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Silent or Quiet Rear Hub?

913 views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  arthurlo 
#1 ·
I've got a 06 Prophet 600 that I'd like to eventually upgrade as parts wear and have been looking at the reviews and comments about some of the more high quality, and lighter, rear hubs. It seems like the Kings, DTs, Hopes, ect ALL make a certain amount of noise, more or less. The stock Shimano M475 is vitually silent. Are there any hubs that are low noise and light? What make the noise? Is this just part and parcel of a higher quality hub? TIA
 
#2 ·
Unfortunately....

all hubs make some noise. Shimano freehubs are known for being the quietest, but also have the weakest and slowest engagement system. Hope hubs use a paul system that is similar to the shimano system but beefier and with more engagement points and stronger springs for the pauls, thus the increased noise. King and DT use a ratchet system that is inherently noisy, but very strong and have the advantage of very quick engagement of the hub when you start to pedal, but they are about the noisiest hubs out there when freewheeling. What causes the noise on a paul type system is the spring loaded pauls skipping over the engagment teeth in the hub. The pauls click as they pass over the teeth due to spring tension that is on them. With the King and DT the noise is caused for similar reasons, but you're talking two ratcheting gears that are skipping. This is extremely oversimplified. For more details go to the respective manufacturer websites and download exploded drawings of the hubs to see how the systems work, and the relationship of pauls, ratchets etc. Another factor that influences the noise level is the weight and thickness of the hub body. Lighter weight materials allow for more noise transmission than heavier. Shimano hubs are if nothing else heavier, at least until you get into the XTR line up. I'm not saying that shimano hubs aren't quality hubs. They are! I've had a set of XT's on my hardtail for over 5 years and with the regular maintenance they've received, they work perfectly. So don't discount a set of XTR hubs. They're nice! and they are quite light.

I don't totaly understand the obsession with "quiet" freehubs however. I have a set of Hope XC's on my FS bike and yes they are noisier than the XT's on the hardtail. But they perform so much better that the little extra noise that they generate is well worth it. I don't even notice the increased noise on the trail. My son has a set of Kings on his bike and we ride together often. And I don't even notice the noise from his hub that often even when right behind him on a downhill run. Maybe we're just having to much FUN to notice. Anyway, if you want light weight and quality, then noise is going to be a compromise that you'll likely have to make. I don't know of any high end hubs (expcept for the XTR's) that are "quiet".

You're choice, but don't discount the XTR hub for comparative quite and quality.

Good Dirt
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the detailed explaination! So it looks as if it IS an inherant trait of better quality hubs. BTW, I'm not obsessed with noise, but there are times when silence IS golden. As you correctly point out, thereare other times when it doesn't matter. Thanks for the tip on XTR.
 
#4 ·
A number of manufactures have made hubs using a roller clutch, which is as silent as they come. Shimano made one at the LX level, and many trials riders still use it. Stealth made some hubs with roller clutches, but I'm not sure they are still in business.

The advantages of a roller clutch is true instant engagement (faster than CK), and silence. The main disadvantage was weight, if the steel ring was made too light, it tended to explode.
 
#5 ·
The WTB/American Classic hubs have a quieter mechanism than other hubs.

The downside is that there have been issues with earlier (pre '04?) versions of the hubs, and that they are not the best sealed hubs and should not really be used in muddy conditions. The other downside with a quiet rear hub is that you need a bell when riding to alert people in front of you, because you can't just coast and expect them to hear the clicking.
 
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