What to you mean? How are you feeling this "gravel" feeling? Take the wheel off the bike - take the QR out of the wheel. Slowly spin the axle with your fingers (make sure you are not spinning a dust cap, QR, fairing or anything wacky.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I am removing the freehub body from the axle, sticking my finger directly on the bearing inside the freehub body, and spinning the bearing directly. Gravel.

gravelly means they need to be serviced. If cartridges, those need to be replaced. If bearings and retainers, those need to be replaced. Should spin as smooth as butter. If you wait too long with bearings and retainers one can permanently mark the possibly non replaceable cups for the ball bearings. sorry misread this as hub bearing not freehub. Freehub here:http://www.parktool.com/...help/freehub-service

MAYBE, and a BIG maybe - that is okay. What brand? Could be pawls, could be many things. If this is your freehub - DO NOT grease it. Grease will seize it.

Really, would need more information. The fact is that when you are applying pedal power that particular item is not spinning the bearings, only when you freewheel - and when it is off of the bike the bearings are not tensioned and blah blah blah...but you may be feeling pawls.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

> What brand?

These are HED. It's not the pawls because I'm sticking my finger all up in there like it's my wife, and not touching the pawls. There is one cartridge bearing I can see, and I think a second one deep in there, with a sheath between the two. I don't want to tap them out until I know there's actually a problem. I agree this would have a minimal effect - only while freewheeling, but seeing as these are both $1000+ wheelsets, want to get them right.

No comment about your wife....but, I have not had a Hed one apart in years, Zipp, PT and many others I have handy - no Hed. I do not get why there is a BB way deep in by the ovaries of this freehub...but, I would call Hed about removal and replacement before I knocked it out.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

That looks like a Powertap freehub except it's blue instead of unfinished. Not sure if they have anything in common but the Powertap freehub has two cartridge bearings inside, the inner held by a circlip.