Why are some wheel hubs so loud?
04-02-09, 03:15 AM
#27
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04-02-09, 05:01 AM
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Originally Posted by fortega00
Is there a reason for this? Safety of some sort to make you aware when someone stops pedaling in front of you?
04-02-09, 05:14 AM
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Originally Posted by yogi13
i kind of like loud wheels. It's a more subtle way of letting slower riders know you are there than the ubiquitous "on your left" that half the time causes the freds of the world to react erratically.
04-02-09, 05:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Drag
Have you ever heard Chris King hubs?
04-02-09, 05:20 AM
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So from what I gather, its less about the material and more about how many pawls the hub has? The Chris King site says they have almost 3 times the number of any competitor hubs, so is this why there's has more of a bee sound than a mechanical cranking?
I really find the fulcrum wheels extremely annoying, but those chris king hubs sound hella sweet! I wouldn't mind that sound coming from my bike.
Thanks to all for your replies. And to those who recommend not coasting, the original post was geared more toward those in front of me who have louder hubs. I think I might just have to pull more to keep the noise out back.
I really find the fulcrum wheels extremely annoying, but those chris king hubs sound hella sweet! I wouldn't mind that sound coming from my bike.
Thanks to all for your replies. And to those who recommend not coasting, the original post was geared more toward those in front of me who have louder hubs. I think I might just have to pull more to keep the noise out back.
04-02-09, 09:06 AM
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Originally Posted by yogi13
I kind of like loud wheels. It's a more subtle way of letting slower riders know you are there than the ubiquitous "on your left" that half the time causes the Freds of the world to react erratically.
04-02-09, 09:20 AM
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Personally, I've had to ride behind someone with a Chris King hub on an otherwise peaceful, quiet, sunny day, and I think that whoever had the idea of "let's have the hub be really noisy so that when you go from COASTING back to ACTUALLY PEDALING it's .0001 seconds faster" should be shot.
It's not even a performance improvement!!! If you're really trying to go fast, you don't stop pedaling. Paying $1,000 for wheels that are 100 grams light seems rational in comparison.
It's not even a performance improvement!!! If you're really trying to go fast, you don't stop pedaling. Paying $1,000 for wheels that are 100 grams light seems rational in comparison.
04-02-09, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by gigemaggs99
This is the answer I received at my LBS when I asked this same question. The bike tech told me the nicer/higher end rims (Dura Ace, etc) will click louder when free spinning b/c of the gearing mechanisms in the hubs. He also said if you keep pedaling you don't here it LOL. 
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04-02-09, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by audioslavery
My fulcrum's are dang loud. My shimano's were silent. I kinda like it though.
04-02-09, 09:45 AM
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Originally Posted by bmw5nkj
i get jealous everytime i hear a loud pawl behind me, because i know the rider behind me must be faster to not have to pedal at my speed.
Originally Posted by scirocco
How else will you wake your neighbours when leaving for your 6am Sunday ride?
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04-02-09, 09:48 AM
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Originally Posted by aicabsolut
That's because Shimano hubs don't use pawls.
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04-02-09, 02:25 PM
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Originally Posted by threeflys
My Ultegra/OPs are nearly silent.... I wouldn't call Ultegras cheap or low end. Are Dura Ace wheels loud?
04-02-09, 02:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Sawtooth
+1. I can't hear one set at all and can barely hear the other. But sometimes I wish they were louder.
I don't mean this specific to you at all, but if someone wants to be loud they can join a motorcycle club and join an entire group of people dedicated to being loud, annoying, and annoying everyone else they go by so they can "feel cool" for absolutely no practical reason whatsoever. There's a remote state park that I *could* bike to and back given a full day. But it's completely ruined because people on motorcycles like to ride up and down the highway by it - you can't go anywhere in the park without hearing them. See, it's to "city like" in the city for them to ride their bikes there, so they have to go out in the country. *sigh*
It's different with biking because obviously a freehub isn't nearly as loud as a motorcycle, but I've had at least one ride that I stopped being able to go on because it was a "bike around and enjoy yourself" and some unfortunate guy on the ride had bought a used bike with a Chris King hub and he kept coming back. It was so annoying I just didn't enjoy the ride any more and stopped going.
Some people feel that the more annoying they are the cooler they are. I'm sorry to see that trend extend to biking. :-(
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04-02-09, 03:29 PM
#41
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
If I don't want to be annoying with the noise from my Fulcrums, I just pedal.
And I don't think I've seen this answer to the OP's question posted --
It's not so much the hardware as it is the weight of the lubricant. You can make Campy/Fulcrum hubs quieter by using heavier grease like Shimano does. But, I don't know how much of a difference that would make with Chris King hubs.
And I don't think I've seen this answer to the OP's question posted --
It's not so much the hardware as it is the weight of the lubricant. You can make Campy/Fulcrum hubs quieter by using heavier grease like Shimano does. But, I don't know how much of a difference that would make with Chris King hubs.
04-02-09, 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by aicabsolut
That's because Shimano hubs don't use pawls.
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04-02-09, 05:23 PM
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I have DA wheels and they are almost silent. When I start to be able to hear them, I know it's time to pull them apart, clean and re grease them. No grease...louder, with grease...silent.
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04-02-09, 06:08 PM
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Originally Posted by patentcad
Somebody let that stupid dog in.
04-02-09, 07:19 PM
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Originally Posted by PaulRivers
If you want a louder bike, buy a motorcycle.
I don't mean this specific to you at all, but if someone wants to be loud they can join a motorcycle club and join an entire group of people dedicated to being loud, annoying, and annoying everyone else they go by so they can "feel cool" for absolutely no practical reason whatsoever. There's a remote state park that I *could* bike to and back given a full day. But it's completely ruined because people on motorcycles like to ride up and down the highway by it - you can't go anywhere in the park without hearing them. See, it's to "city like" in the city for them to ride their bikes there, so they have to go out in the country. *sigh*
It's different with biking because obviously a freehub isn't nearly as loud as a motorcycle, but I've had at least one ride that I stopped being able to go on because it was a "bike around and enjoy yourself" and some unfortunate guy on the ride had bought a used bike with a Chris King hub and he kept coming back. It was so annoying I just didn't enjoy the ride any more and stopped going.
Some people feel that the more annoying they are the cooler they are. I'm sorry to see that trend extend to biking. :-(
I don't mean this specific to you at all, but if someone wants to be loud they can join a motorcycle club and join an entire group of people dedicated to being loud, annoying, and annoying everyone else they go by so they can "feel cool" for absolutely no practical reason whatsoever. There's a remote state park that I *could* bike to and back given a full day. But it's completely ruined because people on motorcycles like to ride up and down the highway by it - you can't go anywhere in the park without hearing them. See, it's to "city like" in the city for them to ride their bikes there, so they have to go out in the country. *sigh*
It's different with biking because obviously a freehub isn't nearly as loud as a motorcycle, but I've had at least one ride that I stopped being able to go on because it was a "bike around and enjoy yourself" and some unfortunate guy on the ride had bought a used bike with a Chris King hub and he kept coming back. It was so annoying I just didn't enjoy the ride any more and stopped going.
Some people feel that the more annoying they are the cooler they are. I'm sorry to see that trend extend to biking. :-(
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04-02-09, 08:18 PM
#46
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I have a pair of older Velomax/Easton Tempest wheels and they are silent when coasting. These are not cheap wheels. My Campy Vento wheels OTOH are loud and these are considered cheap wheels. My own understanding is that Campy wheels are just louder than Shimano. I've had a few people comment on how loud my Campy wheels are.
