This morning before the temperature soared I did a few laps at Longchamp. My bicycle, as usual, ran smoothly and blessedly free of rattles, creaks, knocking, cable slap, bottle vibration, excessive chain racket, agonised gear changes, raucous freehubs, Garmin chirps, brake squeal, and the whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of deep-section wheels at 40 km/h.
Meanwhile, the whole 3.5 km loop was a cacophony of that list. How can anyone put up with that? Half the pleasure of cycling is its silence!
The only bicycle I noted for its quietness was an old (I presume from its 5-speed freewheel) Mercian in flawless pink. It was practically silent except for the buzzing of the chain on metal derailleur pulleys.
Even if you’re deaf as a post, do the rest of us a favour and quieten your machine!
That rare thing the silent bicycle
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
Buzzing freehubs are trendy.
But to be fair, Campag ones are often not "quiet" per se (there have been different types of ratchet ring, though never made official).
I don't like the "bleep" of Garmins too, can't understand people using them for commuting!
By the way, old style polished-alloy rims were not silent either, especially when is cold and you're using Monoplanar's!
Modern bike can be as noisy as old bikes, won't point the finger to carbon rims and the yada-yada of the weekend warrior vs the man still living in the 70's with the tweed jacket and suicide brake levers.
But to be fair, Campag ones are often not "quiet" per se (there have been different types of ratchet ring, though never made official).
I don't like the "bleep" of Garmins too, can't understand people using them for commuting!
By the way, old style polished-alloy rims were not silent either, especially when is cold and you're using Monoplanar's!
Modern bike can be as noisy as old bikes, won't point the finger to carbon rims and the yada-yada of the weekend warrior vs the man still living in the 70's with the tweed jacket and suicide brake levers.
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
In my experience, narrow steel tubes are quieter than fat carbon tubes. And carbon rims are certainly noisier than tweed jackets.
On the other hand, quill stems creak more than threadless, and plastic derailleur pulleys are quieter than the antique metal ones.
Actually, riding at Longchamp makes me better understand why people want electric derailleurs. They change gear much better than a cable-operated derailleur in desperate need of 2 turns on the barrel adjuster!
But I don’t care how old or new your bicycle is. My objection (and surprise!) is that so many people tolerate noises caused by lack of basic maintenance and adjustment. Lots of the noisy bicycles I saw today cost three times more than mine. What’s the point of having an expensive bicycle and not even adjusting the gears properly?
On the other hand, quill stems creak more than threadless, and plastic derailleur pulleys are quieter than the antique metal ones.
Actually, riding at Longchamp makes me better understand why people want electric derailleurs. They change gear much better than a cable-operated derailleur in desperate need of 2 turns on the barrel adjuster!
But I don’t care how old or new your bicycle is. My objection (and surprise!) is that so many people tolerate noises caused by lack of basic maintenance and adjustment. Lots of the noisy bicycles I saw today cost three times more than mine. What’s the point of having an expensive bicycle and not even adjusting the gears properly?
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
Samuel D wrote:...And carbon rims are certainly noisier than tweed jackets.
Lack of cycling culture, more-money-than-sense, not understanding what is really needed.... there could be many reasons. I'd say that noise is not always related to the price tag.Samuel D wrote:...my objection (and surprise!) is that so many people tolerate noises caused by lack of basic maintenance and adjustment. Lots of the noisy bicycles I saw today cost three times more than mine. What’s the point of having an expensive bicycle and not even adjusting the gears properly?
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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Abradable Chin
- Posts: 330
- Joined: 7 Aug 2016, 7:38pm
- Location: Peripatetic
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
It brings me great pleasure to go for a night cycle, and to see and hear the wildlife from the country lanes. Not having derailleurs is conducive to this, as is not freewheeling.
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
I had a new noise today. Sort of a quiet squeak, something like rubbing plastic. Don't know yet what it is but seemed to be coincident with the left pedal rotating. Other noises, the spring inside the pump vibrating and a dry chain bugged me for the duration if the ride. Chain now lubricated but pump still to cure.
My Campag freehubs are a lot noisier than my Shimano ones when freewheeling.
My Campag freehubs are a lot noisier than my Shimano ones when freewheeling.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
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ChrisOntLancs
- Posts: 527
- Joined: 20 Oct 2016, 9:47pm
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
my freehub is really quiet. to be honest it helps to make a bit of a noise so people know you're there. i'd hate to hear mine, but the fact that they're so trendy has probably saved me a lot of effort.
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old_windbag
- Posts: 1869
- Joined: 19 Feb 2015, 3:55pm
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
cycleruk wrote:My Campag freehubs are a lot noisier than my Shimano ones when freewheeling.
Yes but they do give better warning to pedestrians when on approach to junctions... it works, probably better than a bell on a road bike.
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
derailleur gears are pretty noisy things, and other people's bikes always seem noisier than your own. Something to do with where the noise comes from vs which way you are facing.
My favourite hub gear makes a very faint ticking sound in some gears; other people sometimes hear it (just) but I don't, not when I'm riding the bike.
cheers
My favourite hub gear makes a very faint ticking sound in some gears; other people sometimes hear it (just) but I don't, not when I'm riding the bike.
cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
the only thing that really rattles on my bike is the D lock
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
Abradable Chin wrote:It brings me great pleasure to go for a night cycle, and to see and hear the wildlife from the country lanes. Not having derailleurs is conducive to this, as is not freewheeling.
My Alfine 8 rear hub is highly conducive to this: it runs silently, even when freewheeling.
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
i had a quick blast on the track bike yesterday. not a peep was heard 'cept tyre on road. nice.
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
I too have difficulty in understanding how other cyclists can ride something that sounds like a bag of nails.
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
freeflow wrote:I too have difficulty in understanding how other cyclists can ride something that sounds like a bag of nails.
well it is a reminder that the bike hasnt been stolen
Re: That rare thing the silent bicycle
No point worrying about the sounds the bike makes.
After 20 years out of the saddle, I can't hear it for my own panting and the thrum of the blood in my ears!
After 20 years out of the saddle, I can't hear it for my own panting and the thrum of the blood in my ears!
I didn't know then, what I now know.