New Bike & spokes are plinking/popping

[Tarainarabia]

Hello Cycling Forum,

I just bought a 2005 Trek 7700 FX Hybrid. After just 3 rides of about 5 miles each (trying to work out all my adjustments for the perfect fit) the spokes on my front wheel are making a plinking/popping sound as I ride. The first ride I took it was noticable, although not all that frequent (Maybe plinking once every 2 seconds). It's gotten progressively worse and on today's short ride, the noise was constant and downright alarming.

So, I'm wondering if the spokes need tightening. Whatever is needed I will have to do it myself because I'm currently living in Saudi Arabia due to my husbands job and my bike was purchased from a Trek dealer in Bahrain. Short story is, I can't just run my bike over to a bike shop for maintenance.

My wheels are Bontrager Select. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[daveornee]

Hello Cycling Forum,

I just bought a 2005 Trek 7700 FX Hybrid. After just 3 rides of about 5 miles each (trying to work out all my adjustments for the perfect fit) the spokes on my front wheel are making a plinking/popping sound as I ride. The first ride I took it was noticable, although not all that frequent (Maybe plinking once every 2 seconds). It's gotten progressively worse and on today's short ride, the noise was constant and downright alarming.

So, I'm wondering if the spokes need tightening. Whatever is needed I will have to do it myself because I'm currently living in Saudi Arabia due to my husbands job and my bike was purchased from a Trek dealer in Bahrain. Short story is, I can't just run my bike over to a bike shop for maintenance.

My wheels are Bontrager Select. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

The spokes are likely loose and rattling.
They need to have high and very even tension with all the wind-up removed.
It helps if you have a musical ear and/or a spoke tension gauge. 100 kgf is a typical tension.
http://www.bontrager.com/assets/File_Listings/asset_upload_file325_970.pdf
is a resource that might give you some help.

 

[dabac]

[...the spokes on my front wheel are making a plinking/popping sound as I ride. The first ride I took it was noticable, although not all that frequent (Maybe plinking once every 2 seconds). It's gotten progressively worse and on today's short ride, the noise was constant and downright alarming.

What's probably happening is that whoever built your wheel causes something known as spoke wind-up, that is when the nipples were turned they didn't move along the thread but instead caused the spoke stem to spiral. Now when you're riding it the varying stress causes the nipples to unwind/move in their sockets. Depending on the severity of the wind-up this MIGHT indeed lead to the wheels having to be trued and retensioned. Keep riding and watch spoke tension / wheel trueness and see how bad it has gotten when the wheel has quieted down. It is far from certain that every LBS would be able to fix this for you.

 

[tfstrum]

Since you just bought the bike, get the LBS to fix or replace the wheel until you're happy. Use the warranty...

 

[50mph]

I think Dabac is right about why you're having this problem, but the answer is it doesn't matter why to you, go get them replaced under warranty, don't get them fixed, get the whole rims replaced, and push for an upgrade for your trouble.

 

[dgregory57]

Just in case... although you probably are on the right path.

At one point I thought I had front spokes pinging, and it actually turned out that I needed to tighten a bolt in my adjustable stem that was causing a ping when stressed.

 

[Tarainarabia]

Problem solved.....luckily I do have a musical ear and went around the front tire about three times making quarter-turn adjustments to tighten and match up tones. Next I had to re-true the wheel. Just took a short ride and the front wheel is totally stealth-quiet (obviously, in my glee, I made that phrase up )


Anyway, thanks to all who responded. (Even the person who suggested to go to the LBS........did I mention I live in Saudi Arabia? )

Until Next time!!

 

[daveornee]

Problem solved.....luckily I do have a musical ear and went around the front tire about three times making quarter-turn adjustments to tighten and match up tones. Next I had to re-true the wheel. Just took a short ride and the front wheel is totally stealth-quiet (obviously, in my glee, I made that phrase up )


Anyway, thanks to all who responded. (Even the person who suggested to go to the LBS........did I mention I live in Saudi Arabia? )

Until Next time!!

We all need to learn to read the context and content of what the original poster writes.
Glad your ear and other senses got you going again.
Enjoy and ride safely.