Rear wheel noise - help please

[luckstar69]

Hi everyone,

I have a very annoying creaky/rubby noise that I cant shift although I have narrowed it down to the rear wheel and not the bike.

I have a Giant Propel Advanced SL 0 Aero Race Road Bike 2016 3 months old and 1,000 miles with the SLR 0 Aero wheels 55mm.

The noise noise only happens (always takes 10 mins to warm up) when I'm seated and putting some power down uphill or on the flats. Now I know its not the BB as I have put my friends Mavic rear wheel on my bike and my SLR r/wheel on his Scott and he gets the same noise on his bike. He's 60kg and I'm 90kg and the noise was the same on his Scott Foil and on my Giant.

We swapped over the QR's and greased them and it made no difference.
I have tried 25mm contis and 23mm Giant factory tyres and it made no difference
I have lubed the spokes and no difference
Taken off the metal valve holder things and no difference
Check for brake rub - none

I'd be very grateful if anyone has an idea of what this noise cold be and how I could cure it?

Thank you

[Joe_W]

First of all: great you already checked a lot and confimed the noise actually comes from the wheel! Good work etc.

I can think of only a few places that you could check (on top). Though unlikely it could be something on the cassette itself, or the hub internals. It should not, afaIk these are made by DTSwiss and should be quite bomb proof.
The wheel could be laterally weak, and it could rub on the brakes under stronger effort (out of the saddle). You could (please only on a quiet stretch of preferably uphill road!!!) open the brakes slightly (or even a lot) and check (uphill so gravity will help you slow down). Please do make sure you put the brakes back correctly afterwards! Be very careful and do not crash (etc.) - however I have read reviews that say the wheel is indeed quite stiff, and at that price point it should be built correctly.

One thing that pops to my mind: Are you sure it is not the normal deep section / aero wheels sound? Those can be quite noisy... I have only second hand experience with those (being passed by Pros on a multi-loop bike leg of a Tri - hey they were in an earlier wave!), and sound descriptions are always hard (both to make and to interpret).

If all fails, go back to the shop and talk to them. Good luck!

[luckstar69]

(07-19-2016, 10:37 AM)Joe_W Wrote:  First of all: great you already checked a lot and confimed the noise actually comes from the wheel! Good work etc.

I can think of only a few places that you could check (on top). Though unlikely it could be something on the cassette itself, or the hub internals. It should not, afaIk these are made by DTSwiss and should be quite bomb proof.
The wheel could be laterally weak, and it could rub on the brakes under stronger effort (out of the saddle). You could (please only on a quiet stretch of preferably uphill road!!!) open the brakes slightly (or even a lot) and check (uphill so gravity will help you slow down). Please do make sure you put the brakes back correctly afterwards! Be very careful and do not crash (etc.) - however I have read reviews that say the wheel is indeed quite stiff, and at that price point it should be built correctly.

One thing that pops to my mind: Are you sure it is not the normal deep section / aero wheels sound? Those can be quite noisy... I have only second hand experience with those (being passed by Pros on a multi-loop bike leg of a Tri - hey they were in an earlier wave!), and sound descriptions are always hard (both to make and to interpret).

If all fails, go back to the shop and talk to them. Good luck!

Thank you Joe. I appreciate the response and will try your suggestions. If it is a normal wheel noise it's so loud and sounds awful. I only happens when seated so I'm guessing when weight in on the hub axle. Will report back when I've tested again.

Thanks

[Joe_W]

(07-19-2016, 05:49 PM)luckstar69 Wrote:  It only happens when seated so I'm guessing when weight in on the hub axle. Will report back when I've tested again.

hm. That sounds not like "normal Aero rim noise"... I think they make a racket whenever you go fast - not just when seated.

(plus most of the weird noises appear when out of the saddle... at least on my bikes - except for the saddle itself which creaks -> Fi:zik problem).

[Sixty55]

Hi,

I had a very similar problem with my Scott CR1 Comp (creaking/clicking noise that sounded like it was coming from bottom bracket or rear wheelset, or maybe seat-post, only started after been riding for a 30 mins or so, only happened when I was seated). Tried for weeks to find and isolate the noise.

What fixed it completely was an application of grease between the rear wheel quick release surfaces and the frame. I would have sworn the noise was not coming from there but I guess sounds can be deceiving when trying to ride and locate the culprit at the same time.

It's a cheap fix that worked for me.  Good luck.

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(08-17-2016, 02:31 AM)Sixty55 Wrote:  Hi,

I had a very similar problem with my Scott CR1 Comp (creaking/clicking noise that sounded like it was coming from bottom bracket or rear wheelset, or maybe seat-post, only started after been riding for a 30 mins or so, only happened when I was seated). Tried for weeks to find and isolate the noise.

What fixed it completely was an application of grease between the rear wheel quick release surfaces and the frame. I would have sworn the noise was not coming from there but I guess sounds can be deceiving when trying to ride and locate the culprit at the same time.

It's a cheap fix that worked for me.  Good luck.

I forgot to add that the noise only occurred when powering down on the pedals.