- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
forum
Is it rude to have a noisy hub?
As the weather is good I've been commuting on my carbon rims recently, which happen to have a very noisy freehub!
Riding home the other day on the cycle path I got some aggro from a cyclist in front of me, who I was perfectly happy to sit well behind until it was safe to pass. She thought I was hassling her because of the angry sounding wheel apparently. I tried briefly to explain that is just what they sound like and there is nothing I could do about it. What do you say to that? Is this person just a bit daft or should I expect some people won't understand why some wheels are noisy? Its not the first time I sensed people feel a bit intimidated by the sound, maybe I should only get them out on the open roads
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
Latest Forum Topics
Latest Comments
- Geordiepeddeler 1 hour 57 min ago
Cycling infrastructure does not force drivers to break the law, drivers are the reason they break the law, no one else.
- chrisonabike 2 hours 9 min ago
Ah but taking pictures of things to defy the man (avoid a fine) is righteous. Taking pictures of people to grass on them to the cops (perhaps...
- ktache 3 hours 59 min ago
But getting paid for it is the very definition of professional....
- ktache 4 hours 8 min ago
Never had a Shimano QR fail on me. They just work. And the top end ones look good too....
- Backladder 4 hours 54 min ago
If you're only looking at the guy in front of you then you're going to crash whatever brakes you have, you need to look beyond them to anticipate...
- jaysa 5 hours 20 min ago
As a woman, this works great for me! My chain broke once, and a kind guy stopped with a chain breaker and sorted it all out for me. We stopped at a...
- andystow 6 hours 11 min ago
Same. I also have gone through a bunch of their tyres, and only the extralight disappointed (torn sidewall) but the standards are fantastic....
- chrisonabike 8 hours 8 min ago
Indeed - but it's no more inconsistent than our current road design - very often UK high streets are "for shopping" and also a busy through route....
- mike the bike 9 hours 39 min ago
If you ask the world's leading economic commentators how many people have been rescued from abject poverty by capitalism the average answer would...
Add new comment
65 comments
The new XTR will be reportedly silent.
Just setting up my new Rohloff build at this very moment, at last, I will see how noisy it is generally.
She must have been going a bit slow for you to be able to aggressively freewheel so much. Think what she would have been like if you'd had to jam on your (squealy) brakes.
I have a Shimano IGH (couldn't afford the Rohloff, maybe next time...) with a belt drive. It is amazingly quiet - but a bit of backpedalling can generate enough noise to alert sensitive pedestrians.
Not so noisy at all, except in gear 7. Expect a 1000 mile break-in period though, despite what they say in the publicity that's the distance it took for mine to become really smooth. When I started out I initially thought I'd made a very expensive mistake and should've stayed with a derailleur . For all weather commuting/trekking and whenever weight is no object, there's no better system imho. If they'd be able to shave off some weight and made it really flawlessly compatible with drop bars, I'd mount one on my gravel bike.
About noisy freehubs: I hate'm, for me they've been a reason to change kit. Though I'd never think about b*tching to another rider about the noise of their hub.
Just keep turning the pedals
Had a chat with another chap this morning who had the loudest freehub I've ever heard, I think - Hunt wheels.
And I thought my Campag ones were bad.
Ignore the noise.
Regardless of it being hub or mouth in origin.
Pages