Damn noisy freewheel... can I buy a quality one?

Ok, I got a cheap Taiwanese single speed freewheel that came with my bike.
It's always made a terrible racket: A sort of creaking noise. So I bought a Shimano one, that was ok for a few days then started making the same noise.

I took the cheap one apart, repacked with grease....still same thing. Then I took one of the two wafer thin washers out and problem solved...no more grinding noise..but, the freewheel was a little stiff. Not happy with this, so I was wondering if there was a decent single speed freewheel out there. I don't mind paying a decent amount for a good one. My Shimano one was £15 I think, from SJS Cycles.

Any before anyone says, yes I have been riding fixed for quite a while and while it's nice and quiet, I have to go up and down two 16% hills each day on my commute and most of my commute into work is downhill and I really like to coast now and then.

So, any decent quality single speed freewheels people can recommend?

thanks guys!!

White industries do a super-quality one, available here http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/userimages/procart5.htm but at over £60 a pop its hella-expensive.

I've never had any problems with the £10 (well £15 these days) Shimano freewheels, quiet as church mice and I've never had to regrease etc. Maybe you just got a bad one...

And I'm with you on the coasting thing...fixed is fun but I love to coast...y'know, like when you're going superfast downhill, not moving a muscle except to lean into turns and you imagine you're on some kind of silent superthin motorbike.
I'll get my coat.

shimano bear claws free wheels
bmx tough

any free-wheel can be quiet if u dismantle it and stuff it full of Phils grease.
use any other grease thats thicker and the pawls will stick and u'll have no frewheel.
anyway, thats what i did.

Ive always found shimano freewheels to be extremely good quality, ive got a few vintage bmx's which have been ridden hard since the 1980's (not by me!) and their original shimano freewheels are still running smooth.

Plus, loudness of a freewheel/freehub device can be a sign of good quality strong springs and ratcheting bits inside.

Go with the Whites ENO, even I haven't been able to break that and I'm a lardy pie muncher.

Toodle pip

+1 to the eno idea
best freewheels made
but there all noisy pieces of shit

Thanks guys for the info.
I'll probably strip down the Shimano one tonight and re-pack it and see how that goes.
I know I said I didn't mind spending money on a decent one, but the White one is a bit too pricy!!

acs claws are good too.
and white industries eno
don't over pack with greas, it makes the pawls stick, ending up not biting.

would you be able to fit this freewheel in the place of a normal shimano one? or are the thread sizes different? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15457

would you be able to fit this freewheel in the place of a normal shimano one? or are the thread sizes different? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15457

The thread size is smaller on the micro-drive freewheels

+1 for the eno

Is there a guide to taking apart freewheels anywhere online, can't seem to locate one...

just take it apart... the cover is anti-threaded.

just take it apart... the cover is anti-threaded.

Not all are left hand thread.
I've got one that's right hand thread

Plus, loudness of a freewheel/freehub device can be a sign of good quality strong springs and ratcheting bits inside.

+1

+1

It's not noisy in a good way, believe me.

Anyway, I bought a cheap one from ebay that makes no creaking noise.
The noise I'm talking about was a product of play in the sprocket that couldn't be dialed out by removing the wafer thin washers inside the f/wheel

It's not noisy in a good way, believe me.

Anyway, I bought a cheap one from ebay that makes no creaking noise.
The noise I'm talking about was a product of play in the sprocket that couldn't be dialed out by removing the wafer thin washers inside the f/wheel

The white ind ones are super loud and clicky but really good...pricey though.

The white ind ones are super loud and clicky but really good...pricey though.

I love the loud clicky noise....like my campag Zondas.
I thought about the white f/wheels, but I really can't fork that kind of cash over for a single f/wheel.

one word:

SHIMANO

two words

I found a soloution to this problem.
As I said, I've had a couple of Shimano and ACS freewheels and they all develop play and create noise.
I've found that the cheap Dicta freewheels, available on ebay for about a fiver, have no play, a nice loud campag like clicking noise as they go round and perform perfectly,

Technical question for my betters:

Do freewheels loosen up with use, or if they start off a bit stiff, they stay that way?

I replaced a knackered freewheel with a cheapish £10 jobbie from Halfords, and it started off very stiff. In fact from new, it didn't even spin through one revolution. When put on the bike, it was stiff, and I expected that, but it appears to be loosening up. The extra factor is that I had a new chain that I put on at the same time, so maybe its the chain that is loosening up? Obviously I do know that chains do roll easier with increased use.

Any answers?

Yeah, most stuff with bearings and shizzle in it will loosen up over time. I'm still waiting for my ATACs to free up a bit.

Cheers darling.

Any time, beautiful.