isn't a half hour job, but I didn't have any unexpected issues I can recall. They're the Dia Compe CNC 610s. World Voyageurs can be converted to 650B with 750 centerpulls, but you'll need a rear drop link. See this.

ctmullins 

My SunRace is nice and chatty. My IRD is spooky quiet. My ugly Shimano is almost quiet. (My old SunTours are chatty too.)

BTW, and it may be a bit late, but to the OP - 120mm means normal 5-speed or narrow 6-speed, and 126mm means normal 6-speed or narrow 7-speed. That is all.

Doohickie

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I was just wondering if the SunRace freewheel would fit in 126 spacing. Per my pic above, looks like there is enough (or nearly enough) room to add a whole cog at the existing spacing. If it doesn't quite fit, I'll probably just add a washer or two on that side of the axle. I went ahead and ordered the close-ratio 7-speed freewheel last night from Amazon/Niagara Cycle.

I did a little checking and I'm pretty sure the Suntour Cyclone short cage RD I have will work with the new freewheel.

atmdad

I've upgraded two different 126mm spaced bikes with that Sunrace 7spd 13-28 freewheel. I did not have any problems, but did have to adjust the axles a little and add extra spacers, didn't bother with re-dishing the wheels or anything like that though. Pretty sure the chain is "normal" sized, not one of the modern narrow jobs.

jgedwa

And for those of you who use freehubs and like a little noise back there, and do not have the inclination or ability to purchase King hubs, let me recommend Ringle freehubs. I love the sound of angry bees, and Ringles deliver it cheaper than Kings do.

jim

ctmullins 

And herein lies one of the problems of the C&V world - terminology. What was once "normal" spacing is now obsolete. What was once "narrow" spacing is now normal for 7/8-speed stuff. What is now "narrow" is (I think) the 9/10/11 speed stuff. I still tend to think of "narrow" as the classic SunTour "Ultra" spacing of the early 80s. 8-speed and up isn't even on my radar....

Doohickie

I'm pretty sure I'll be okay and won't have to space out anything. Looking at Sheldon Brown's article on hub spacing, 7 speed hubs are spaced at 126 mm (road) and 130 and 135 mm (MTB). You had to space out your hub a little because the 13-28 SunRace freewheel is part of their MTB line. The freewheel I got is close ratio and part of their road line. Since road 7 speed spacing is 126, my bike should be fine as is. I guess I'll report back when the freewheel comes in.

Doohickie

Actually I think I may try to document some of the links I've found here to help others figure out what works and what doesn't when it comes to freewheels on C&V bikes.

Force 

I too am very pleased with the shifting with a 7 speed Sunrace freewheel and 8 sp Campy Ergos. Plus, I thought the SunRace looked more classic than some of the other options.