What's Wrong With My Bike? Squeaking or Squealing Noises?

[Ablang]

I made a video of what my bike is doing. Can someone please watch and help?

https://youtu.be/NTu-831CuGM

[Jesper]

(04-23-2022, 06:02 PM)Ablang Wrote:  I made a video of what my bike is doing. Can someone please watch and help?

https://youtu.be/NTu-831CuGM

Sounds like either your pedal(s) bearings and/or bottom bracket (crank arm axle) bearings are worn out; possibly still good if they are only devoid of grease and no bearing surfaces (balls & races) are damaged. Another explanation could be a loose bottom bracket which would require re-adjusting (recommend inspecting bearing surfaces, and regreasing if adjustable cup with loose or caged balls). Sealed/cartridge bottom brackets will not really be adjustable per se, but if there is much or any play then it could be indicative of a loose cup(s), and/or worn bearings.
Check pedal bearing play by grabbing end of pedal and wiggling it if possible; good pedal is tight with very little movement, bad pedal flops around excessively.
Check bottom bracket (BB) play by grabbing crank arm and pushing/pulling in and away from the bike frame. A good and properly adjusted BB will have very little play; a badly adjusted, loose, or damaged BB will have noticeably excessive play and probably a rough feeling when rotated by hand.
Recommend having a shop take a look if you are not real familiar with bike repair and maintenance; both for your safety and in order to have the bike repaired properly to avoid the same situation. If you need the learn how to do the work yourself, then you can ask more questions here or elsewhere online, but regardless you will need to acquire specific tools to complete the work. I doubt that noise happened overnight so there is a high probability that you have suffered some component damage and will require parts replacement.

There is another, less severe possibility relating to parts damage and ease of repair, and that would be if the front derailleur cage is hitting the chain. If you shift a lot you would be familiar with the noise; but it you do not use front gears then the cage may have been hit and bent, or the adjustment was changed at the shift control and needs to get be repositioned back to where it was before the noise occurred.

I would also check for rear wheel play and ensure rear wheel hub axle is tight to the frame and that the rear wheel is properly aligned in the frame.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Definitely sounds like a bottom bracket issue to me.

Note that it could also be the rear hub, but only the same problem.

Everything needs taken apart, re-greased, and put back together.

I wouldn't even recommend just trying to re-tighten anything. Bikes are very high maintenance and need to be overhauled and re-greased every three months or so. If you have a sealed bottom bracket, it needs to be replaced every 2 years typically.

Get some WD40. Spray one thing at a time and test the noise. Start with the pedals, then spray the bottom bracket, then spray the rear derailleur, then spray the rear hub. Maybe it can give you some better insight on what the primary source is if you're on a budget and can't overhaul the whole thing yourself.

[Criminal]

Just my 2 cents worth, but I would not use WD40 as a troubleshooting method unless you plan to overhaul all the points that you apply it to. WD40 will essentially cause a deterioration in the lubrication (grease, oil) due to its solvent effect. If you spray it into good pedal bearings you will have to remove and clean those assemblies and repack with new grease. WD 40 is a decent penetrant, but a horrible lubricant.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

I've never had to repack pedal bearings. They hold up pretty well with WD40.

I normally use Tri-Flo for this, and its big caveat is that it evaporates quickly.

You are right that it will cause the grease to thin out, but if he can't overhaul it, and can't afford the service, this is his only option.

You will have to respray often to maintain lubrication. Also, you could try 3-in-1 oil for lubrication.

[My Riding Exp]

Here are some of the most common bike problems and how to fix them. Flat tires are probably the most common bike problem. Once you've fixed the problem, be sure to pump your tires back up to the correct pressure before heading out again. Another common issue is chain slippage. This can happen if your chain is old and worn or if your gears are misaligned.

You may also need to clean and lubricate your chain periodically to keep it in good condition. If you're having trouble shifting gears, make sure that your derailleur (the mechanism that moves the chain) is properly adjusted. You may also need to clean out any dirt or debris that has built up in there over time. Finally, one last common problem is braking issues. If your brakes aren't working as well as they used to, check for wear on the pads and/or discs (rotors).


Squeaking or Squealing Noises?

If you’re not sure whether to use squeal or squeak, for example, saying the word aloud can help you decide which spelling is correct. If you say squeal, it sounds like you’re saying the word with a long e sound at the end.

This is because there is an extra letter e in a squeal. The letter e at the end of a word usually indicates that the preceding vowel should be pronounced with a long sound. Squeak, on the other hand, sounds like it has a short I sound at the end. This is because there is no extra letter after the final consonant in this word. When there is only one vowel between two consonants (as in squeak), that vowel is usually pronounced with a short sound.

If your car is squealing, it could be due to a number of different factors. It's important to diagnose the problem so that you can fix it and prevent further damage. One common reason for a squealing noise is worn-out brake pads.

When your brake pads are getting low, they can start to make a squealing noise when you brake. The metal backing plate is now exposed and contacting the rotor. If you ignore this warning sign, eventually the pads will wear down entirely and you'll start to hear grinding noises as well as squealing.