I just got this brand new Felt B16 tri bike. I quite like it, if not for one issue that drives me up the wall: it makes an annoying whistling sound. The sound is not all the time, but on and off, though I can’t figure out a pattern. Nothing seems to be rubbing. I brought it back to the shop. They loosened the brakes. Same sound keeps coming back. Thoughts anyone?
Thoughts anyone?
You’re going too fast. The bike was designed to go under 40MPH!
Have you tried different wheels?
is it a whistling or more of a squeak? i bought my b16 back in march and from the beginning after hard riding i noticed a slight squeaking noise.First thought it was the brakes but it wasnt, then thought maybe the bottom bracket but no as well. I determined it had to be coming from either the front or rear wheel so when the noise would start Id first kind of pop the front wheel up and tap the brake but the sound was still there so then I kind of hopped the rear wheel up and tapped the brake, noise stopped momentarily. Long story short, it ended up being the rubber seal on the non drive side of the rear hub was coming unseated and was rubbing and causing the squeaking. It actually appeared as if the seal was inside out so I took it off turned it what looked to me right side out reinstalled it and now no more squeaking.
When I use my carbon wheel set, the bladed spokes make this noticable “Pans pipes” sound. (kind of a flute/whistle sound that varies w/speed.) I don’t find it annoying, because it happens over 20 mph, so I know I’m moving when I hear it. It’s more noticable in cross winds. My 2 cents.
Where does the whistling seem to be coming from? Is it speed related? Cadence related?
Thanks. Let me try that out.
The sound does not seem to be correlated with speed, cadence or wind. I might be riding uphill at 10 mph, and the sound starts.
Any open holes in the aero bars? I had a set of clip ons with unused holes for cables that whistled like crazy until the holes were taped over.
Might also double check your front derailleur cable, make sure it’s not rubbing the rear tire when you’re in either chainring.
Did you, by any chance, buy this bike used from freestyle?
Any open holes in the aero bars? I had a set of clip ons with unused holes for cables that whistled like crazy until the holes were taped over.Brilliant! I bet it is a hole, somewhere. That would explain the intermittent nature - has to have the right relative wind direction / speed to hum.
Any open holes in the aero bars? I had a set of clip ons with unused holes for cables that whistled like crazy until the holes were taped over.
x2
My Profile aerobars have a channel on each bar so you can slide the pads inboard/outboard.
I had to tape over the channels to stop the whistling.
Brad
Well, guess what it was… I took my bike to the shop. They took it out for a ride one more time, and concluded it was… the light reflectors on the wheel spokes!
What a joke. I spent weeks trying to figure what the heck was happening to my bike. It took a whole of two minutes to remove the offending reflectors.
To our friends at Felt, if you’re reading this: why do you install relfectors on a racing bike anyway? It is totally out of segment. I don’t race or train at night. I don’t ride my bike to the train station after dark. You would save the couple of bucks these reflectors cost you, and more improtantly your customers’ headache of having to figure what is wrong with an otherwise nice bike.
Thank you all for taking the time to provide your input.
why do you install relfectors on a racing bike anyway?
Same reason that your fork has “lawyer tabs”. To stop them from getting sued if you get hit by a car.
More importantly, why did they last on your bike more than 5 minutes after you got it home?
By the way, you should dump the pie plate too…
Brad