Which wheels are noisy...which are quiet?

heavymental
heavymental Posts: 2,095
edited May 2009 in Workshop
I've had my Campag Eurus for about a year now and while they are nice wheels I think I've finally had to admit that the noisy freewheel psses me off! When I ride my hack bike with dura ace hubs I find myself enjoying the silence when I'm freewheeling. I know some people love it, and some people will tell me to keep pedalling but I don't like it and I don't want to avoid freewheeling either!

I'm led to believe that all Campag/fulcrum wheels are noisy and all Shimano wheels are quiet. Is that right?

So tell me....which wheels/hubs run silent, and which have a tic?

I'll start...

Campag Eurus - Noisy
Shimano Dura Ace - Quiet

Comments

  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    hmmm....maybe all campag freehubs are indeed noisy:

    Lightweight = noisy
    Mavic Ksyrium - slightly less noisy
  • jon208
    jon208 Posts: 335
    I fitted some new Zondas last week, the free hub is not far off silent on those!
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,741
    the miche hubs on my fixed gear are totally silent... :roll:

    8)
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    PlanetX Model Bs (Shimano) = sound like they're about to seize up
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    My Reynolds Alta Race used to sound like the mechanic had left his spanners in the freehub but since stripping and greasing it they've been as quiet as a mouse.
  • Philip S
    Philip S Posts: 398
    jon208 wrote:
    I fitted some new Zondas last week, the free hub is not far off silent on those!
    Same for me - I got some new Zondas about two months ago and they're very quiet - not what I was expecting at all. I kind of miss the click I had on my Racing 7s when I'm freewheeling...
  • vorsprung
    vorsprung Posts: 1,953
    I have ambrosio zenith sealed bearing hubs, they are failrly quiet

    I agree with the comments that campag hubs generally seem to be noisey

    The noise is made by the pawls skipping over the enguagement points. So if you want absolute silence then get a fixed hub
  • Yeah, never really understood the love for noisy freewheels, especially some of the loud ones. Awful.

    Anyway, I have just fitted some Planet X model Bs in the knowledge it was a clicky freewheel. Good news is that it's a very quiet click. So, not Shimano silent, but not noisy and nowhere near as bad as my mate's Gipiemmes.
  • magliaceleste
    magliaceleste Posts: 748
    My Zondas from a couple of years ago used to be noisy. After I serviced the freehub they went silent. It's easy to do.

    New Campag Shamals are pretty quiet.

    Chris King MTB hubs are far worse.
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,095
    My Zondas from a couple of years ago used to be noisy. After I serviced the freehub they went silent. It's easy to do.

    Was that just by sticking some grease in there?

    Is it straight forward to take the freehub apart on my Eurus?
  • jonmack
    jonmack Posts: 522
    Just to add, if you're annoyed that the hub is loud, just put some grease in there. As has been mentioned, the noise is coming from the pawls against the engagement ratchet, grease it up and it should quieten down a lot.
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,095
    I'll have a look at doing that tonight then. Is it straightforward to take the freehub apart? I'll take the cassette off.....then what? I can't picture how it comes off.
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    Hope Pro3 - noisy

    Tune - noisy

    09 Aksiums - quiet

    Shimano - quiet
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Campagnolo Khamsin - noisy

    Can anyone explain why all of a sudden yesterday while I was riding the noisy freewheel noise went quiet - still audible but a lot, lot quieter?

    I find this pretty bizzare and any help would be appreciated as I am worried it is something more serious / something needs correcting. It appears to run just as normal.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,095
    Ok, so I've taken off the freehub and stuck a good fingerfull of grease in where the pawls do their stuff. Now, Its quieter, but the pawls aren't engaging properly and are slipping around a couple of notches before engaging. The thing doesn't feel right at all. What you reckon? Too much grease? Will it wear in?
  • jonmack
    jonmack Posts: 522
    It'll wear in, just give it a few miles and it will be fine. I always just put teflon lube in mine then again I like my hubs to run loud, my King on my trials (not TT, bicycle trials) bike has a light lube in it, but if you've got a King you gotta make it known... BZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
  • liversedge
    liversedge Posts: 1,003
    How else do you let the guy in front know he needs to go harder than with a noisy freehub :lol:
    --
    Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,095
    Hmm...may have to open it up again as I put some heavy motor grease in it...as thats all I had to hand! I'll see how it goes. The tick is muted but still audible. I imagine it'll get louder again but we'll see.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    So greasing it will make it louder? Sounds counter-intuitive. I want my noise back!!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,095
    I hope not! I wanted to quieten them down!
  • Hugh A
    Hugh A Posts: 1,189
    Shimano - quiet

    Campag - loud!

    I have Campag Neutrons which were virtually silent when new but within a week or so had reverted to the usual Campag cacophony. Maybe if I regrease them they'll go quiet again? I've got used to them now though...
    I\'m sure I had one of those here somewhere
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    If group riding, I think having it a bit noisy is helpful - you get a bit of advance warning that the guy two in front has suddenly stopped pedalling.
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    I put some white teflon grease around the pawls on my racing 3s and now they are nearly silent. I'm wondering if that was the correct thing to do. Are pawls supposed to be greased?
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • My Gipiemmes are absolutely silent, very frustrating! I was used to campag wheels and was expecting after having been told that the Gipemmes come from the same stable that they would also be nice and clicky. I have however, perfected my impression of a campag wheel freewheeling in order to let people know that they ain't working hard enough! (Or that I'm wheelsucking!)

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  • you dont want silent hubs you want loud noisy clicky ones!
    Ribble Gran Fondo
    Focus Black Hills
    Raleigh Chopper