Noise from rear wheel

[Ron338]

I just built a touring bike, and am having a problem with the rear wheel. The rim is a Mavic T519, with a Deore hub, and a Nexave 11-34 rear cassette. When I coast, I hear a ping (almost like a spoke being plucked) coming from the rear wheel. It's powerful enough that I can feel it vibrate through the frame. It happens once per wheel revolution. It does not happen when Im pedaling, only when I coast, and only happens when there is a load (namely, me) on the bike. Ive trued the wheel and checked the spoke tightness, but still hear the sound...any suggestions on what it might be?

[daveornee]

Originally posted by Ron338
I just built a touring bike, and am having a problem with the rear wheel. The rim is a Mavic T519, with a Deore hub, and a Nexave 11-34 rear cassette. When I coast, I hear a ping (almost like a spoke being plucked) coming from the rear wheel. It's powerful enough that I can feel it vibrate through the frame. It happens once per wheel revolution. It does not happen when Im pedaling, only when I coast, and only happens when there is a load (namely, me) on the bike. Ive trued the wheel and checked the spoke tightness, but still hear the sound...any suggestions on what it might be?

Something in the freehub isn't working right.
That's just a guess on my part.
Can you substitute any entirely different wheel?
If you can, try a free hub swap.

[armchair_spacem]

Originally posted by Ron338
I just built a touring bike, and am having a problem with the rear wheel. The rim is a Mavic T519, with a Deore hub, and a Nexave 11-34 rear cassette. When I coast, I hear a ping (almost like a spoke being plucked) coming from the rear wheel. It's powerful enough that I can feel it vibrate through the frame. It happens once per wheel revolution. It does not happen when Im pedaling, only when I coast, and only happens when there is a load (namely, me) on the bike. Ive trued the wheel and checked the spoke tightness, but still hear the sound...any suggestions on what it might be?

I had a mysterious wheel noise recently that drove nme nuts, similar to what you describe. I tried a few things:

1. Made sure freehub body and cassette were not loose, and sprayed a little WD40 between sprockets
2. A drop of chain lube at spoke crosses and nipples
3. Checked spoke tension

Not sure which worked, but no more pingy spoke noise.

[meehs]

I'd go along with Daveornee and try swapping the rear wheel if you can. If the noise goes away you can then be 100% certain that the wheel is in fact where the noise is coming from. Bikes are notorious for noises that sound like they're coming from one place when in fact they're coming from someplace else.