What's with "loud" cassette?

Shaw said:

I have a Specialized Epic Disc, and a friend has the Epic Marathon. I think
mine has XT cassette and his is a SRAM. His cassette (or is it the hub) is
very loud when freewheeling. What is with that?

It's the freehub ratchet. You can make them quieter by packing them
with more grease.

Bleve said:

Shaw said:

I have a Specialized Epic Disc, and a friend has the Epic Marathon. I think
mine has XT cassette and his is a SRAM. His cassette (or is it the hub) is
very loud when freewheeling. What is with that?

It's the freehub ratchet. You can make them quieter by packing them
with more grease.

I don't know whether I would use grease, it maybe too viscous resulting
in the paws sticking down. You can flush the hub out and re-lube with
something like diff oil. Both bikes probably use Shimano hubs... Whoops,
I've just checked the Specialized website, the Marathon seems to use a
DT-Swiss hub. I've got one of those in a box somewhere and from what I
remember it's a lot louder than an XT. It's got a different design. If
it is in fact a DT-Swiss you might want to have a look at their website
for the servicing instructions.

Bleve said:

Shaw said:

I have a Specialized Epic Disc, and a friend has the Epic Marathon. I think
mine has XT cassette and his is a SRAM. His cassette (or is it the hub) is
very loud when freewheeling. What is with that?

It's the freehub ratchet. You can make them quieter by packing them
with more grease.

I've noticed (based on group rides) that more expensive wheels seem to
have louder freewheels. The Sora hub in the wheel I've just bought for my
cheap roadie (thanks to a stupid girl who knocked me off and wrecked
the last one) is barely audible.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

I really dislike the freehub noise on the DT hugi hub. It's just too loud for my liking.

I've also noticed that expensive hubs have loud freewheels. Can't figure out why though - they really annoy me.

SomeGuy said:

I really dislike the freehub noise on the DT hugi hub. It's just too loud for my liking.

I've also noticed that expensive hubs have loud freewheels. Can't figure out why though - they really annoy me.

yep I have noticed that as well.... maybe its a signal for people on cheaper bikes in front of you to get out of the way.... "expensive bike, coming through" 🙂

On 2006-02-14, Michael Warner (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Bleve said:

Shaw said:

I have a Specialized Epic Disc, and a friend has the Epic Marathon. I think
mine has XT cassette and his is a SRAM. His cassette (or is it the hub) is
very loud when freewheeling. What is with that?

It's the freehub ratchet. You can make them quieter by packing them
with more grease.

I've noticed (based on group rides) that more expensive wheels seem to
have louder freewheels.

I am remembering the full carbon with Campy Record setup, that came
along to MBTC a few weeks ago. It was loud. But beautiful.

I can barely hear my Sora freewheeling.

--
TimC
We are no longer the knights who say "ni"
We are the knights who say "icky icky (Comet) Ikeya-Zhang zoooboing!"
--Lord Ender on /.

TimC said:

On 2006-02-14, Michael Warner (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

I've noticed (based on group rides) that more expensive wheels seem to
have louder freewheels.

I am remembering the full carbon with Campy Record setup, that came
along to MBTC a few weeks ago. It was loud. But beautiful.

I can barely hear my Sora freewheeling.

I once had an XTR or STX-RC rear hub which had a silent pawl mechanism.
(No redundant spin needed to catch up to the wheel speed, not that it
matters).

Good for scaring pedestrians..

(Not that scaring pedestrians is good..) But due to it being completely
silent it tended to spook both cyclists and pedestrians when passing
them from behind.

Alas, the bus got that bike 🙁

- mkli.