Freehubs Explained: Everything You Need To Know About Road Bike Freehubs
Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль
How do I change the noise of my freehub? How do I repair my freehub? How do I replace my freehub? All common questions, and all answered in our comprehensive guide to bicycle free hubs.
Subscribe: gcntech.co/subscribetogcntech
The GCN Shop: gcntech.co/fG
GCN Tech Uploader: gcntech.co/upload
In this video, we explain all the essential details of road bike freehubs from all of the major manufacturers. The freehub is one of the more complex parts of your bike, so it is worth having an understanding of how they work and how they can be repaired or replaced.
All of the major types of free-hub - including Mavic, Vision, DT Swiss, Zipp and Chris King - are covered in this video. Please comment with your freehub-related question if it's not answered here, though!
If you enjoyed this video, make sure to give it a thumbs up and share it with your friends. 👍
If you'd like to contribute captions and video info in your language, here's the link - gcntech.co/fH
Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound:
Magnofield - Swerve Lands
Magnofield - Tiny Fast Vehicle
Magnofield - MoneyMoneyMoney
Brought to you by the world’s biggest cycling channel, the Global Cycling Network (GCN), GCN Tech goes deeper into the bikes, kit and technology stories that matter.
GCN Tech is utterly obsessed with seeking out and showcasing the best in bikes, tech, products and upgrades. Everywhere. Every week. From news and rumours, first ride exclusives, how-tos, the weekly GCN Tech Show, pro bikes, set-up tips and more, we geek out over the tiny details that can make the big differences to you.
With years of racing and industry expertise, we also bring you instructive maintenance videos to hone your mechanical skills, as well as behind the scenes factory tours and in-depth analysis of kit chosen by the pro peloton to keep your finger on the pulse of cycling’s latest technological innovations.
Engage with us every week on the channel and across social media - we’re here to answer every question you’ve got on cycling tech.
Suscribirse a GCN en Español: gcn.eu/Suscribirse
Facebook - gcntech.co/gcntechfb
Instagram - gcntech.co/gcntechinsta
Twitter - gcntech.co/gcntechtweet
Пікірлер: 414
What I want is a quieter freehub. After 30 years with a Regina freewheel (on a Campy hub) that had a very subtle buzz, my new bike with a Shimano freehub just makes such a racket! Part of that may be the amplification of the noise through the CF frame, but really... Great video as usual!
Jon, out of nowhere, with the best GCN Tech video so far. Thank you so much.
@TheWaxChainFanClub
5 жыл бұрын
#poty2019
@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589
5 жыл бұрын
Nope. Lots of skimming over and hand passing.
@zzhughesd
3 жыл бұрын
I hate my disk brake bike ... I’m Holding onto my 5 emonda rim disk frames and bikes. The pawls just fall out hub on disk hub assembly. And cassette comes off. Could anyone let me know how to tighten the slack up now I’ve pushed the pawls into the hub. Then it’s off on eBay
I have to say I didn’t know there were so many different types of free hubs before I watched this video. Very informative. Thanks for sharing.
Ah wow, you've just scratched an itch I've had for years! Jon, you are a legend. This vid is super nice
You load your videos with so much information that I often have to watch it again later to get what I missed the first time. Thanks for the education and all the experience.
You've got to do STI Shifters next... ...I've stripped them down and now it's your turn to show em how it's done!
@elijahkwon422
5 жыл бұрын
Not stripped them down yet but had one snapped off my bike in a bunch crash, ( complicated things)
@tomrengert1221
5 жыл бұрын
@@elijahkwon422 Yes, they can be monsters... ...you use similar tactics with clocks as you might with STI shifters. Now hub gears can be harder, and I have yet to master some of them...
@swolebro
5 жыл бұрын
STI shifters? I'd like to see a teardown of some Di2's! In any case, this guy has a great video for a set of old, old STI shifters. There's going to be some differences with the modern stuff (eg. with both brake and shifter cables going under the bar tape), but it at least gives you the gist of it. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qp97sLCYYqbMc7w.html
"Free Hub Sound Test"...love it!!! Bike geeks love the sound of free hubs. Love this video and this channel. Keep it up with the amazing stuff. I've learned so much from watching GCN!
Great explanations Jon! Brilliant video
i think about changing my free hub sound all the time,This video explained it perfectly.Cheers
easily my fav GCN tech video yet
Cool and awesome as always! Now I know the magic behind the awesome freehub sounds.
7:35 I don't understand that bit about "more power transfer". Surely, unless the freehub is slipping, power transfer should be 100% when engaged. The only difference would be how quickly the engagement occurs when you start pedalling.
@frankthetankricard
5 жыл бұрын
I think what you're thinking of is different than the losses they're talking about. 1 revolution of the chain ring forward would indeed result in 1 revolution of the hub body. But the losses are in the fact that the parts have flex and friction which turns a percentage of the force into heat. The more of those exist the more power you have to put in from your legs to overcome them and rotate the wheel. If the friction is reduced or some of it is eliminated then you can move forward the same amount by using slightly less energy.
@TheLionEric
5 жыл бұрын
@ I'd argue if you're a sprinter or just racing cars the flex in components can become more significant, though if you're on a casual ride it may not matter
@JonCannings
5 жыл бұрын
More engagement, better power transfer and reliability I reckon. just saying.
@georgehugh3455
5 жыл бұрын
@@JonCannings Better reliability, perhaps. The only advantage I see is the *quicker engagement* of, say, a 54 or 36 tooth DT Swiss Hub over a 25, assuming the mechanism can engage that fast (just 6.6 deg or 10 deg of rotation vs 14.4 degrees).
@QiuyuanChenRyan916
5 жыл бұрын
That is the actual efficiency a freehub can do. Material flex does cause some loss in power transfer though as little as they are on smaller components can, in fact, affecting the transfer.
The GCN refurb "super bike" hanging proudly just behind...proud!
@prestachuck2867
5 жыл бұрын
It’s probably his fair weather commuter bike now. That’s what I’d use that tank for. 😁
This was fantastic. Thank you Jon!
Thank you very much for this remarkable video. You covered a wonderful range of territory in a relatively short time.
Excellent presentation, one of the best explanations on free hubs I have seen, thank you.
Great demystification JonnyTech, I am now wiser, thanks!
Thanks for featuring our exploded Supadrive hub guys! :) We find that high engagement offers the ability to build in a bigger surface area between the pawls and drive ring, as well as offering near instant pick up for those all important sprints. Sometimes split seconds make all the difference.
Very entertaining and informative video Jon.
The video we’ve all been waiting for
Super informative! Many thanks.
Great video as ever, but also the set looks amazing, Rocket shining in the background making me need another coffee!
I was helping someone on my saturday ride because their free hub jammed. Thankfully it wasnt the hub, just the plastic cassette guard getting mangled. Could tell they didn't ride often so I'm glad I could help :) great video as always
The enthousiasm for the inner workings of the different freehubs is visible on Jon's face. :)
This video was amazing! So much excellent information. At least for the nerds out there.
Love to see Jon stripping it down, getting dirty and educating us all. What a top pro he is!!!!
Brilliant video, I learned a lot. Thank you!
Phew! I have a DT Swiss 350 rear hub on my tourer and the freehub came off when I was trying to remove a jammed on cassette! Now that I understand how it works, I'm happy that I've put it back together correctly!
I'd really like to see a deep dive into derailleurs! Please discuss topics like derailleur pull geometry, touch on why certain gear levers only work with certain derailleur, and any cross compatibility hacks with derailleurs/cassette options!!
That was a great review of free hubs and how they function. Thanks
Still helping me today. Thanks! About to upgrade my 18t dt Swiss 350 Pro37s to the 54t.
JT... aside from performance, it is all about the sound! Loved the sound of the mavic hubs on my '75 Raleigh Competition, until I heard the silky silence of Rolf on my '80's Conalgo Sarroni...weaving silently through neighborhood at night is a sacred pleaser that really is more akin to flying than cycling. Love it. Thank you for this expose.
Fascinating video. I love seeing how things work and why things are slightly different. Levers would be interesting with STI/Doubletap/ergoshift differences. Derailleurs too as that would help me understand them better for indexing!
very informative. tnx gcn!
I wish my free hubs were silent. Very cool and informative video. Thanks Jonnytech!
Just the video i was hoping for
I'm liking this tinder profile lighting, JC.
Awesome video. Thanks so much!!
Thanks for this great video
Super-helpful vid. Thanks!!
Thank you for your video explaining free hubs it gave me what i wanted even my oval 900 6 pawls double engagement free hub wasn't in your video , thank you again,,,, from Aussie land
Believe it or not you can get Chris Kings freehub buzz as a ring tone. I have a set of Chris King MTB hubs, but I'll never take them apart as they look more complected than the Shimano hubs. The detailed explanations are greatly appreciated. This is one I'll have to watch more than once. Thanks.
A really helpful video from the point of view of know what goes on in a freehub but do have a feeling that you have gone into some detail like this when you have gone through the process of servicing a freehub. I am very fortunate to not have to really look at my freehub all that much since the small parts inside bring me out in a cold sweat! Please can we have a video going into the crazy world of headsets... so many different types and ways to install. Would be really useful. Thanks once again Jon!
To make your freehub louder, I suggest holding a swap card onto your stays with a clothes peg so it hits your spokes. That's how we did it on our Malvern Stars.
I have tested various lubricants for the dt star ratchet, besides the original special grease. any grease wether thin or thick is inappropriate to reduce wear of the teeth as it quickly gets displaced and does not return. Additionally, the stiction created by grease impairs the mobility of the ratchet in the drive ring, which is crucial to prevent misengagement and damage to the teeth. the best lubricant hands down is transmission oil (75W/90), maybe hypoid gear oil (85W) is better for hot weather. This oil is thick but thin enough to flow arount, yet does not leak through the seal. it's excellent anti wear property effectively reduces wear by friction which is visible as black "dirty" grease after a short amount of time using grease. I've done my testing on a powerful ebike (750W mid drive motor), making the ratchet's life very hard.
Brilliant video, very cool ! Derailleurd in Detail please on the next one
Really helpful video fr someone like me who is not a "techy" but wants to understand and perhaps do a bit of self maintenance.
@joncannings, You’ve forgotten to mention that one benefit of having more points of engagement is less lag from coasting to pedaling. This is especially important for XC and technical Trail riding since mountain bikers are often riding in situations where a complete revolution of the crank is not possible due to rocks and other obstacles thus requiring the rider to propel the bicycle by “jogging” the cranks. It for this reason that wheels built with Chris King hubs have become something of a holy grail for many mountain bike enthusiasts. It is also the reason that many other manufacturers have recently been upping the pawl or tooth count in an attempt to swipe a little bit of that hardcore mtb business.
@sch79
Жыл бұрын
This was mentioned in GCN interview here kzread.info/dash/bejne/qJuErqyMhLrbhpc.html
Hi Jon, I hope you stay on with GCN, seems like others are moving you to the background ala Matt and Emma. In any case, I do really enjoy your competent videos. Cheers!
Ring the Bell! That was a Super Nice video. Thanks!
Very good video and expertly explained
@gcntech
Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
Superb vid, very thorough and well explained, with no pointless waffle. Can you give Doddy lessons please?
It's always good to learn something ;)
Very thank you to Jon and the GCN Tech's backroom boys so much,since I buy my new Cervelo S5 with DT Swiss wheel very loud freehub sound,so I'm very curious how the freehub looks like and how to they works so long for such massive mileage,then I search anywhere from Google to KZread for any freehub explain but there's nothing,until GCN Tech unveil this video,I think it is the first video that talk about freehubs so detailed,and take each brands compare about how insane are the technology,I think this is why GCN makes the world's biggest education program,should you guys get some awards?😝
@gcntech
5 жыл бұрын
hi, this may be useful too. Thanks, Jon kzread.info/dash/bejne/ioyOzq9umcXSZdY.html
I took my bike in for a full overhaul and my rear wheel came back much, much quieter than when I dropped it off. Having said that, it also feels more smooth and picks up more quickly when I go from freewheeling to putting in power. So while I do miss the noise it made, I feel like it's faster and more responsive now.
Hey Jon , Great video as always . Love the tech stuff !
super cool!
Please do these for an near everything...this is fantastic
Awesome video, thanks. I'm currently learning on a job to be a technician, this video does a great job of explaining how different technology's and brands of hubs work.
Great stuff John. Used Royce hubs for years now, not the lightest but as Tina Turner said "Simply the Best"
@gcntech
3 жыл бұрын
Good stuff
I always wanted to know well how hubs work and you bring this video. Thanks a lot!!!!!
Hi Jon love the show, you have explained how free hubs work but how do you know which is the right hub to change it from a 10 to 11 speed as there are a lot of people selling good second hand quality wheels that are 10 speed at bargain prices but when looking for an 11 speed hub there are several of the same make so how do you know which is the right one?
Thoroughly enjoyed that! Have no intentions of depriving the cycle mechanic the joys of servicing & looking after my bike, or indeed of giving him more work due to me "touching" it with tools. Would actually like to see something about chain rings, as I swapped to absoluteBLACK sub-compact oval. Much better for my knees!
Is there a difference between mountain bike and a road bike hub? Or both of those can use the exact same hub?
Thank you
Great tutorial! The Zipp magnet system is pretty impressive, but so are the others. Do the Shimano Ergo shifters insides next, maybe compared to Sram and Campagnolo? The Rotor hydraulic shifters are interesting too.
Could feature foss silent hubs? Or other silent hubs big thanks!
Great video Jon--I'm one of those who have always been confused by them. Any feedback on which style seems to be the most durable? I really like the theory of the DT Swiss hubs.
I like the DT swiss freebub sound 📢.... 😉👍🏾
Hi John, great and informative as usual. However, you missed out Onxy sprag hubs, which I have on my MTB and CX bikes. I'm sure everyone will be fascinated to see how they work, including me!
Great video Jon. I have a pair of Hollowgram SI carbon clinchers on my Cannondale S6 Evo. Is the freehub serviceable on those? I cannot seem to get it off the axle.
Great explanation of each type of freehub but how can I service them? Do I just clean all the old grease away and reapply some fresh? Any areas I must avoid grease etc?
I had clicky freehubs as a kid but in my early 20s (1970s) had a custom bike made and its Shimano hub is still totally silent. These days I ride a Specialized Roubaix and a Giant Toughroad, both of them have silent hubs. However, some of the people I ride with have clicky hubs and I find it annoying to ride behind them. I can't understand why anyone would want a noisy hub.
@kareemalmond
4 жыл бұрын
i think it just sounds cool, sort of like putting an exhaust on a car. another reason you might want it is if you ever get stuck behind some people walking or another biker they would easily hear you when you were to stop pedaling
@sarangparmar9785
3 жыл бұрын
You can't understand the real feeling of hubs noise i love it and it's like you don't have to own a cycle bell just your hub is like a monster and everyone is looking at you & give you a side
@felipesimon
3 жыл бұрын
I guess there's a trend here in Germany as most bikes are super loud. I find it very annoying and don't really understand the fuss. it sounds like there's something wrong with the bike and that's gonna break at any moment
@iwontreplybacklol7481
Жыл бұрын
Its like putting baseball cards in your spokes, the noise is fun for a lot of people.
@PicaMonedula
9 ай бұрын
Many people believe that how loud the hub is indicates quality. Im not excactly sure why
Just got a handbuilt pair (built by and for a mechanic that ended up not using it) with Bitex hubs. I wasn't too fond of the noise at first as my stock wheels were dead silent, but I now appreciate the added safety it gives me on shared paths.
I have a bike with a freewheel from 1971. It works great. I was not able to break it down for cleaning but did use WD-40 to clean out old grease and any dirt by spraying it in one side and draining out the other. Afterwards using good penetrating oil in the same manner. It makes a very faint clicking sound, for all intensive purposes it doesn't make a clicking sound at all. I kinda wish it did as I like the sound. A loud free hub means or could mean it's not lubricated or at least not very well which of course leads to a short free hub life.
Finally the content I love, thank you! Pity you didn't disassemble Chris King hub, and glance over contact points (there is a a difference because the more you have faster engagement but it comes at the cost of the lifespan). As for Zipp hub -- shouldn't it mean it is silent when running free (I just checked, Zipp does not offer hubs at all, it looks like you have to buy entire wheel, bad, bad, bad)? My vote for next topic would be internals of the headtube -- how fork is stabilized, what benefits come with tapered headtube, and so on.
With all the craze surrounding freehub noise, here’s an idea for a new segment on the channel: “Name That Freehub”. Post blind sound clips weekly, then ask viewers for guesses. The chosen winner gets GCN gear and maybe even posts the next freehub sound clip? It’ll boost viewer interactivity! Cheers from South Korea!
Can't understand people who prefer louder free hubs, my newest bike has a much noisier free hub than I am used to and honestly, it disturbs the serenity of my riding. I pedal constantly when coasting with it, just enough to stop the pawls from disengaging. As mentioned, packing your hub with too much grease may cause problems with the pawls when they need to engage, don't do it!
Great overview ....demystifying the freehub .... thanks 👍
Would be interesting to do a test on which freehub makes the least noise.Chis King makes a racket, others not so much.
What is happening with the black headset spacers you promised for the Celeste bike you built??
Increible
I’ve just ordered some wheels with Onyx hubs - is that mechanism the same as the Zipp one you mention here?
cool walk through, personally the only time I want a loud pawl and click sound is when a steelhead grabs my fly and takes a run, on my bike I think that sounds cheap and plastic like. Not precise DT Swiss for the win on that.
I remember when Shimano introduced the first 600EX freehub in the 1980s. I think they basically said it was a more compact and efficient way to package the freewheel mechanism, resulting in more symmetrical dishing than existing separate freewheel/hub combination, which allowed more than 5 cogs on the rear wheel. Are there any other advantages to either freehub vs freewheel?
I am wondering how to disassemble my hub, so I can clean out the grease and neatly put it back together. The hub says Formula on it. The rim had a piece missing along the edge. So I took it apart and recycled the rim and spokes. . RJ the Bike Guy demonstrated using a large hex wrench to get the freewheel thing off, but I couldn't follow what he was doing after that. It's an older style, and I expect it is the type that has loose ball bearings inside.
Hi Getting new hubs like hope pro 4? Will it make your bike faster? Then the standard factory ones?
Informative vid...Question you may be able to answer if you read these comments...I have a late model Campag Bora One wheelset and late model Bora Ultra wheelset. The Bora One freehub has a nice sound but the Bora Ultra freehub is almost dead silent...any thoughts why the difference?
Best GCN video yet. Thanks for advice on changing freehub sound signatures. You guys really are good for something. ;)
If you want to see a crazy freewheel mechanism, look no further than the left freewheel in a Sturmey Archer Model X or Model K, or a BSA 3 Speed hub. They have inverted freewheels where a toothed planet cage sits within a ball cup which is fitted with two sprung pawls. When you freewheel, the pawls spin around the static ratchet teeth. Another interesting freewheeling arrangement is to be found in a Sram Automatix hub, where high gear is in fact fixed and in order to freewheel, the hub must change down into low gear, though it does this automatically and will change back up instantly when you start peddling so long as you're above the threshold speed for activating the centrifugal clutch.
A loud freehub is a nice bell replacement. Never new DT Swiss offer an option, thanks, Jon!
Hey there: I recently bought an entry level Cannondale road bike with Claris components. After a few months riding I decided to buy my first upgrade and I bought the new 105 R7000 kit. However a realized the cassette is a bit bigger (it has 11 speeds) than the one that came standard with the bike (Shimano HG50, 11/30, 8 speed). My question is; if I buy the rear 105 free hub, would it fit my current aluminum wheels or I need to get a new wheelset too?
Hi Jon,im after a little bit of advice from your good self. Ibought a pair of vision team 30's after seeing your 'cheap bike to super bike' build,sadly after 6 months of use the freehub has stopped working and was wondering if a replacement shimano freehub be compatable? thanx for any advice,love the show.
Okay so I have an old raleigh bike which im modifying into a retro modern bike with brifters. But the bike is currently a 6 speed which fits a 7 speed and im looking into changing the old freewheel fitted wheels into some nice vision wheels but the ones i want to put on the bike only fit 10-11 speed cassettes. So if I want to ride those wheels with a 7 speed cassette, is it just as simple as switching the 10-11 speed hub with a 7 speed one? Thanks in regards to any answers :)
I have some new Dura ace wheels so I won’t be servicing for a while. Is there any hacks to make them even faster playing with hubs/bearings? Already running tubeless.
Thanks for the info. I'm riding a touring bike with a Pinion gearbox system with a carbon drive strap. In this transmission system, a lot of strength is lost, also traveling long distances, a low maintenance hub is needed and easy to repair, also traveling with saddlebags, many-spoke wheels are needed more or less 34 or 36 spokes to support a lot of weight. What hub or system do you recommend for 34 or 36 spokes? bikers hug,
I am going into the 3rd week waiting for a delivery for a Shimano free hub for my 2020 Specialized Turbo Levo . They say in it shipping but can't say when it will arrive . Summer flying by and I can't ride. The number on mine is fh-mt510-b . Would any of the other models be compatible ? I need the 28 hole version.
thank for that i have just changed the axle and freehub wounder why it was so tight
I love the sound of my hallowtech wheels. Killer bees on the way!!!
I have a set of Campagnono Bullet carbon wheels they have a Shimano freehub. My bike has Campagnolo Centaur drive train can i change the freehub from Shimano to Campagnolo and what model freehub should i use?