Why Are Expensive Hubs Noisy Hubs?

[SchwinnStr8]

Here's a thread from another forum talking about loud hubs. Some posts explain why hubs are louder than others. Hope this helps...

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195885&highlight=i9%27s

Also...I have hadleys, I9's and razorrock loud hubs.

The loudest so far are the razorrocks, then its a race between the I9's and Hadleys (older Hadleys).

[Code Blue]

Originally Posted by SchwinnStr8

Here's a thread from another forum talking about loud hubs. Some posts explain why hubs are louder than others. Hope this helps...

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/sho...ghlight=i9%27s

Also...I have hadleys, I9's and razorrock loud hubs.

The loudest so far are the razorrocks, then its a race between the I9's and Hadleys (older Hadleys).

It has something to do with the lube. My Hadley was loud until it was serviced now it is silent

[Trizz]

that sound has been driving me crazy i could never figure out what it was. kinda like a bee, or a lighter version of a tricycle bell. and its usually only on my down pedal or really fast.
hmm. i always thought it was my brakes or something vibrating, now i can ease off a little,

[DBD]

Originally Posted by Foesnasty

my hadleys are silent... I wish there where loud, I think it's kind of cool.. it would remind me to keep pedaling

And instead of going, "BRRRRRAAAPPP!!!" as you pass someone just stop pedaling for a second and the hub would do it for ya.

[northshore]

Interesting thread. My DT540 wheelset came with some really crappy generic hubs but it sounds like an ice cream truck without the annoying crappy music and the guy pushing dime bags instead of ice cream.

[emejay]

Originally Posted by Rob

Are Hadleys loud? I don't remember.

Mine are verrrryyyy quiet.

[jschwart73]

I too have noticed with my Mavic Crossmax SL's both the freehub and the spokes themselves are loud. The spokes typically do their creaking thing at low speed under heavy load pedaling.

One trick I tried and had work was to put a little coat of White Lightning where the spoke interfaces with the hub. That definitely quieted it down a bit.

As for the freehub, I used a little Phil Wood Tenacious Oil on the freehub seal and ratchet mechanism and it definitely quieted down a LOT over how it came from the factory.

[thebush]

Chris King sells an "angry bee" hub t-shirt

[Trizz]

Originally Posted by emejay

Mine are verrrryyyy quiet.

thats a sweet pic, do you keep it that clean all the time or was this the first day.

[FyrFytrRyn]

my hadley is pretty noisy. ive never had it apart, but i know my odyssey hub om my bmx bike is loud when i run a light oil in the hub, but when i go to a thicker grease, its almost silent. my w00dman bill extreme is pretty loud too. it sounds even better when i back pedal onto a corner.

[emejay]

Originally Posted by Trizz

thats a sweet pic, do you keep it that clean all the time or was this the first day.

First day, but still fairly clean.

[cjwally]

Noisy Hubs = Bell

Multi-purpose.... I love coming up behind people and just back pedaling a little bit. When they hear my Hope hub, they know what to do...

[kanga]

Could it be more pawls = more sound? The Coles I'm running have 6 pawls and are "moderate" in the dB range, a little louder than my Spinergys, and a lot louder than the DT-Swiss hubs I have. But none are as audible as Kings or Hadleys that I've heard.

[LoisMustDie]

Originally Posted by Waldo

Everybody raves about hubs like Chris King, Hope, etc - great engagement, strength/weight ratio, durable, and so on. But it seems like the expensive hubs are also the noisy hubs, buzzing like a swarm of bees after their honey's been stolen.

So is there a mandatory correlation between hub form and function when it comes to sound? Or does everyone just want noisy hubs that say "look how bling I am"? Do good hubs have to be loud hubs?

They are multi-tasking...you paid a great deal for a hub and a personal trainer. The sound they make reminds you that you need to PEDAL FOOL!

[El Rolo]

motor oil will quiet your hubs

but I like mine loud. Come up behind a rider and simply coast, they'll move over before you can say, "on your left!"

[Rob]

Originally Posted by emejay

Mine are verrrryyyy quiet.

Nice wheels! I remember watching Gabe build those.

[.8down]

Originally Posted by emejay

Mine are verrrryyyy quiet.

cleanest bike I ever dun saw .

[Red Hot Sloth]

Its so shiney, it just doesn't seem right to be so shiney.
It's polished and shiney. I can see glare, yep, it's bonified shiney.

[G-Ride]

I've never used Hope so I can't comment on those. Most standard hubs use a 3- or 4-pawl ratchet system, hence only usually engaging (clicking) 3-4 times per revolution. Chris King uses a patented ring-drive system that has 72 points of engagement per revolution of the hub, which is why you have the high-pitched buzz.

edit: Another vote for Hadley - very high quality workmanship, good engagement, and quiet.

[SchwinnStr8]

Here are some small clips/vids of my hubs...

Hadleys:


RazorRocks:


Industry Nines:


Hope this helps