Picked up a 2022 Powerfly FS9 Equipped . . . Hub clicking question?

[Expidia]

Clicking, but at least not while peddling. I was surprised as to how rather loud the hub clicks as I was rolling it out of store to test drive it in their parking lot. The salesman says the clicking is normal. No clicking on my Verve 2 or my Giant (I don't think . . . I can't remember now).

Is there anyway to eliminate the clicking or quite it down a little? Just figured it can't hurt to ask here!

If I'm on a trail and people are walking no need for a bell all I have to do is stop peddling and they will know I'm coming for sure

 

[steve_sordy]

To many this sound is very desirable. You have already discovered one of its benefits (in fact the only one I can think of).

But if you don't like it, this desirable sound becomes a noise. I have read that the easy way to reduce the noise is to put some grease into the ratchet mechanism of your hub. Never done it myself, but having seen the inside of quite a few hubs I can see how it might work.

 

[Expidia]

Thanks so much for that answer. I sure to many Trek afficiandos in this forum I'm crazy for even asking. But you answered and said it very well. I remember when I was a kid, my Raleighs, Schwinns and Huffy's always made that hub clicking noise, but somewhat fainter.

If My 2020 Trek Verve 2 EMTB made this noise I wouldn't have thought twice about it. But I only put 5 miles on it (trying to keep the miles down to re-sell it) before I upgraded to the Giant Explorer and I put 440 on that EMTB and don't remember if the Giant made a similar noise. If it did, I would have probably asked this same question in the Giant forum as I also bought this one new.

But comparing all 3 this new Trek is quite loud which caused me to ask the question if being this loudness was normal and I should be concerned becasue this was the only 2022 PF FS9 Equipped model in like a 250 mile radius of my house that I was able to locate, I was concerned to it pontentially being a "return" due to a defective hub.

I also thought maybe the level of the clicking loudness might quiet down a little as the moving parts in the hub breaks in a little. Either way, as long as it's the nature of the beast I'm sure I'll learn to even luv it and as you say it might even be a desirable sound for most Trek owners. And thanks for the tip on the inside grease. I wouldn't mind trying that at some point, if I don't get used to it and if it would not void my warranty.

One thing for sure, if Trek made a throttle on this model and I was not peddling . . . hikers would certainly hear me coming a long was off for sure.

 

[Expidia]

Update: after putting on 100 miles the overly loud hub clicking when not peddling died down quite a bit. My guess is it was probably due to the new parts just needing to break in.

 

[Mikerb]

There are essentially 2 types of free hub engagement.......pawls and ratchets..........each can provide more or less points of engagement and each has their own sound, usually the more points of engagement on either producing more "clicking". Since the pawl and ratchet freehub systems both involve a ratchet fixed into the drive side edge of the wheel hub it is also the case that the wheel hub wall thickness, diameter, and material used will either enhance ( ie louder for most folk) the clicking sound or deaden it.
ps Adding extra grease to try to quieten the sound is not advisable. On a pawl system the only areas that require a little light grease are the pawl pivot posts and the freehub seal; on a ratchet design only a very small amount of a specific light grease is required on the 2 ratchet wheel. Any grease in addition to that is more likely to cause pals to stick or ratchets to fail to separate.