Novatech farm implement... :-(

[Denis]

So I got my new ride assembled (see other thread on my Cannondale 1FG), take it out for a short loop (5 miles) with my daughter.

Starts with a nice uphill, this bike is great. Stiff, especially with the Lefty ELO locked... The eccentric bottom bracket creaks a little, probably need more grease.

Then comes a downhill... Where is that tractor... wait, it's not a tractor... it's my rear freewheel...

I just can't believe how LOUD that freewheel is. With the stiff Al frame and the big diameter tubes, it resonates in the frame too...

Is that everyone's experience or is this a problem with this specific hub? I can't live with that (my other ride has a Cannondale / Hugi rear hub, and I can barely hear it over the noise of the tires and the wind).

So, if all Novatech are like that, I'll have to start looking for an alternative:

- Can't afford a King (gee, what are these guys thinking at $350 a hub...).

- How's the Woodman Bill Single RSQ. I like the fact that it comes with a quick release (what's with these hubs with nuts... leftover from the BMX days?).

- Anything else I should be looking at (need disc hub, would be nice to have a quick release too).

Thanks.

Denis

[MellowCat]

"- Can't afford a King (gee, what are these guys thinking at $350 a hub...)."

I bet the king would be worse honestly. I use to ride with a guy that loved King hubs...I was always yelling at him to pedal so I could hear myself think...they really ruin nice quite rides in my opinion. Very nice product though, well made, just noisy.

My White Ind ENO freewheel is very quiet and long lasting, cheaper too.

MC

[Blowout]

I have one (Actually an On-One planet x hub) on my Vulture, and it will quiet down a little bit as it wears in, but my ride is steel so that might help a bit. A King is much much louder, and the woodman is the same as the novatech, which are both copies of Brant's hub. There is a company out there that markets a a silent clutch engagement hub, but I do not recall the name right off the top of my head.

[quaffimodo]

I've had good luck with LX disc hubs and they're pretty quiet as well. FWIW, the buzz of the King hubs hasn't been as objectionable on my SS as I thought it might be...

[Denis]

I have one (Actually an On-One planet x hub) on my Vulture, and it will quiet down a little bit as it wears in, but my ride is steel so that might help a bit. A King is much much louder, and the woodman is the same as the novatech, which are both copies of Brant's hub. There is a company out there that markets a a silent clutch engagement hub, but I do not recall the name right off the top of my head.

I actually found True Precision, they have a stealth single speed disc quick release version (just what I am looking for) at $300... ouch!

http://www.trueprecision.net/shoppin...s_zg_Cogs.html

How noisy / silent are the cogs with built in freewheel (line the White Industry ones)?

Denis

[shiggy]

So I got my new ride assembled (see other thread on my Cannondale 1FG), take it out for a short loop (5 miles) with my daughter.

Starts with a nice uphill, this bike is great. Stiff, especially with the Lefty ELO locked... The eccentric bottom bracket creaks a little, probably need more grease.

Then comes a downhill... Where is that tractor... wait, it's not a tractor... it's my rear freewheel...

I just can't believe how LOUD that freewheel is. With the stiff Al frame and the big diameter tubes, it resonates in the frame too...

Is that everyone's experience or is this a problem with this specific hub? I can't live with that (my other ride has a Cannondale / Hugi rear hub, and I can barely hear it over the noise of the tires and the wind).

So, if all Novatech are like that, I'll have to start looking for an alternative:

- Can't afford a King (gee, what are these guys thinking at $350 a hub...).

- How's the Woodman Bill Single RSQ. I like the fact that it comes with a quick release (what's with these hubs with nuts... leftover from the BMX days?).

- Anything else I should be looking at (need disc hub, would be nice to have a quick release too).

Thanks.

Denis

Kings are noisy, too. Just different.
The Woodman is a Novatech.
Fixies are silent

[Kolo]

You can try opening up the freehub body and getting a bit of light grease (I find suspension lube works well) in there and it should quieten it down a bit.

Sam

[Cephalopod]

I actually found True Precision, they have a stealth single speed disc quick release version (just what I am looking for) at $300... ouch!

http://www.trueprecision.net/shoppi...bs_zg_Cogs.html

How noisy / silent are the cogs with built in freewheel (line the White Industry ones)?

Yeah, plus those Stealth hubs are hard to get a hold of...

[Spookykinkajou]

Hope bulb. buzz like king only about 25% the volume. very nice engagement and at least half the cost of the King if not more.

[Denis]

I just took the Novatec freewheel apart and packed it with grease. It's really quiet now (can't believe the difference), but there is quite a bit of drag too (when I sping the wheel, the drag is such that the crankset will turn).

No big deal tho, better a little drag than all that racket.

:-) I'm happy now.

I have to say too that I exchanged emails with Lynette at White Industries, and she's been very helpful.

I did send an email to Larry at mountain high cyclery but I ahve yet to hear back from him.

Denis

[Sparticus]

I love everything about my King SS disc hub except for these two attributes:

1) Cost. (Actually, I'm over this. The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. The hub is high quality and it's paid for... and it serves me well. But dang, it was expensive.)

2) The freakin' NOISE. Yes, it's a beautiful sound to some but it's still NOISE. Give me a silent hub, please. Silence... the promise of singlespeeding. Noisy hubs break this promise.

That said, notice I haven't taken the King off my bike...

--Sparty

"- Can't afford a King (gee, what are these guys thinking at $350 a hub...)."

I bet the king would be worse honestly. I use to ride with a guy that loved King hubs...I was always yelling at him to pedal so I could hear myself think...they really ruin nice quite rides in my opinion. Very nice product though, well made, just noisy.

My White Ind ENO freewheel is very quiet and long lasting, cheaper too.

MC

[shiggy]

I just took the Novatec freewheel apart and packed it with grease. It's really quiet now (can't believe the difference), but there is quite a bit of drag too (when I sping the wheel, the drag is such that the crankset will turn).

No big deal tho, better a little drag than all that racket.

:-) I'm happy now...

Denis

Not a good idea. Grease tends to thicken with use and collect crud. This in turn fills in the ratchet and can keep the pawls from engaging. You then freewheel in both directions.

I would not use anything thicker than Phil's Tenacious Oil.

[pacman]

Shimano makes (made) much cheaper stealth hubs: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=40624

[Denis]

Not a good idea. Grease tends to thicken with use and collect crud. This in turn fills in the ratchet and can keep the pawls from engaging. You then freewheel in both directions.

I would not use anything thicker than Phil's Tenacious Oil.

That make sense. I need to get my greasy little hand on a bottle of Phil's good gooy stuff. I am pretty an*l about maintenance so I am not as concerned about the crud accumlating as I am about the grease interfering with the pawls engagement.

Txs.

[red-haze.com]

You stand a good chance of causing the pawls to slip and possibly chip the tips of the engagement ring. then ya have to get a new hub (personal experience here with the Novatech hub). a light oil is best, Phils works ok too, but its a little sticky. Your hub was probably shipped almost dry (my second one was). Some oil will last for thousands of miles! that hub is an excellent choice, inexpensive and bomb-proof. Mine had more than 3000 miles (nasty Pacific NorthWet with garden hose spray down for maintenance) before I even had to replace the rear bearings. It always ran very quiet after I put some oil in it.

Now on the Vulture there is a Stealth hub, instant engagement and over 500 miles of hard trail use so far. The only reason I "upgraded" was it was a new custom bike and I had the money. The Novatech is ready to go whenever its needed, probably gonna go on loner SS.

again, clean that grease soon!

bike ON
bob

[Kolo]

What is your feeling on a very light grease? As I said, something like a suspension lube. I've done this a number of times and never had any problems.

Thanks,

Sam

[shiggy]

What is your feeling on a very light grease? As I said, something like a suspension lube. I've done this a number of times and never had any problems.

Thanks,

Sam

Oil only.

[ssRoughRider]

"Now on the Vulture there is a Stealth hub, instant engagement and over 500 miles of hard trail use so far."

Hey RH

Could you offer some more comments on your TP Stealth hub? Curious from a SS perspective. Some reviews I had heard were that it was problematic when heavily torqued, climbing, etc.

I imagine with your mileage and use you've had good luck. Sounds like an amazing hub though.

Thanks
ssRR