Would one way bearings work for bicycle hub replacement?

[Psinter]

Like almost every bicycle mine makes a clicking sound when the wheel rotates and you are not moving the pedals. I checked online and this video shows the source of the clicking sound (freewheel hub). It's a gear mechanism to transmit torque.

I want to remove that clicking noise because I don't like it. Would one way bearings do the job with less noise than the gear mechanism?

P.S. I really hate that clicking sound.

 

[berkeman]

Like almost every bicycle mine makes a clicking sound when the wheel rotates and you are not moving the pedals. I checked online and this video shows the source of the clicking sound (freewheel hub). It's a gear mechanism to transmit torque.

I want to remove that clicking noise because I don't like it. Would one way bearings do the job with less noise than the gear mechanism?

P.S. I really hate that clicking sound.

You could just get a fixie instead...

 

[Psinter]

You could just get a fixie instead...

Does a fixie not make the clicking sound??

 

[berkeman]

Does a fixie not make the clicking sound??

Nope. The traditional fixie has a solid connection from the pedals and chain to the back wheel. No coasting. And no brakes -- you slow down by applying back pressure to the pedals. Simplicity!

 

[berkeman]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-gear_bicycle

 

[berkeman]

Interesting. From the wikipedia link above, on the legality of fixies without brakes:

United States – The use of any bike without brakes on public roads is illegal in many places, but the wording is often similar to "...must be equipped with a brake that will enable the person operating the cycle to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level and clean pavement..."[43] which some have argued allows the use of the legs and gears.[44] The retail sale of bikes without brakes is banned by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission[45] – but with an exception for the "track bicycle" (...a bicycle designed and intended for sale as a competitive machine having tubular tires, single crank-to-wheel ratio, and no free-wheeling feature between the rear wheel and the crank...).[46]

You can get fixies with brakes, they are just looked down on by fixie pureists...

 

[Psinter]

Nope. The traditional fixie has a solid connection from the pedals and chain to the back wheel. No coasting. And no brakes -- you slow down by applying back pressure to the pedals. Simplicity!

Oh, now I get it. The "fixie" word comes from the word "fixed". (I must look stupid, but it's just that I'm not acquainted with that terminology. I suppose to native English speakers it makes sense to just say "fixie" and they understand quickly.)

Nah, thanks for the suggestion though. I don't like them because I once had an accident when I was a kid because I couldn't brake down a hill. I fell at great speeds and stomped on a lemon tree which stopped me from continuing. The thorns from the tree got on my skin and below the lemon tree there was a fire ant colony and they all bit me (because I fell over their nest). (Pretty much like Tom and Jerry accidents) I don't like those bicycles since then. They weren't meant for hills, but that was all I had in those times.

Interesting. From the wikipedia link above, on the legality of fixies without brakes:
You can get fixies with brakes, they are just looked down on by fixie pureists...

Interesting indeed.

 

[Baluncore]

There are a few of ways to make a silent, one way ratchet.

You could keep moving your legs, but not apply any pressure, (power). Pretend you have a fixed wheel hub without the ratchet mechanism, the sound will disappear. That is the minimum cost solution.
The effect can be improved by selecting a higher gear so you do not need to have such a high cadence when not applying power.

A cam based toothless ratchet, or a spring loaded overrunning roller clutch is silent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freewheel

Just using a thicker lubricant will reduce the noise.
You could dress the contact that makes the click when it closes to have a flat contact surface rather than an edge. Then by applying a viscous oil to the mechanism, you would slow down the pawl movement and silence the click. When starting to apply pressure to the pedals you would need to delay the application of power while the pawls engage. I prefer the click.

You could use a spring loaded self locking band brake as a one way clutch. The grip increases exponentially with the angle of wrap. The problem with the band brake is that it is sensitive to lubricants and will wear slightly when slipping.

 

[Integral]

Earplugs would stop the clicking!

 

[Psinter]

There are a few of ways to make a silent, one way ratchet.

You could keep moving your legs, but not apply any pressure, (power). Pretend you have a fixed wheel hub without the ratchet mechanism, the sound will disappear. That is the minimum cost solution.
The effect can be improved by selecting a higher gear so you do not need to have such a high cadence when not applying power.

A cam based toothless ratchet, or a spring loaded overrunning roller clutch is silent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freewheel

Just using a thicker lubricant will reduce the noise.
You could dress the contact that makes the click when it closes to have a flat contact surface rather than an edge. Then by applying a viscous oil to the mechanism, you would slow down the pawl movement and silence the click. When starting to apply pressure to the pedals you would need to delay the application of power while the pawls engage. I prefer the click.

You could use a spring loaded self locking band brake as a one way clutch. The grip increases exponentially with the angle of wrap. The problem with the band brake is that it is sensitive to lubricants and will wear slightly when slipping.

Awesome! Thank you very much. You sir, are a person who knows his stuff. I was calling it one way bearing, but the correct name is roller clutch. Okay, now it's definite. I'll go with the spring loaded overrunning roller clutch. Many thanks.

 

[Baluncore]

I often find roller clutches as a pinion overrun clutch in starter motors. Talk to your local auto-electrician and see if they will let you have one from a dead starter motor.
It is all part of the service. Have fun.

 

[Baluncore]

A toothless one way clutch that uses rollers is called a “Trapped Roller Clutch”.
http://www.renold.com.au/Products/TrappedRollerFreewheels/TrappedRollerFreewheelsIndexPage.asp

A toothless one way clutch that uses cams is called a “Sprag Clutch”.
http://www.renold.com.au/Products/SpragClutchFreewheels/Sprag_Clutch_Index.asp?menuID=21

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprag_clutch
The picture shows a bearing combined with a sprag clutch which fits your description of a “one way bearing”.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

How about a "Stealth Hub"?

http://www.trueprecisioncomponents.com/tpc-products/mtb-rear-hub/

 

[Psinter]

A toothless one way clutch that uses rollers is called a “Trapped Roller Clutch”.
http://www.renold.com.au/Products/TrappedRollerFreewheels/TrappedRollerFreewheelsIndexPage.asp

A toothless one way clutch that uses cams is called a “Sprag Clutch”.
http://www.renold.com.au/Products/SpragClutchFreewheels/Sprag_Clutch_Index.asp?menuID=21

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprag_clutch
The picture shows a bearing combined with a sprag clutch which fits your description of a “one way bearing”.

Thanks for the info.

How about a "Stealth Hub"?

http://www.trueprecisioncomponents.com/tpc-products/mtb-rear-hub/

It looks like it will do the work. What it doesn't look like it will work are my pockets. They will go bankrupt if I try it.

 

[Lok]

The "One way bearing" or freewheel should work, but you will need to find one suitable for your generated torque and machine the rest of the bicycle to fit it. Unless properly chosen they are not without slippage, blockage and friction.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

It looks like it will do the work. What it doesn't look like it will work are my pockets. They will go bankrupt if I try it.

You're not going to be able to design your own custom one way bearing product for cheap, its going to take engineering and fabrication.

If you want something cheap, your only real option will be putting heavy grease in your existing hub and hoping that quiets it down.

 

[Baluncore]

What it doesn't look like it will work are my pockets.

Silence is Golden.

 

[Psinter]

You're not going to be able to design your own custom one way bearing product for cheap, its going to take engineering and fabrication.

If you want something cheap, your only real option will be putting heavy grease in your existing hub and hoping that quiets it down.

You do have a proven point there. I would go with it, but right now I prefer to make it myself. It certainly won't be as high quality as that device, but if it is silent and I can run smoothly I will be happy. Thanks for the link though, it's always nice to know. It is a nice contribution to this thread.

The "One way bearing" or freewheel should work, but you will need to find one suitable for your generated torque and machine the rest of the bicycle to fit it. Unless properly chosen they are not without slippage, blockage and friction.

True. Thank goodness the bike's ratcheting mechanism is integrated in the gears (it's a threaded one).

Source: http://sheldonbrown.com/free-k7.html

All I have to do for the fitting is open the ratchet mechanism, remove the pins, put it back again, and fit the roller clutch on it. Easy, right! The bad news is I'll have to wait till March or so to perform the surgery because I don't have the tools with me (they are at another place from where I am right now). And I wanted to do it right away now that I know the answer. *sad*

 

[Averagesupernova]

Bikes with coaster brakes (pushing backwards on the pedal) do not make a clicking noise that I have ever heard. Why not just look into how they work? Nothing says you have to use the coaster brakes and for that matter you might be able to remove that part.