Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??!

Aug 18, 17 9:05

Post #1 of 19 (2456 views)

Was on my road bike with clip-ons. Aluminum frame with a carbon fork (metal steerer tube). Hit a small but deep pothole. Didn't see it until front wheel was a foot or two from it and then it was too late. Heard a mighty snap when the front wheel hit the pothole, like a sound of plastic snapping. I didn't crash. Came to a stop and inspected the bike. No visible damage to the fork. Carefully wiped all the road grime off the fork paint just to make sure. Nothing was loose. No frame cracks. Both wheels were true. Spoke tension seemed fine. Rode the 35 miles back home, over some bumps even, and there were no issues.

Last night took the whole bike apart just about. Only left the cables derailleurs and brakes on the frame. Steerer tube was fine. (Thought the problem might be where it bonds to the carbon fork, but nope.) Took the crank off and inspected the BB area. Took the tires off and inspected the rims carefully. Etc Etc. Found nothing.

Any ideas?

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 9:17

Post #2 of 19 (2427 views)

Sound of helmet strap or sunglasses tapping against your helmet. Or cable housing slapping the frame. Or your imagination. Check each spoke, btw.

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Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [ZenTriBrett] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 9:20

Post #3 of 19 (2418 views)

Believe me I considered all that including my imagination. :) The snap came from the front wheel area. I did check all spokes individually. I popped spokes before so know what to look for.

I forgot to check the seatpost or seatpost collar, but it didn't move and it is supporting my weight so that's probably not it either.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 9:35

Post #4 of 19 (2374 views)

I know when I used to have a pair of profile design aluminum clip on bars, I tried to adjust the pad width and the screws that were holding them down had blue loctite on them. When I loosened it, the initial break of the loctite made a pretty loud snap. Maybe that's what happened...just some loctite bonding breaking but no actual structural damage?

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 9:36

Post #5 of 19 (2369 views)

Maybe it was your rectal orifice slamming shut or your testicles snapping into your abdomen?

I know my do that every time I hit something like that. :)

"...the street finds its own uses for things"

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Jason N] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 9:47

Post #6 of 19 (2338 views)

Jason N wrote:

I know when I used to have a pair of profile design aluminum clip on bars, I tried to adjust the pad width and the screws that were holding them down had blue loctite on them. When I loosened it, the initial break of the loctite made a pretty loud snap. Maybe that's what happened...just some loctite bonding breaking but no actual structural damage?

That could be! This was 40 miles in and I was working pretty hard, so literally can't remember if I was in the aerobars at the time or in the hoods because of how bad the pavement was on that road. If I was in the aerobars the snap could be one of the many screws holding the cockpit, or maybe the pad cups?! They are plastic. Only checked the extensions and they aren't damaged.

BTW for the locals this was in lovely /s Renton, WA. Last time I rode through there was 7-8 years ago. Just needed a reminder not to ride there I guess. Can't remember the last time I saw full facial tattoos except on TV. Or a 70s land yacht full of gang members. Or so many crazy homeless people. Or so many $200 cars. Well that day saw it all, repeatedly.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 9:51

Post #7 of 19 (2320 views)

Hands on hoods or in clip-ons? The noise of a bar slipping on a tight stem can be quite loud, sounding like a snap, and almost undetectable in terms of movement. Next would be clip-ons slipping or brifters if on the hoods.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [ktm520] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 9:53

Post #8 of 19 (2314 views)

ktm520 wrote:

Hands on hoods or in clip-ons? The noise of a bar slipping on a tight stem can be quite loud, sounding like a snap, and almost undetectable in terms of movement. Next would be clip-ons slipping or brifters if on the hoods.

Excellent question! I don't remember.

Could be bar slipping! I didn't think of that. This is why I like ST so much.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [ktm520] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 9:59

Post #9 of 19 (2302 views)

Yep, this. Bars moving inside the clamp makes a fantastic snapping noise.

Developing aero, fit and other fun stuff at Red is Faster

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 10:04

Post #10 of 19 (2287 views)

It was your elbow pad clamps twisting on the aerobar extensions.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 10:52

Post #11 of 19 (2202 views)

Would it have been a big enough hit to be chain slapping the frame? Chain on an aluminum tube might sound like a crack.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [jmjtri] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 10:59

Post #12 of 19 (2184 views)

jmjtri wrote:

It was your elbow pad clamps twisting on the aerobar extensions.

I think we have a winner. Looked at the elbow pads. I'm pretty OCD with them and keep them at the same angle. Checked just now and the right one is rotated out just a bit.

Still, I'm not entirely sure. I've heard the bars shifting before. Know the sound. This was louder like something snapping.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 11:12

Post #13 of 19 (2140 views)

Dilbert wrote:

jmjtri wrote:

It was your elbow pad clamps twisting on the aerobar extensions.

I think we have a winner. Looked at the elbow pads. I'm pretty OCD with them and keep them at the same angle. Checked just now and the right one is rotated out just a bit.

Still, I'm not entirely sure. I've heard the bars shifting before. Know the sound. This was louder like something snapping.

If the clamps were torqued down the way they should be (or more), it's going to sound like that. I've had a few sketchy experiences where my pads twisted and a snapping sound happened. Almost like a quick snap sort of sound. They don't need to twist much either. That break of static (to kinetic) friction will be loud.

Love that you're really looking into this though. It's good to be this way about your gear. Most people would just shrug their shoulders and go "eh". (At least, that's how us engineers do things)

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 11:14

Post #14 of 19 (2132 views)

Dilbert wrote:

jmjtri wrote:

It was your elbow pad clamps twisting on the aerobar extensions.

I think we have a winner. Looked at the elbow pads. I'm pretty OCD with them and keep them at the same angle. Checked just now and the right one is rotated out just a bit.

Still, I'm not entirely sure. I've heard the bars shifting before. Know the sound. This was louder like something snapping.

I was going to post a similar suggestion.. a few years ago I hit a bump in a race (new bike at the time) and heard what sounded like a snap.

After the race, checked everything before noticing that one of the elbow pads had dropped down slightly, to where it was resting on the base bar. The bump was enough to just loosen the clamp a little.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [jmjtri] [ In reply to ]

Aug 18, 17 11:23

Post #15 of 19 (2094 views)

jmjtri wrote:

Dilbert wrote:

jmjtri wrote:

It was your elbow pad clamps twisting on the aerobar extensions.

I think we have a winner. Looked at the elbow pads. I'm pretty OCD with them and keep them at the same angle. Checked just now and the right one is rotated out just a bit.

Still, I'm not entirely sure. I've heard the bars shifting before. Know the sound. This was louder like something snapping.

If the clamps were torqued down the way they should be (or more), it's going to sound like that. I've had a few sketchy experiences where my pads twisted and a snapping sound happened. Almost like a quick snap sort of sound. They don't need to twist much either. That break of static (to kinetic) friction will be loud.

Love that you're really looking into this though. It's good to be this way about your gear. Most people would just shrug their shoulders and go "eh". (At least, that's how us engineers do things)

Can confirm. Am engineer.

We are eh about other people's problems, and only if it's an isolated incident we can't repro or at least can't repro easily. My own bike you are damn right I'll take it apart and check everything.

That pothole was wicked. It wasn't gouged or eroded pavement, but subducted without cracking. About 6 inches in diameter and 2-3 inches deep. How can asphalt do that without cracking I do not know.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 19, 17 9:37

Post #16 of 19 (1826 views)

I've had this happen several times on PD clip-on aerobars. When you hit the bump, is it possible the aerobars shifted down just a little? They make quite the popping sound when they slip.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 19, 17 11:36

Post #17 of 19 (1740 views)

You check your balls? I hit a pothole and heard a mighty loud sound...my balls hitting the nose of my saddle.
Glad you didn't go down.

Last edited by: Raw Oyster: Aug 19, 17 11:37

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Raw Oyster] [ In reply to ]

Aug 19, 17 12:14

Post #18 of 19 (1701 views)

If you are running a carbon wheel with nipple washers they can make an impact sound like that and if you look inside the rim you will see that the nipple washer has fractured.

Re: Hit a pothole, heard a snap, but can't find any damage??! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Aug 19, 17 14:11

Post #19 of 19 (1615 views)

My BTA bottle sometimes makes a hell of a snapping noise when I hit a pothole. Just the water slapping the top of the bottle. I thought I broke something the first time too.

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www.VeloVetta.com
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