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Searching for a noiseless SS freewheel 18 tooth

1640 Views 12 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  Marcovelo
In addition to a fixed gear, I want to put a silent 18 tooth freewheel on a flip-flop wheel. I mean noiseless like a Dura Ace or Ultegra hub and cassette set, which are silent when I coast. Could you tell me if a Shimano one-speed freewheel 18 tooth is silent too or will tick when coasting ? And about the Shimano MX 30 model ? Or anything else ?

Thanks
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Nope. They click. (Shimano, that is.)
for future reference, 'silent' is a much better word choice than 'noiseless.'
I know very little about SS/FG. However if there is indeed such thing as a single speed freewheel (not cassette) and that is one of your options the following will make it silent(assuming the back of it is similar to a regular freewheel). I've used it before on regular freewheels and it has the ability to make them silent(flood it with grease). Google "Freewheel Grease Injector". This one is made by Stein. You screw it onto the freewheel threads, then screw a tube of grease into the hole and squeze the tube.
Shimanos are pretty quite. In my experience they get quiter with age. I use Phil's oil on mine and they are very silent..
I would imagine if you got one of the cheap ACS freewheels and packed it full of a heavy grease it'd be quiet.
Freewheels are just going to click. Cassettes do too, but they're much quieter. Flooding the FW with grease will keep it quieter, but grease tends to attract and retain dirt and grit, and will need to be reapplied periodically.

I don't know your reasons for needing silence are (stealthy escapes?), but I do know that on my first fixie I did the flipflop thing, rode the freewheel side exactly twice, and stuck with the fixed side forever after. You might find that the same thing happens, rendering all the silencing a moot point.
I've been riding Shimano SS freewheels for a while and never noticed a clicking sound while coasting. So, I guess it can't be too bad.

But of course, now I WILL notice the clicking. Thanks!! ;)
I rode my shimano ss18 exactly twice. It made noise while I pedaled, not just coasting. The fixed gear is stealthy.
Why silent?

BianchiJoe said:
I don't know your reasons for needing silence are (stealthy escapes.
I need a silent bike when coasting because the only noises I like to hear when riding are the wind and the birds' chirping. The fixed gear is silent, but I need a single speed freewheel too because I live in a mountainous area and my favorites trails are very steep..
cmatcan said:
for future reference, 'silent' is a much better word choice than 'noiseless.'
Thank you. I don't speak english very well and I appreciate that you take the time to learn me a better english.
Marcovelo said:
I need a silent bike when coasting because the only noises I like to hear when riding are the wind and the birds' chirping. The fixed gear is silent, but I need a single speed freewheel too because I live in a mountainous area and my favorites trails are very steep..
If you find a quiet ss, please let us know. My ss drove me crazy.

TT
Thanks a lot you all for your answers.

But I am perplexed : when I put together your answers and others from Fixedgeargallery forum and Sheldon Brown and others experts, some say that Shimano SS freewheel is noisy and others that is silent. I got same opposed answers about AC Racing SS or White Industries SS freewheel !

I think that I will try with a Shimano SS and if it is too noisy for me, I will fill it with grease, as many told me.

Thanks again.
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