Hey there folks. I’m learning about bike maintenance step by step, but have a new ‘funny noise’ coming out of my bike that I can’t localize easily. Riding this AM, heard a lot of ‘chatter’ coming from the back end of the bike, mainly when I was passing over uneven pavement or hitting a bump. But it sounded almost like it was coming from the cassette or the rear chain area. I checked both hubs, and my flatwing (because that thing like to vibrate itself loose), but everything appeared to be nicely bolted on.
Any ideas of what might be the prob? I can make my way up to my LBS, but it’ll take until the end of the week before I can do so, and would appreciate any ideas for areas of exploration.
Oh, and I keep dumping my chain with the front derailleur, is that something I can adjust myself? Any online guides on how to do so?
I can’t remember if you have a carbon seat post or not. If it is an alloy one, pull it out, wipe it down, clean out the gunk in the seat tube and re-lube it. While you have the seatpost out, flip the bike over and give it a shake - see if anything comes out. If carbon, check to see that you don’t have any cracks in it.
If the noise is coming more from the bottom bracket area, you probably need to have it regreased/taped and tightened. Take it into the shop.
As for the FD cable adjustment, this is a pretty simple task. Get the step by step instructions by dropping in to Chapters, opening up Zinn and the art of road bike maintenance (or another basic maintenance book) and writing down the steps. Buy the book if you think you’ll be doing more tinkering.
Are you carrying a saddle pack under the flatwing? If you are, chances are it’s the contents of the bag banging around when you hit a rough patch of road. If that’s the case, stuff a paper towel inside & cram it in between the co2 canisters/inflator. Problem solved.
If it is actually coming from the rear hub area, you may have a loose hub or cassette; either way, it’s not a good place for a loose anything. Take it to your local bike mechanic ASAP, before something really bad happens. Then, learn everything there is to know about your bike, its parts & maintenance.
The front derailleur has two limiter screws that restrict the cage movement. One limits travel outward on the big ring, the other inward on the small ring. Figure out which one does which & tighten the outer limiter screw until the cage moves in closer to the big chainring (when it’s properly aligned, the cage should almost rub the chain when it’s on the big ring in the front & smallest cog in the rear). Shimano has instructions on how to do this on their website. Also, www.sheldonbrown.com has just about every tip for bike maintenance you’ll ever need.
Yeah, considered something being loose in my bento box, but nothing, and nothing kept loose on the flatwing. I think it’s probably something on the drivetrain, so up to LBS I go.
Thanks folks If any other ideas jump out, do let me know!
check to see if your valve nuts are loose on the presta valves, if you still have them on. took me a half hour to figure that out one time when i had a mystery rattle. ever since then i just toss them out when I change a tube…
Ian - If you’re riding a 404, it could be the carbon dust cap on the non-drive side of the rear hub that’s rattling. It’s held in place by a rubber O-ring and sometimes they slip and allow the cap to rattle. It’s an EZ fix.
I’ve had bad luck with my bikes and creaking/ticking noises, here are the problems/fixes:
A ticking sound:
FSA Crank Bolt stripped itself and then it would click when I was hammering, had to get a replacement and use locktite on it.
Like stated before, the nut by the valve, make sure it is tight.
A creaking sound:
According to my LBS, Carbon on Carbon will not make any noises…but the aluminum clamp that holds them together sure can creek against the carbon. Grease up the seat tube and clamp.
Saddle where it attaches to the seat post can creek and/or tick. I had to grease that up too and then tighten it up really well.
If you have a Shimano 10-speed cassette, on most wheels you’ll need to have a 1 mm spacer on the freehub body before the cassette is installed. Without it, you’ll have a loosy-goosy, rattling cassette.
In addition to what others said, I would suggest you look at your cassette and see if there is any play on it (i.e. try moving it towards and away from the wheel). It could be that it has gotten loose or that you are missing the spacer that goes behind it.
Seems that it’s a creaking seat-to-post area. Makes a creaking noise when I move the seat about. I tried tightening the bolts, this doesn’t appear to have accomplished the goal. There’s a suggestion that I grease it? Where would I do this, and really, why? Isn’t it supposed to stay firmly in place???
Thin layer of grease between the shim and the seat tube (if there’s a shim) and a thin layer of great along the seat post itself. Wipe off the stuff that gets squeezed out.
If any other ideas jump out, do let me know!