# silent freewheel???



## j.court (Dec 26, 2005)

Yes I know this is a little picky....BUT does anybody know of a brand/company that sells a 16 tooth freewheel that is silent? The freewheel on my 1 x 1 is loud and bugs the crap out of me when I'm coasting. Thanks much!


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## labrat73 (Aug 24, 2005)

I have an ENO freewheel and, while its not silent, I cant hear it at all when I'm on the trail.


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## cloughja (Jan 19, 2004)

I used a 16t shimano on my commuter for a while and it's much quieter than ACS and WI freewheels. Not completely silent, but I don't know of any freewheel that is.


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## unit (Nov 24, 2005)

*shimano*

Shimano makes a free hub that is restricted for law enforcement use only. You may be able to get one if you have the right sources. They are called Shimano Nexave Silent Clutch hubs...It is not a freewheel, but it is silent, and very hard to get for civilians.

I like silence in the woods so I simply pedal most of the time to silence the freewheel. 
Why is a silent freewheel important to you? Just curious.


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## ISuckAtRiding (Jul 7, 2006)

i prefer noisy hubs because its slightly more of an alert to pedestrians that you are comming. Its a bit of an issue out here in SoCal. If you want, just take your freewheel apart and slap some grease in there (not too much). It will be pretty damn quiet after that. Just make sure that the paws still engage.


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

unit said:


> Shimano makes a free hub that is restricted for law enforcement use only. You may be able to get one if you have the right sources. They are called Shimano Nexave Silent Clutch hubs...It is not a freewheel, but it is silent, and very hard to get for civilians.
> 
> I like silence in the woods so I simply pedal most of the time to silence the freewheel.
> Why is a silent freewheel important to you? Just curious.


 silent clutch hubs are restricted to law enforcement use only?since when?


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## unit (Nov 24, 2005)

*I dunno*



hollister said:


> silent clutch hubs are restricted to law enforcement use only?since when?


That particular hub (Nexave) was claimed by an article in Bicycling a few months back to be restricted for law enforcement use only. I talked to a Cop friend and he said that there is some special contract with shimano and for some reason they dont want civilians to have them. Sounds dumb to me, its not like its a machine gun or something, but I have yet to see anyone offering them for sale to the public.

If I am wrong and they are available somewhere, let me know. They are pretty neat!


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## Bikehigh (Jan 14, 2004)

hollister said:


> silent clutch hubs are restricted to law enforcement use only?since when?


Yeah, I'm pretty sure Sturmey-Archer has been selling them to the general public for a long long long long time.


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## G-man (Jul 12, 2004)

You didn't hear it from me but if you inject a light grease in the port hole the Clawsones or heavy oil works in Shimano.they get pretty quiet. If you live where you have cold weather you risk the pawls not engaging which can be dangerous as hell. I live and ride where it is hot and wet so the grease does very good by me.


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## Aeroplane (Sep 22, 2005)

unit said:


> That particular hub (Nexave) was claimed by an article in Bicycling a few months back to be restricted for law enforcement use only. I talked to a Cop friend and he said that there is some special contract with shimano and for some reason they dont want civilians to have them. Sounds dumb to me, its not like its a machine gun or something, but I have yet to see anyone offering them for sale to the public.


Can you imagine what would happen if they were legal? Bicycle riding hooligans would rule the streets, given new courage in the knowledge that they can finally coast away silently.


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## gijsberg (Dec 2, 2005)

*the "special" freewheel*

I think, in that shimano freewheel there is something like this:










You can also have a look at this website rowingbike

I think they have that silent freewheel with the rollers in it (but it is expensive...)


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## bikecop (May 20, 2004)

I silenced a freewheel once by disassembling it and reassembling with a light grease or heavier oil than it came with. very quiet. acts like a damper for pawls clicking into place I suppose.


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## 24601 (Aug 25, 2004)

I asked my bike shop about the silent freewheels. They had several police bikes there waiting for pickup. They said the Police bikes are the only ones that come stock with the hub, but that they can get it for anyone who wants one. He said it was a bit pricey but didn't give me a number.


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## dannybob (Feb 21, 2004)

*I don't think these are exclusive to cops.*

Shimano introduced the Silent Clutch about ten years ago. It works in sort of the opposite way as their roller brake. A bunch of rollers "coast" inside the freewheel until pedalling forces push them up little ramps and the "wedge" between an extension from the hub body and the cassette body. It is silent and offers pretty quick engagement. Problem is the material of a freehub body is pretty thin and the system generates a lot of force radially outward on that freehub body (pawls don't) and the freehub bodies crack pretty frequently.

I believe Shimano originally offered a Silent Clutch freehub option on the STX group (entry level mtb) but it never went any further up the line than that. I think they still offer it in one of their hybrid/commuter groups but I would never put one on a bike I really cranked on. I wouldn't trust it.

It might be good for creeping up on the doughnut shop but not for MTB'ing.


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## shinerider (May 19, 2005)

I feel special now. I think I have one of those "special, super secret, for cops only, us gov't, Area51" shimano dx style hubs on my commuter roadie. Its silent as a mouse. Nice to only hear the hum of the tires!

Mine is the Shimano SF-1200.


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## ferday (Jan 15, 2004)

http://johnhenrybikes.com/catalog.asp?category=45&subcategory=0&mode=viewresults&whichpage=6&search=

those are the cheapest hubs i've ever seen, you sure they're called the nexave? oh, and nice try with the top secret cop thing.


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## Hardtails Are Better (May 4, 2005)

dannybob said:


> Shimano introduced the Silent Clutch about ten years ago. It works in sort of the opposite way as their roller brake. A bunch of rollers "coast" inside the freewheel until pedalling forces push them up little ramps and the "wedge" between an extension from the hub body and the cassette body. It is silent and offers pretty quick engagement. Problem is the material of a freehub body is pretty thin and the system generates a lot of force radially outward on that freehub body (pawls don't) and the freehub bodies crack pretty frequently.
> 
> I believe Shimano originally offered a Silent Clutch freehub option on the STX group (entry level mtb) but it never went any further up the line than that. I think they still offer it in one of their hybrid/commuter groups but I would never put one on a bike I really cranked on. I wouldn't trust it.
> 
> It might be good for creeping up on the doughnut shop but not for MTB'ing.


I have one of those STX Silent Clutch hubs on my commuter. It's an old cop bike. Soooper stealthy.


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## CBBaron (Dec 12, 2005)

Why hasn't someone mentioned a fixed cog yet. There is no pawls or engagement mechanisms so it is absolutely silent. With my fixies I get annoyed when the chain gets a little dirty and starts making a noise as it engages the cog teeth.

Craig


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

CBBaron said:


> Why hasn't someone mentioned a fixed cog yet. ...


Because it's not a freewheel.

--Sparty


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## EverydayCommutr (Mar 8, 2005)

I've seen the Shimano LX silent clutch's sold at Webcyclery in the past. Some trials riders use them when they can't afford the King's. The engagement's better than Shimano's regular hubs. My Deore hubs have been silent since I got them, and used them in a SS conversion with vertical drops. Maybe my "magic" ration wasn't so special, and wrecked the mechanism? 

As for fixed setup, when you get used to it, it's so quiet, you'll hate freewheels when you're on a "Ride of Silence," and the engagement's so good that King's, Hadley's, and Industry 9's feel sloppy. But, then again, fixed ain't for everyone, and doesn't fit all intended purposes.


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## jkish (Dec 11, 2004)

*Ninja Cyclist Robs Gas Station*



Aeroplane said:


> Can you imagine what would happen if they were legal? Bicycle riding hooligans would rule the streets, given new courage in the knowledge that they can finally coast away silently.


 http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article758780.ece


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## totally_fixxated (Aug 24, 2005)

*SunRace Merrill*



j.court said:


> Yes I know this is a little picky....BUT does anybody know of a brand/company that sells a 16 tooth freewheel that is silent? The freewheel on my 1 x 1 is loud and bugs the crap out of me when I'm coasting. Thanks much!


http://diafysal.net/liggcykel/

Nothing on their website, project is probably dead.


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## Ziggy (Dec 30, 2003)

My XTR bike, old 8 speed, is silent running freewheel. But my wifes bike with the STX is quiet but not as quiet as the XTR.


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## Riding for Sanity (Mar 18, 2006)

Ride Faster! My 16T Shimano MX is virtually silent, and on the downhills I can't hear it all.


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## tristan (Dec 3, 2005)

*Silent ACS*

I pump my ACS freewheels full of plain old heavy Phil Wood grease untill the old stuff oozes out the other side. This creates a fair amount of drag but I've never had the pawls fail to engage (down to about 20 degrees or so). The freewheel runs silent and I bet it is good protection for all the internals. I kinda like the drag too because on running starts the pedals are already moving for me.


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## compositebmx (Mar 2, 2010)

*Stealth Hubs*

Stealth Hubs made by true position componets make a clutch bearing hub. Basically its a fishing reel bearing. www.trueprecision.net


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## RicanMTB'r (Sep 6, 2009)

I just picked up an Easton XC Wheelset for my SS, they are silence, 
I missed the clicking sound


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## ernesto_from_Wisconsin (Jan 12, 2004)

wear ear plugs


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## OldMountain (Oct 3, 2008)

Silent, NO pawls & will freewheel BACKWARDS !
http://www.khebikes.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=356&Itemid=46

NOW if you could mate it to a Gates Carbon belt drive...


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