Pinkbike Poll: How Important is a Quiet Bike to You?

Feb 26, 2021
by Mike Kazimer  
Snowshoe World Cup 2019

I can't stand noisy bikes. The sound of brake pads rattling, a chain slapping, or housing knocking around inside a frame gets under my skin, and I can't rest until I've found the cause and a solution. Based on the number of aftermarket chainslap-silencing solutions, and the measures taken to quiet the bikes seen on the World Cup DH and EWS race circuits, I'm definitely not the only one.

My ideal bike is one that's almost completely silent, allowing me to focus on the trail ahead instead of trying to diagnose that intermittent 'tick, tick' sound that's coming from some mysterious place. I even prefer quiet hubs to ones that sound like I'm being chased by a bunch of murder hornets. Sure, some people see that as a way to alert others that you're coming, but that's what my voice is for, and if I regularly rode in a spot with lots of hikers I'd buy a little bell.

No such thing as too much velcro tape at the World Cup.
Velcro tapes goes a long way to help keep things quiet.


These days, achieving a relatively quiet bike is a whole lot easier than it was in the past. Back in the days of rear derailleurs without clutches, multiple chainrings, and chainstay protectors that didn't really do much, it was a lot harder to muffle all that racket. I used to wire a piece of elastomer to my derailleur body to make it stop banging into my frame, and used old downhill tubes and electrical tape wrapped around the chainstay to quiet things even further. My boss at the bike shop I was working at back then was very, very frugal, and flew into a rage when he realized that the electrical tape supply had been greatly reduced by us shop rats making our own chainstay protectors... Ah, the good old days.


My big ears don't like noisy bikes, but where do you fall on the scale? Can you tolerate some knocks and rattles as long as your bike is working properly, or will only the sound of silence make you happy?



How important is a quiet bike to you?



Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Polls


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267 Comments
  • 348 5
 Louder than a skeleton wanking off inside a biscuit tin
  • 56 2
 What about a dump truck driving thru a nitroglycerin plant, asking for Clark Griswold?
  • 14 7
 Biscuit tin == Cookie tin?
  • 33 2
 @Skooks: obviously never played soggy biscuit, ey?
  • 27 3
 That's not a British flag
  • 14 0
 @pistol2ne: what an astute observation!
  • 2 0
 Dryer full of scrap metal
  • 13 0
 #grimdonut
  • 1 0
 @Richridesmtb: I've heard of soggy waffle but not biscuit
  • 2 0
 Shhhh, I can't hear my fillings rattle loose over the sound of my dry chain.
  • 1 0
 Lmfao ????
  • 4 1
 Or sounds like an Orange ?
  • 1 0
 Your bike sounds like a 1983 Ross going OTB.
  • 1 0
 @bigburd: thats where the original skeleton wanking in a biscuit tin quote came from
  • 6 0
 @NorCalNomad: Such a shopping cart
  • 188 2
 I use to be on the “loud hub” train until I got a silent hub.

The thunderous sound of tires smacking through rocks is awesome. Plus, you have an even better sense of traction through change in sound.
  • 60 1
 Same thing here. I ride an Onyx hub which is virtually silent. I have to work on those cable rattling and chain slapping. And when it's finally totally silent, I'll put a cow bell for the hikers to hear me coming as I don't yet hit the wall of sound.
  • 36 1
 100 percent agreed! Onyx has won me for life.
  • 8 0
 @EnduroManiac:
I thought my bike was quiet before the switch to the new hub, but the lack of hub noise amplified all the other noises haha I ran foam tubing over my cables to reduce rattle in the frame. Just need to figure out chain slap now.

And +1 on the bell.
  • 8 0
 I’ve been preaching this since Machine Tech’s 1994 silent Powerclaw rear hub. Only had to mow about 25 lawns to buy it as a kid =P
  • 1 0
 @Jaystey I agree with your sentiment here. For this reason I run a quiet hub in the summer and a noisy one in the winter when I'm riding in snow.
  • 5 0
 Depends on the application for me. I like silent hubs on trail now. I still want my dirt jumper to have an over the top hub sound.
  • 49 6
 having a constantly ringing bell on a bike must be one of the most annoying things ever... almost as bad as a bluetooth speaker blaring out on a trail
  • 7 0
 @EnduroManiac: More cowbell!
  • 4 0
 Love the Onyx on my DH bike, bike is so quiet. If I had a dj bike I'd go for something loud to add some character, since tire noise on smooth stuff is much less cool.
  • 4 5
 @timmyno7: turn up the voume of your speakers. It will cover the sound of the bell Big Grin
  • 7 1
 @joedave: Onyx gang represent. Yes, my rear hub weighs a ton. Yes, it's worth it. I also love the "spongy" feel of engagement.
  • 10 0
 Still waiting for a cheap,reliable silent hub. Preferably that doesn't weight as much as a cassete,too.
  • 10 0
 Onyx fanboi checking in.
  • 15 1
 @timmyno7: better than the surprise encounter with a fellow trail user. bells start the interactions on a positive note instead of a negative one. i am thanked over and over by hikers as they get out of my way. keep the flow and make the other users happy. i'll take the sound for that.
  • 12 6
 DT Swiss hubs are virtually silent. If they are making noise, you know you have to grease them. Excellent hubs as well.
  • 5 1
 @merlin33: a bell is super effective, but to me it is one of the most annoying noises. It can be both.
  • 5 2
 Yup. Now a days headphones on for the long slog climbs, and no music on the way down. Something to be said for hearing the way your tires grip (or start to lose grip).
  • 4 0
 @joedave: same here. My son and I run Onyx Classic's and when we ride together, its' like we are Ninja's. The silence is bliss.
  • 16 2
 @timmyno7: Yeah. I want to ride past every speaker rider and mash their front brake lever as i go by.
  • 9 1
 Most of my riding is in a National or Provincial park, I like having a noisy freehub to give a back pedal at a corner or blind spot, or when the hair on the back of my neck stands up. More for self assurance than anything else probably.
  • 1 0
 @SuperHighBeam: the noisy one is a 2 stroke belt drive huh?
  • 6 0
 @skiwenric: Oh man, that's unnerving when you're out riding in the middle of nowhere and you think something is there.
  • 7 0
 @jason475: it’s a game changer, especially when conversing with a mate(or son) whose also running an Onyx/silent hub.
I’ve never minded using my voice to let others know I’m approaching. Heck half the time, even with a very loud hub, you need to use your voice anyhow because so many people using headphones these days. Which also isn’t for me... personally.
It is nice seeing other options popping up, Project321, Shimano's new setup etc.
  • 4 1
 @RonSauce: a bell is effective but then so is a Giro or a Fox or a Met
  • 1 0
 @Lanebobane: the sponge is the only thing I dislike about it, but I can live with it
  • 3 0
 @nozes: DT Swiss 350s. Very quiet, reliable, easily rebuildable, easily upgrade engagement, and priced reasonably.
  • 1 0
 Bingo! Not a fan of riding in a swarm.

But other noises? Whatever, I won’t hear them over the tune and braaap sounds in my head.
  • 1 0
 @adrennan: yeah same, my BMX has a pretty loud hub but my mtb has a near-silent one.
  • 1 1
 @EnduroManiac: There is an easy way to stop your chain slapping about, but no one aloud to know?
  • 3 0
 @joedave: Same, not just for the silence but the instant engagement too
  • 2 0
 @rrolly: for sure, two of my buddies have actually bounced off Bears, no harm there but another local was slashed by a Brown across the back, luckily she was wearing a pack and that took the brunt of it.
Pretty sure the animals dont want the surprise either so lots of warning!
  • 5 0
 @skiwenric: We dont have to worry to much about bears here. But we do have big gators that sometimes sun on the trails. They either take off for the water, or stay there with their mouth open not giving a shit. Loud or silent hubs, makes no difference. their brains are really small.
  • 1 0
 @jason475: I went for a walk one time in the Everglades area. Not far from the main drag. We saw a bear and a bunch of gators! It's wild down there! I'd want a loud hub front and rear Razz
  • 3 1
 @Jaystey: STFU chain things from Whistler. Amazing.
  • 11 0
 @RonSauce: solution is the timberbell, it’s a bell you can turn on and off with a switch. Off for climbs and descents with good sight lines, turn it on for descents with limited sight lines or lots of hikers. Best $25 I’ve spent on my bike.
  • 6 0
 @Betacygni: nah, still can't stand the sound of a bell rattling. I would honestly not ride if that was my only option. I just keep my head up and stay conscious of the time of day/traffic and adjust my speed accordingly. If you're on a shared use trail you don't have any right to be roosting blind corners at 30 mph. Looking up at riding with self control has kept me free of any collisions for as long as I've been riding.
  • 2 0
 @WRCDH: I've still got one in a wheel I built in 1995, hung it in my 1993 GT Zaskar LE. Probably my biggest bike related purchase ever, in terms of cost versus free cash. Brilliant though!

I've just built a new wheel with a DT 350 just to make my bike quieter. I'm still grinning at the sound of nothing but tyres scrabbling for grip.
  • 4 0
 Onyx Vesper all the way. Love rocking up behind people in stealth mode...
  • 1 0
 @privateer-wheels:next time your down in FL, make sure you check out Alafia. You will not be disappointed.
  • 2 0
 Lots of Onyx fans here! Anyone able to compare their experience of the onyx to the DT350? Durability, maintenance, ability to take lots of torque? Thanks!
  • 3 0
 I have i9s loud as f*ck. I love them on the trails, but family is embarrassed when I ride on the streets with them. Be nice to be able to turn them down with some artifical intelligence or a brain chip integration.
  • 1 0
 @Rider656: then it’d be called Black Mirror Hub. Haha
  • 3 0
 onyx on the last two bikes and have no idea what this "spongy" thing is/was because I've been riding forever and felt no difference when I switched. Just sweet silence... Except people still hear me coming because:

1. My shimano pads rattle (that's the sound of stoke happening though)
and
2. I holler while riding around blind corners, and at the people riding with speakers playing their terrible music out loud for everyone to have to listen to.
  • 2 0
 Totally!!! Stoked on the sound of Silence; running Shimano XT 8100 hub on my most quiet Slayer 2020.
  • 1 0
 @derekr: pretty much maintenance free, spin forever. People say they are spongy, but I have used i9 Torches, i9 Hydras, dt 350's, Profile Elites, and ProfileAc2's, and I have no idea what they are talking about. The Onyx just engages instantly. Noticeably instant than the above rear hubs.
  • 2 0
 @derekr: Onyx are about as low maintenance as they come, and can handle very high torque.
  • 2 0
 @jason475: Onyx hubs have a slightly soft pickup. A very small amount of give while the sprags stand up and cam around the axle. I find it hardly detectable, and perhaps a slight positive about the hubs. I would say you are mostly correct about them being more instant than all the above, other than the Hydra's. Hydra hubs are pretty comparable at 0.5° engagement. Virtually instant as well. I really like both hubs, and both companies.

The old True Precision Stealth roller clutches had a firmer pickup. Looking forward to trying the new BOX Stealth hubs in the near future.
  • 1 0
 I can’t take the noise of my Hunt Trail Wide rear hub anymore, so I’ve ordered the Nukeproof Horizon V2 and the quiet pawls in the hope that will be a lot quieter.

The only change there as I understand it is slightly weaker pawl springs, I don’t know why more manufacturers don’t offer that. Hunt would probably get the carbon wheel orders for both my road bike and my next MTB if it wasn’t for the racket from the hubs.

I’m really hoping the upcoming lighter version of the Box Stealth hub is a winner, if it is I’ll be ordering one of those.
  • 1 0
 @Woody25: which hub is on your hunt trail wheels? The 120 points of engagement/3° model?

Those can be made to be pretty quiet if so.
  • 1 0
 @privateer-wheels: yes the 120 PoE ones. Hunt were great as always and recommended adding some grease which I did, but I didn’t notice any real difference to the volume .

Is there anything else worth trying or any trick to the choice of grease or how it’s applied?
  • 1 0
 @timmyno7: It is but it's better than spooking a moose or bear (or other large animal) screaming around on the trail in mere silence. For many, mountain biking puts them in places where large animals are likely to coexist, hence the bell is a safety device (the louder the better).
  • 2 0
 I've had two I9 wheelsets with Torch hubs and now two wheelsets with Onyx. I can say my I9 hub ran off a mama bear and cubs in Squamish once, but the silence is golden (yet eerie on solo rides).

Both hubs are easy to maintain and will last longer than you keep your bike, but I have had an I9 hub shoot off the little pawl springs when carefully trying to disassemble the hub for servicing. Thankfully, I9 gives a few extra springs with the hubs because it is not fun trying to search your garage floor for the tiniest spring ever.
  • 104 0
 I don't like noises because they often indicates an issue. So it's not really the noise, it's more the realization that something is amiss and needs work that I hate.
  • 23 0
 creaking out of bearings drives me crazier than any other sound because I know that means something isnt right
  • 4 0
 Agreed, I feel like we need to distinguish between "noises that indicate problems" and "noises that happen." Chain slap doesn't mean anything is inherently wrong and while it's annoying it's also inevitable. I do what I can and live it. Creaking BBs and headsets, rubbing/squawking/squealing brakes, etc. are far less acceptable because they can largely be prevented by maintenance. Housing rattling in the down tube however is the bane of my existence.
jagwire.com/products/small-parts/internal-housing-damper
It's a dollar a foot; no excuses. Looking at you, Grim Donut.
  • 2 0
 I agree. I like to ride with one earbud. If something is making enough noise that I have to take the earbud out and try to figure out if I need to make a trail repair, it annoys me. One ear listening for other folks on the trail, one ear for music, I don't have a 3rd ear to listen for something failing.
  • 63 0
 Sooo.... Baseball card in the spokes isn't cool anymore? Yeesh, I must look like an a*shole.
  • 35 1
 What you want is a bluetooth speaker hanging from your saddle, that is the cool thing now.
  • 51 2
 @gafoto: they should hand out citations to people who take bluetooth speakers on a ride.

Offense = being an obnoxious prick.
  • 5 1
 I'd LOVE to take teenagers phones on public transport that are playing their crass music on their speaker for everyone to have to listen too. Oh that would be the sweetest of sweet justice.
  • 6 4
 @Waldon83: All these kids listening to the rap musics these days!
  • 12 0
 It's not so much the genre, it's more the pure rudeness of not respecting that their are other people that don't necessarily want to listen too whatever it is.
  • 1 0
 Anyone remember having Spokey Dokeys on their bike?
  • 1 0
 @gafoto:

hanging it from a saddle puts it in just the right place to jam it up their..... [insert salty word here]
  • 2 1
 @freestyIAM: is over here having flashbacks to his hall monitor days...
  • 1 0
 @Waldon83: In my area, the Boomers are the worst offenders. Anywhere they go you hear "ANd this is how BIDEN is supporting the gay transvestite cat dogs from Mars!" or just having loud phone conversations on speaker phone.
  • 28 0
 I like a quiet bike, but it's also problematic. If you're bike it quiet, the second you hear something while riding it sticks right in your brain and you cannot focus anymore. Maybe it's nothing bad, maybe one zip tie on your external routing came loose but it's not an issue. Now you're annoyed, you stop to check it and mess up your flow.
  • 2 0
 ha - I'm with you, perhaps ignorance is bliss..... I hear all sorts of noises now that I never did with older louder bikes...
  • 2 0
 Encourages good housekeeping
  • 3 0
 This. I'm not anti noise as much as I am anti distraction.
  • 22 1
 Onyx Hubs for the win. Once you go silent...YOU will never go back to a loud hub. I actually find it offensive now when I ride with friends. Quiet bike = quiet mind. Nothing but the tires in the dirt, forest noises, subtle suspension sounds & the wind in my face. Laser focused. It is the one component that has completely changed my levels of enjoyment out in the woods. It's pretty incredible and the engagement is awesome. Ratchet up rocky steeps and power on leaving a turn. It's like uncoiling a spring. Zero issues with my Vespers with WAO Unions. Silent bike without question.
  • 6 2
 How do you let hikers know you are behind them?
  • 2 0
 I fully agree man. Nicely said.
  • 7 0
 Quiet bike quiet mind? Thats like people who believe tidy is the way forward.
Entropy my friend.
Entropy will get you in the end.
  • 7 0
 @brandaneisma: by yelling "get off the mtb trail" lol
  • 1 0
 @brandaneisma: You have a mouth right?
  • 2 0
 @AntN: MTB only trails are limited around where I live.
  • 4 0
 @nug12182: lol yeah. I feel like even if I say "on your left" as polite as possible I startle hikers. With a loud-ish hub they generally hear me further back and pull off, usually...
  • 3 0
 @brandaneisma: I might sound like a dick but I like my Onyx hubs because Im already passed the person before they even knew I was there. I do say have a good day after I passed them.
  • 2 0
 @nug12182: fair enough lol. I try to be as polite as possible as mtbers around here already have a bad reputation
  • 4 0
 @brandaneisma: I agree but they always panic and get in the way. Its like they get immediate dyslexic.
  • 4 0
 @nug12182: dude always... the best is when your like 50 feet back and there is a hiker with their dog and say "rider back" quietly and they rip their dog off the trail as if your coming mach 10 down the trail. Like I saw you a mile ago and and going 3mph
  • 1 0
 @brandaneisma: Coming up on your left.
  • 2 0
 @brandaneisma: if a hiker can't hear you approaching, you're just not Bro-ing Out enough...
Eek
/s
  • 1 0
 @tadabing: but to the hiker it’s COMING UP ON YOUR LEFT
  • 1 0
 @tadabing: But they still hear each word louder than the last one, since you're getting closer as you speak. So all they hear might be "on your left". I ran into a jogger once on a road ride because I called "on your left" and she jumped to the left as if it had been a command. Now, if I need to get somebody's attention, I just yell "PASSING" and wait to see where they move.
  • 1 0
 @brandaneisma: You don't. You creep up in stealth mode and scare the Cr@p out of them at the last minute.
  • 2 0
 I definitely went back. Silence was really cool (when your alone) but the sprag clutch on my vesper just plain fell apart. Also the spongey engagement - even when brand new - is way worse for big guys. Tried the timber bell also but it drove me absolutely nuts. Crashed at least once because of how distracting it is. I’ll take a nice loud buzz that gives hikers a heads up any day.
  • 1 0
 @brandaneisma: Most of the time, when walkers hear you they still get in the way,
If they do not hear you can most often get past, if you are careful?
  • 20 4
 A bike that makes noise means other people and wildlife will hear you coming. I don't like it sounding like it's going to break at any moment, but a little bit of hub noise, a bit of chain slap, and suspension noise helps other people on the multi-use trails to hear me coming.
  • 5 1
 Exactly! A bit of noise advertising your presence is a good thing. As CrashAB pointed out, it's a bear deterrent.
  • 8 0
 www.mtbbell.com
  • 2 0
 @kfccoleslaw: Such a good bell. Been running one for a while and it has been great. Noise when you want it and silence when you don't. Has prevented many trail conflicts.
  • 1 0
 I fucking hate bells. I don't know what it is, but it just annoys the hell out of me. ANytime I hear one I just want to tell the person to rip it off and throw it down the trail.
  • 4 0
 @JSTootell: Yeah, they're pretty annoying to ride with. But hikers definitely prefer a friendly bell to me yelling GTFO or RIDER or STRAVA. I've have had multiple hikers give me a thank you and a smile when I ride past with a bell. Honestly though, the solution is directional, user-specific trails and trail systems. If we can get that going in more places, no need for bells or yelling.
  • 16 2
 I want my hubs to sound like a swarm of murder hornets
  • 7 6
 YOU GET A DOWN VOTE MY FRIEND! HAHAHA
  • 3 2
 @FaastEddie: you get an up vote
  • 7 1
 Same. I want other riders to know when I’m coasting #mindgames haha
  • 8 0
 I want my bike to sound like it should’ve when it was brand new. No chain slap, normal hub sound, satisfying clicks of the shifter, and a nice top out thunk of the dropper post. Other than that I’m listening to the sound of the dirt under my tires, and the wind in my ears.
  • 8 0
 I don't mind the noises a bike is supposed to make, suspension fluid cycling, shifter clicks, and (reasonable) hubs. Squeaky brakes and rotors that rub are worse than fingernails on a chalkboard.
  • 9 1
 Doesn't bother me at all. As long as I know what the noise is (and it's not something wrong/broken) then I don't care. I didn't even know 'quiet bikes' were a thing, until I read about it on Pinkbike.
  • 5 0
 I mean, there's ok noise and not ok noise. If my brakes are rubbing, cranks are creaking, chain is making a dry death rattle, or there are groans or grinding metal noises from the suspension, that's my personal hell. If there's some chain slap, the hubs buzz, or things click or clack into place while functioning normally, well, that's just bikin'.
  • 8 0
 Noise = bear deterrent. Loud Hub FTW.
  • 4 0
 I don't like a quiet bike because when it is quiet, I'm constantly surprising hikers and other trail users (wildlife) and have to use a bell, and honestly, who has time to remember to ring the bell every corner. With my hubs buzzing and all the squeaks and rattles, I'm guaranteed to be 80% less surprising.
  • 7 0
 Choose a sound and be a dick about it. Sorry, couldn't resist.
  • 3 0
 I don’t care so much about noises that are supposed to be there like hubs, chain whirring, squelching suspension. But anything creaking or squeaking drives me crazy. I have to locate and fix those. Some people are so oblivious it’s amazing. You can hear their bb or suspension from 200 metres. Or a saddle bag full of lego.
  • 3 0
 It’s hard to go back to loud hubs for me after experiencing reasonably quiet ones. Maybe it’s a crutch, but being able to hear my tires on the trail is another data point that helps me evaluate trail conditions.
  • 4 0
 The idea of a silent freehub is intriguing, but I think I might miss the sound as a gauge for speed.
  • 1 0
 @Eatsdirt: I definitely experienced this for the first few rides on my onyx. That and you will notice every other noise that was covered up buy the freehub before. Totally worth it to me.
  • 8 1
 STFU for the win.
  • 6 0
 I like my hubs sounding like a swarm of pissed off bees.
  • 2 0
 Certain noises don't bother me at all, a headset creak or squeaky brakes after a creek crossing or whatever. But a new high pitched noise that sounds like metal wearing on carbon or bad derailleur indexing distracts enough from the ride that I'll not ride lines as cleanly, etc. It all depends!
  • 2 0
 I'm with you on this, depends on the sound. I don't mind a loud hub or if maybe i hear my chain a bit more one day because the conditions are a bit messy and getting dirt on the drivetrain. I don't mind if a certain bike smashing through a rock garden has some mild chain slap or just general "hammer" noise as long as nothing is broken. Creaky cranksets, pedals, headsets, suspension, etc. suck.
  • 6 0
 All i want to hear is my hub screaming like a banshee.
  • 3 0
 No cable rattles, no chain slap. I hate creaks and squeaks like anyone else but they won't have a negative effect on the descents like chainslap and rattley cables do.... for me at least.
  • 4 0
 A creak drives me nuts. The sweet sound of my Hydra hub buzzing away, music to the ears.
  • 1 0
 Bike silence is completely unimportant to me....until my bike isn't silent. Then it drives me nuts. Thankfully today I was able to finally silence my dying bottom bracket/loose cranks/loose pedals by tightening my seat post collar. Ahhh, sweet sweet silence again.
  • 1 0
 I used to get compliments or comments at how quiet my old ten speed commuter bike was. I would adjust, tune, clean grease as much as needed so that I could have a quiet ride. Any creak or rattle on my mtb especially on the climb would almost immediately be addressed. I can't stand noisy bikes! or cars for that matter. Any rattling, must be stopped! These new quiet hubs are where its at!
  • 4 0
 My fave ‘quiet’ upgrade is my Onyx Vesper rear hub... **queue Simon and Garfunkel**
Really a game changer
  • 1 0
 **The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls**

tup
  • 3 1
 I really wanted an EXT Storia. Really really bad. Then i heard how it clicks EVERY SINGLE TIME you press down on it. And it makes a squish noise on every compression. Gonna be a no from me dawg.
  • 1 0
 Really? I’ve never heard that before
  • 1 0
 @stormracing: Evidently its got a metal check valve ball that taps onto a titanium piece inside of it or something. I jsut found this out in the forbidden facebook group. Someone posted a video of it
  • 1 0
 @stormracing: www.pinkbike.com/news/review-ext-storia-v3-shock.html


They even talk about it in this review
  • 5 1
 I fricken hate bikes that sound like a whole bee hive is chasing me for the WHOLE DAMN RIDE! ????
  • 13 0
 Pedal then?
  • 2 5
 @tomhoward379: Sooooo you pedal on the downhills? Weird.
  • 6 1
 @FaastEddie: Yeah. I like to go fast. Also pedal the uphills too, so I don’t hear my hub on the WHOLE DAMN RIDE.

Not pedalling at all? Weird.
  • 2 0
 I'm with remote-local. If my bike start creaking, things are getting taken apart ASAP, the creaking sound ruins my ride. The swarm of hornets in my Hydra hub on the other hand sounds like sweet sweet music.
  • 3 5
 @tomhoward379: You must not be that fast, pedaling on the downhills! hahaha. I'd like to see you pedaling over some chunky chunder on a downhill. Watch out for those pedal strikes. When you go over the bars please think of me! hahahahahaha
  • 1 0
 @FaastEddie: You have never seen a downhill race have you?
  • 1 0
 Absolutely agree with this. Can't stand when my bike starts making a weird noise and I'll go crazy taking things apart until I find the culprit. Vs on my friends bike it can sound like it's falling apart and he isn't even aware lol, one time his axle was about to completely fall out. I've got loud hubs currently but want those silent onyx hubs in the future, just hearing your tires tracking the ground sounds like heaven. Also lol at the picture of the loud bike article being an idler pulley. Seems to sometimes be a bit of an issue, that could be very annoying.
  • 1 0
 Honestly this is something that I think about a lot when im off the bike, but when im riding I dont. Sure if something is creaking it bothers me but cant remember the last time when ive been put off my a noisy bike when bombing a downhill.
  • 1 0
 So this seems like the right place, my M16C has the weirdest rattle and I'm stuffed if I can find it. I suspect the cable housing for the rear mech is rattling around inside the swingarm but haven't had any success in sorting it. Only makes noise on the bigger hits which is even more maddening, anyone got ideas?
  • 1 0
 Silence is golden! Wish I could quite my gasps for air on the ups. Don’t want to spook wildlife but I kinda think they appreciate a friendly scare. Most two legged have earbuds in and wouldn’t hear a dump truck rolling downstairs.
  • 1 0
 As a hard of hearing person I find it almost impossible to hear folks behind me or hold a conversation if I have a loud bike. Onyx hubs was a massive improvement, plus hearing your tires on the edge of traction is really cool, I also fully believe there's a reduction in vibration due to the lack of pinions, giving you better feeling of the bike!
  • 1 0
 For a little while I ran a single speed with a Nobl-branded Onyx rear hub. Dead quiet bike. I loved being able to hear the sound of my tires interacting with the trail surface--amazing how much that sound varies with trail surface, speed, and bike lean. I also loved the instant engagement of the sprague clutch.
  • 1 0
 I understand why most people want a noise-free experience, but bicycle suspension should be excluded, along with tire and freehub noise. Nobody ever said that quiet suspension components are functionally better than quiet ones.
  • 1 0
 Quiet hubs are a nice compliment to a quiet bike. I loved my silent Onyx hub, just didn't love replacing broken freehub bodies 3 times a year. Please somebody figure out a silent hub that matches the reliability of a DT240s.
  • 4 0
 Never heard of this, ever. Been running Onyx for a decade personally... what did Onyx say?
  • 4 1
 Project321

www.youtube.com/watch?v=piCRdbeZ2GA

Skip to 1:35 if you want to get straight to the sound, or lack thereof...

Both 216 POE, you get your choice of loud or dead silent.

I've been running a set for 3 years.
  • 2 0
 @krka73: SIIIICK!!!
  • 2 1
 @krka73: Whoa! Thanks, hadn't seen that one, Think I found my new silent hubs!
  • 2 0
 @FaastEddie: You're welcome. My only advice would be to immediately put blue thread locker on the rear thru axle end caps. Other than that they've been flawless....
  • 2 0
 I haven't heard too many cases of broken parts from Onyx. Strange. Especially freehub bodies! Vesper or Classic? And steel or alloy freehub body.

P321 hubs are nice, but I would probably opt for the 144 Poe version myself, for the added security. The quiet models have very low drag, similar to Onyx. They are really nice.
  • 2 1
 I repacked my hope pro-four free hub with grease a few months back and for the first few rides it was near silent. Found it a very odd sensation. I found it super hard to gauge speed without the buzz from the freehub.
  • 3 2
 So the wind doesn't tell you how fast you are going?! hahahaha
  • 3 1
 @FaastEddie: or your eyes?!
  • 1 1
 Quite bike means well maintained bike, also i hate chain slap. Surprisingly some bike manufacturers have zero chainslap even without protection, for some reason manufacturers do not take that in consideration, however it could be easily achieved buy offsetting down chainstay on drive side
  • 1 0
 What bike has zero slap that isn't single speed?
  • 2 0
 @RonSauce: Zerode with belt drive
  • 1 0
 @RonSauce: a chainless one..?
  • 1 0
 @RonSauce: orange, Norco range 9 a leas early models)
  • 2 0
 As long as my bike isn't creaking or making sounds it shouldn't I'm good. Can appreciate (and do own) both silent and loud hubs.
  • 2 0
 I like my bike silent apart from hope hubs with a steel freehub. Just enough noise that I can't hear the badly aligned brakes
  • 1 0
 I smashed grease up in my rear hub to deaden the sound. It wears away during the ride but for the first 7 miles or so it’s a completely silent bike and all that yummy trail tire contact asmr
  • 1 0
 i do the same and found marine grease lasts alot longer than normal, plus the water resistance is handy.
  • 1 0
 I can see how if you're riding park or dirt jumps that changes your perspective, but I have no desire to sneak up on a bear or a mountain lion. I want the loudest hubs on the market.
  • 1 0
 I didn't think I liked my bikes especially quiet until I got my Propain Tyee (carbon) last year, that bike is noisy. Just in a way I never expected too, noise from the brakes gets amplified by the massive seat stays.
  • 1 0
 As a guy who rode with an old SunTour for a few monts, I can safley say that sound is relative. I belive in the spectrum of bike noises, starting with Onxl or I9, and finishing with a dead mouse lol .
  • 1 0
 I like my hope hubs. The reason why. 1. I dont want to run into an animal 2. I dont want to run into a mtber or hiker 3. Silent hubs is not safe if you ride fast 4. Hope hubs are the best.
  • 1 0
 By the way, those little wind deflectors that attach to half-shell helmet straps are pure magic — almost all wind sounds go away. It’s just as pronounced as a loud hub vs a silent hub.
  • 1 0
 complaining about my bike noises to my local shop owner , he told me to put my mp3 volume up , !!! he said: c'est simple :si ton bicyke fa du bruit , lève le son din écouteurs.....toute va tête correct !
  • 2 0
 Benefit of being old after 50 years of moto, construction and loud music. Effin' deaf.
  • 3 0
 I ride with a deaf guy, its pretty miserable when people try to pass him and don't listen to me when I tell them the rider ahead is deaf. Also he never oils his damn chain!
  • 2 0
 Same, Hope hubs all the way, otherwise you don't know if you're moving.
  • 2 0
 The only noise I want to hear is my tires fighting for traction and my buddies hollering as they have a good time.
  • 1 0
 Loud bike is mostly associated with lack of maintenance (once the other factory noises are gone) so I like a quiet bike. But I like a loud hub so I don't need a bell
  • 3 0
 As long as a noise is not indicative of a problem, I do not care.
  • 10 8
 Loud hubs lol.... anyone voting for that over 30 is going through an early mid life crisis haha.
  • 5 0
 username checks out.
  • 3 0
 ...or they ride on multi-use trails frequently and would prefer to "hint" at they are approaching other users on a descent instead of announcing it with a some kind of bell that means "get out of my way".

..or they bought a Hope hub before they were 30, and since those last forevrer, they are waiting to see if the 157mm standard sticks or not before the "uprade"
  • 1 4
 @ridingofthebikes: you are over 30 and have a loud hub.... don't worry you'll grow up one day dude. Good luck
  • 1 2
 @bvd453: haha love it
  • 1 4
 Getting down votes from middle aged men.... you boys need to find a safe space.
  • 3 0
 Wouldn't call it a mid-life crisis as such, but I rode trials and street in the late 90s and Hope or Chris King hubs were the dream back then and the loud volume became a mark of quality. I've ridden all kinds of different volume hubs since then but I still get all the feels that I did back then when I hear a Hope hub on the trail, and I am not in the least bit embarrassed about it.
  • 2 0
 mechanical things doing their mechanical jobs is fine with me, but cable rattle inside the frame P*SSES ME OFF.
  • 1 0
 A quiet bike is a confidence inspiring bike. It'll let you know as soon as anything needs attention so that you can be sure it's gonna hold up through that compression.
  • 1 0
 Didn't think it was important until I bought a new rig that immediately developed a rear end clunk. Made it hard to ride without thinking about it.
  • 3 0
 My bike is totally silent, I guess I should unlock it and go for a ride.
  • 3 0
 Noises annoy me because it usually means something isn't right.
  • 1 0
 Even riding with other people who have a noisy bike irks me, maybe I'm too obsessive but I have to do what I can to quiet their stuff down
  • 3 0
 I ride with music for a reason...
  • 1 0
 I9 hubs, no chain rattle..the only other sound to be heard is the non stop self deprecating talking I give to myself on long climbs.
  • 1 0
 i can still hear my old kona stab with the worn out rod ends on the brake dope bar, knackered bearings and squelchy 888s to this day. ahh memory's
  • 1 0
 Used to love loud hubs until I got a (near) silent hub and now would hate to have a loud one. Would love to have onyx hubs for the ultimate silence.
  • 1 0
 I took velcro straps and glued them to my frame where the hoses touch it to make it silent. I even spent 600,- on an Onyx Vesper hub to get rid of the freehub sound.
  • 2 0
 I’m deaf so all my bikes are silent AF!
  • 1 2
 I mostly work on my bikes myself. With that, I want to say that there is almost always some noise coming when I pedal them. Good think I'm not a bike mechanic but just a simple PhD in Biology.
  • 3 0
 My mean time to fix a creak is running about 6 months now.
  • 1 1
 Silent hubs/bikes will help you isolate where a "new" noise is coming from and when it develops, better way to avoid breaking shiiiiit.
  • 1 0
 I find creakes and moans usually occur most when you are on the gears and laying down torque, in which case your freehub isn't buzzing anyway.
  • 3 1
 Nothing worse than riding with a buddy whose bike won't SHUT THE F*CK UP!
  • 2 0
 you sound fun to ride with.
  • 2 0
 I never hear anyone else's bike. Guess you need to ride harder! Wink
  • 1 0
 My DH bike I like really quiet but my trail bike I like to have a loud hub so people move out the way haha
  • 2 0
 I´m a mechanic and the bike have to be quiet
  • 1 0
 When climbing, nothing eats at your brain more than a squeak, creak, or clicking noise. Downhills no problem.
  • 1 0
 Anyone remember the M3 or M6 frames? Those were so damned loud coming down the trail!
  • 1 0
 Silent hubs are definitely the way to go IMO. I added grease to my dt 370's to quiet them down and it's incredible.
  • 1 0
 If I’m riding, and I’m going fast and hard, I don’t usually hear much but the wind and the tires scraping the rock.
  • 1 0
 Curious timing for this poll. Did Kaz have a wet dream after that Sam Hill Giga video?
  • 1 0
 The older I get, the less I care. It’s a decent way to know if I’m slacking off...
  • 1 0
 For me, a quiet bike just feels more solid. Can't stand creaks and noises, seems like something might be loose
  • 3 1
 It's called headphones...and the noise of the world disappears.
  • 1 0
 I would like silent hubs but the ones I have feel like a sponge so I will be switching to 240's.
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer - I know you frequently change frames, but on your daily driver, do you run one of the STFU's ?
  • 1 0
 I grew up in the days of monocoque Norcos. If it's quieter than the aforementioned I'm happy.
  • 2 0
 So important I ride a single speed. The loudest thing is my knees.
  • 2 0
 And the sound of the heart pounding in my ears at the top of a climb (from a fellow single speeder)
  • 2 0
 @dpechter: Or the sound of me wheezing and puking.
  • 1 0
 It wasn’t important until I rode a quiet bike. Then it became more important than weight.
  • 1 0
 Noises are okay as long as they're not caused by something that's currently going wrong.
  • 1 0
 Hey bike industry, your mom says she gives having a quiet bike 4 out of 10 schmeckles.
  • 1 0
 How many murder hornets does it take to equal the decibel level of a Chris King hub?
  • 1 0
 I'd love to be able to hear mi riding buddies when I am cruising. Sadly Hope don't let me.
  • 1 0
 Quiet feels faster. Like the quiet when you hit high speeds (+125) on the street bike.
  • 1 0
 Certain things are annoying (brake cables really annoy me) but as long as it doesn't sound like the grim donut then i'm good
  • 1 0
 My favorite are ppl riding "angry BBs" that creak louder than their $500 angry hubs.
  • 1 0
 No noises except those that are essential to the function of the bike...
  • 1 0
 I love a totally silent hub but I do love my I9's
  • 1 0
 i do not like to be seen in the bush
  • 2 1
 Noise will not be tolerated.
  • 1 0
 I dont need a bear bell because my bike rattles to much.
  • 1 0
 10 k = must be quiet. It is the least we can do.
  • 1 0
 I need my loud hub to mask the rest of the noises my deathtrap makes.
  • 1 0
 Mostly don’t cate but rotor rub and bottom bracket clocks annoy me
  • 1 0
 I like it noisy enough to annoy the others riding with me! :-D
  • 2 0
 Onyx hubs...'nuff said
  • 1 0
 Keep it tight, keep it right.
  • 1 0
 I want the quiet parts loud and the loud parts quiet
  • 1 0
 Single Speed with sprag clutch hub and a dialed driveline would be heaven
  • 1 0
 Single Speed on my DH bike, best mod I've ever made!
  • 1 0
 I had that setup for a while--loved it!
  • 1 0
 Quiet bike way more important than bottle bosses for me!
  • 1 0
 Onyx and STFU combo is 'silent violent'
  • 1 4
 Chain slap? But wait. Clutched derailleurs eliminated chain slap... or was that high pivots and chain stays.. back in the 90s and again now? Yeah thats what I thought. Nothing like innovation repeating itself... history... history repeating itself.

It will take better engineers than the cut rate engineering school dropouts and bottom feeders the bike industry pays for.
  • 1 0
 loud bikes save lives? JK lube that chain
  • 1 0
 Quiet bike... loud hubs. Love the sound of i9 Hydras.
  • 1 0
 Mastic, and a stfu guide is all you need for a quiet bike.
  • 1 0
 Iffen your hubs to loud, you ain't peddlin enough Son!!
  • 1 0
 I'd take a creaky BB over an i9 death rattle any day.
  • 2 0
 Loud hubs save lives
  • 1 0
 Quiet bikes = scared hikers. Let er sing the sweet song of jank
  • 1 0
 If you pedal non-stop you won't hear your rear hub
  • 1 0
 loud profile hubs keep bears from running into you during mating season
  • 1 0
 I'm always too terrified/nervous/focused to notice my bike noises
  • 2 4
 I thought I was concerned with noise, until I got an eMTB, then-you simple can not care.
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