Annoying clicking noise

There is an intermittent noise coming from my front wheel which sounds like the speedo sensor
clipping the spokes now and again, except that it's nowhere near the spokes.

If I simply rotate the wheel with the bike upside down, then it doesn't occur, it's only happening
under load. Could it be the spokes rubbing against each other as I cannot see what else could be
causing it? If so what can I do? I can't prise the spokes apart so they're not touching each other.

--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

Sounds like your spokes are too loose to me. Time to start reading up on wheel tueing/building. But,
basically, if the wheel is fairly true you "just" need to tighten the spokes without knocking it out
of true. Or give it to your LBS.

Well that's my guess anyway.

Cheers,

Andy

 

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There is an intermittent noise coming from my front wheel which sounds
like
> the speedo sensor clipping the spokes now and again, except that it's nowhere near the spokes.
>
> If I simply rotate the wheel with the bike upside down, then it doesn't occur, it's only
> happening under load. Could it be the spokes rubbing against each other as I cannot see what else
> could be causing it? If so what can I do? I can't prise the spokes apart so they're not touching
> each other.
>
Cable tie for the wire to the Speedo?

 

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There is an intermittent noise coming from my front wheel which sounds
like
> the speedo sensor clipping the spokes now and again, except that it's nowhere near the spokes.
>
> If I simply rotate the wheel with the bike upside down, then it doesn't occur, it's only
> happening under load. Could it be the spokes rubbing against each other as I cannot see what else
> could be causing it? If so what can I do? I can't prise the spokes apart so they're not touching
> each other.
>
>

I discovered once that it was my wheel reflector making a noise .. embarressingly I took it to the
LBS too. Still, I was a newbie then ..

 

It's not the old bit of gravel trapped in the tyre tread one is it - sounds just like you describe
and is really hard to spot unless you know to consider it.

Russ

Simon Mason <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There is an intermittent noise coming from my front wheel which sounds
like
> the speedo sensor clipping the spokes now and again, except that it's nowhere near the spokes.
>
> If I simply rotate the wheel with the bike upside down, then it doesn't occur, it's only
> happening under load. Could it be the spokes rubbing against each other as I cannot see what else
> could be causing it? If so what can I do? I can't prise the spokes apart so they're not touching
> each other.
>
>
> --
> Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W http://www.simonmason.karoo.net
>

 

Simon Mason wrote:
> There is an intermittent noise coming from my front wheel which sounds like the speedo sensor
> clipping the spokes now and again, except that it's nowhere near the spokes.
>
> If I simply rotate the wheel with the bike upside down, then it doesn't occur, it's only
> happening under load. Could it be the spokes rubbing against each other as I cannot see what else
> could be causing it? If so what can I do? I can't prise the spokes apart so they're not touching
> each other.

Could brake blocks be rubbing? They can make various strange noises. Rim, cables or something may be
flexing just enough for it only to occur when riding.

Check tyres and mudgaurds. Then I would start worrying about the hub :-(

--
~PB FA: 62cm Ti frame: http://tinyurl.com/6stt

 

On Tue, 4 Mar 2003 11:01:36 -0000, "Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:

>There is an intermittent noise coming from my front wheel which sounds like the speedo sensor
>clipping the spokes now and again, except that it's nowhere near the spokes.
>
> If I simply rotate the wheel with the bike upside down, then it doesn't occur, it's only
> happening under load. Could it be the spokes rubbing against each other as I cannot see what else
> could be causing it? If so what can I do? I can't prise the spokes apart so they're not touching
> each other.

Shagged front wheel bearings? Happened to me once.

Tim
--

fast and gripping, non pompous, glossy and credible.

 

"Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Simon Mason wrote:
> > There is an intermittent noise coming from my front wheel which sounds like the speedo sensor
> > clipping the spokes now and again, except that it's nowhere near the spokes.
> >
> > If I simply rotate the wheel with the bike upside down, then it doesn't occur, it's only
> > happening under load. Could it be the spokes rubbing against each other as I cannot see what
> > else could be causing it? If so what can I do? I can't prise the spokes apart so they're not
> > touching each other.
>
> Could brake blocks be rubbing? They can make various strange noises. Rim, cables or something may
> be flexing just enough for it only to occur when riding.
>
> Check tyres and mudgaurds. Then I would start worrying about the hub :-(

It's definitely something tapping on the spokes, but there's nothing
anywhere near them. I'll try and track it down as it's driving me mad.
--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

The message <[email protected]> from Tim Hall
<[email protected]> contains these words:

> Shagged front wheel bearings? Happened to me once.

I never thought you were the type...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected] Edgware.

 

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Sounds like your spokes are too loose to me. Time to start reading up on wheel tueing/building.
> But, basically, if the wheel is fairly true you "just" need to tighten the spokes without knocking
> it out of true. Or give it to your LBS.

I've tightened up a few loose spokes and now the wheel has gone out of true., Argh!

--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> It's definitely something tapping on the spokes, but there's nothing
> anywhere near them. I'll try and track it down as it's driving me mad.

If it's definitely from the spokes then the chances are that one or more of them is slack. Check
spoke tension all round.

--
Dave...

 

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> There is an intermittent noise coming from my front wheel which sounds
like
> the speedo sensor clipping the spokes now and again, except that it's nowhere near the spokes.
>

How close is "nowhere near"? I've found in the past that a speed sensor that's nowhere near the
magnet on the spokes when the bike's upside down can find its way to clipping the magnet when the
bike's in motion. IME this is when the wheel is under *lateral* load - eg you're accelerating out of
the saddle and pushing quite hard on each end of the handlebar in turn. The force applied at the end
of the handlebars seems to be enough to push the front wheel closer to the forks, and close enough
to cause the magnet/sensor to clip one another.

Try a test - try to push hard only on (say) the right end of the h/bar. That should cause the top
half of the front wheel to lean towards the left fork. See if you can force the noise to appear on
cue... if so, bob's yer uncle.

 

Dave Kahn wrote:

> If it's definitely from the spokes then the chances are that one or more of them is slack. Check
> spoke tension all round.

Yep, I found this problem on a friends bike that sounded like a granfather clock when he rode it.
One of two of the spokes were totally slack. They get like that on factory built wheels if you dont
give it all a good tightening every few time units.

--

-Alex

----------------------------------
[email protected]

http://alexpg.ath.cx:3353/cycling.php http://www.westerleycycling.org.uk
----------------------------------

 

In article <[email protected]>, Simon Mason <[email protected]> wrote:
> It's definitely something tapping on the spokes, but there's nothing anywhere near them. I'll try
> and track it down as it's driving me mad.
> --

Check for the end of a spoke just touching the bottom of the forks.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global Village http://www.sandymillport.fsnet.co.uk

 

On Tue, 4 Mar 2003 17:23:08 GMT, Helen Deborah Vecht <[email protected]> wrote:

>The message <[email protected]> from Tim Hall
><[email protected]> contains these words:
>
>
>> Shagged front wheel bearings? Happened to me once.
>
>I never thought you were the type...

Cloff, IYWBSK.

Tim
--

fast and gripping, non pompous, glossy and credible.