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Is it rude to have a noisy hub?

  • This topic has 65 replies, 38 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by Liam Cahill.
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  • May 15, 2019 at 2:46 pm #29650
    tommyraleigh

    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

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Viewing 15 replies - 46 through 60 (of 65 total)
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  • May 16, 2019 at 11:29 am #942159
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    OldRidgeback

    a.jumper wrote:

    a.jumper wrote:
    jacknorell wrote:
    a4th wrote:

    It just seems silly to have a really loud hub. That’s a lot of energy to waste on making noise every time you aren’t pedalling. 

    That’s because you should be pedalling…
    If I wanted to work for the whole journey, I would have taken up jogging! Well-tuned bikes should be silent. Riding with a hub that sounds like it’s dying should shame you.

    Well you’d hate being at a BMX race then as there are plenty of well-tuned bikes with noisy freewheels, mine included.

    May 16, 2019 at 11:14 am #942157
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    a.jumper

    jacknorell wrote:
    a4th</strong><br />[quote=jacknorell wrote:
    [quote=a4th]

    It just seems silly to have a really loud hub. That’s a lot of energy to waste on making noise every time you aren’t pedalling. 

    That’s because you should be pedalling…


    If I wanted to work for the whole journey, I would have taken up jogging!

    Well-tuned bikes should be silent. Riding with a hub that sounds like it’s dying should shame you.

    May 16, 2019 at 11:06 am #942155
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    Scoob_84

    It definitely sends out a

    It definitely sends out a passive aggressive signal, especially if your cruising close behind the person in front. 

    You can add to this nuisance by back pedalling half a turn to momentarily raise the pitch levels. 

    May 16, 2019 at 10:42 am #942153
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    peted76

    I get a bit embarrassed by my

    I get a bit embarrassed by my passive aggressive hub noise,  in a paceline, if I freewheel, it shouts ‘HURRY UP SLOWCOACH’ to those in front.. which just means I pedal more and rest less (which is not what I think and not helpful).. 

    On the other hand I ‘appreciate it’ when used instead of a ‘bell’..  it sure does alert people to me coming. 

     

    May 16, 2019 at 9:33 am #942151
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    OldRidgeback

    Jeez, people getting

    Jeez, people getting irritated by noisy freewheels? They need to get a life. Think of it as a safety feature. A noisy freewheel alerts other riders and pedestrians to your presence.

    Both my BMX race bikes have very noisy freewheels. It’s common in BMX. I do commute short distances on my BMX bikes and I know plenty of other BMXers who commute quite substantial distances on their BMXs.

    Seriously, I think I’d just laugh at them if anyone complained about this while I’m riding.

    May 16, 2019 at 9:06 am #942149
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    srchar

    tommyraleigh86 wrote:

    tommyraleigh86 wrote:
    Is this person just a bit daft

    Assuming that you weren’t furiously back pedalling, yes, ignore. They’d probably have had a go at you for sneaking up on them and giving them a scare if you’d approached in silence.

    May 16, 2019 at 8:35 am #942147
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    rtw

    If you don’t like it, squirt

    If you don’t like it, squirt grease in there.

    May 16, 2019 at 6:56 am #942145
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    SellMatt

    I startle sheep with my Hunt

    I startle sheep with my Hunt 4 seasons

    May 15, 2019 at 10:22 pm #942143
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    jacknorell

    a4th wrote:

    a4th wrote:

    It just seems silly to have a really loud hub. That’s a lot of energy to waste on making noise every time you aren’t pedalling. 

    That’s because you should be pedalling…

    May 15, 2019 at 9:09 pm #942141
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    IanGlasgow
    ktache wrote:
    Just setting up my new Rohloff build at this very moment, at last, I will see how noisy it is generally.

    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.

    May 15, 2019 at 8:57 pm #942139
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    mikewood

    Useful on shared use paths…

    Useful on shared use paths…

    May 15, 2019 at 8:37 pm #942137
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    a4th

    It just seems silly to have a

    It just seems silly to have a really loud hub. That’s a lot of energy to waste on making noise every time you aren’t pedalling. 

    May 15, 2019 at 8:35 pm #942135
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    EddyBerckx

    My Reynolds strike have taken
    My Reynolds strike have taken the angry bees approach. Ok on open roads but on the moot (I’m inbetween commute bikes) they can be bloody annoying to me let alone those in front of me I reckon. But what else to do? At least I’m waiting until its safe to overtake…

    …not a good idea for race wheels though, you dont wanna let people know you are there!

    May 15, 2019 at 8:24 pm #942133
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    Rick_Rude

    I saw  a guy on a Cannondale

    I saw  a guy on a Cannondale today it sounded like he had a playing card in the spokes. That sort of thing was all the rage in the BMX scene for some reason but I can’t see the point in it on road bikes. Quiet please. 

    Not sure why some mong would view it as harassment though.

    May 15, 2019 at 7:04 pm #942131
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    The Gavalier

    I’ve got a set of Fulcrum

    I’ve got a set of Fulcrum Racing Zeros which are absolutely silent. Great when you’re getting an easy ride drafting in a group, they have no idea you’re freewheeling 

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