While riding, I noticed a creaking noise coming from my rear wheel of my road bike. It has a Michelin Krylion Tire on a Mavic rim. After much searching, I found that if I grab one area of the tire (still inflated) and move it side to side, I can replicate the creaking noise. It only occurs in one area, not all the way around the circumference of the rim. Any idea on what is causing this?
Can you see the tire moving against the rim when you do this? Sounds odd. My first guess would be loose spokes.
Try checking the spokes in that area of the wheel to make sure they're all tight. The creak COULD be a spoke nipple rubbing the rim if its loose. Or it could be the other end rubbing against the hub flange. Hell, it could be a lot of things.
Being able to replicate the noise is REALLY handy. Get close to the wheel when you replicate the noise and try and locate WHERE on the wheel the creak is coming from. This will greatly enhance finding a solution to your problem.
Put your ear next to the rim, then the hub, and if you still can't locate it, put your ear next to the dropouts, then different parts of the frame, anything to find where the creak is coming from.
Employ a friend or family member if it will make life easier. Once you have this info, get back to us. We'll try to help.
Dedicated scholar of bicycles
Thanks for the help.
The noise is clearly coming from the tire/rim area. Everything appears completely normal with tire, rim and spokes. There are about 3 spoke in the area where the noise is occurring - all three are tight - and this noise is not being caused by spokes rubbing together. I have marked the location on the tire/rim and am going to remove the tire from the rim. Hopefully this will reveal the source of the noise. (I have about 700 miles on the tire and had not heard this noise until the past 50 or so miles.)
Hmmm...So all was good until recently, and 700 miles is more than enough miles to detect a factory defect.
So next go to the hub. If you can't locate the creak at the hub, switch out rear wheels from another bike (Relative, friend, etc.) and see if the noise still occurs on your bike, and if the noise occurs on the other bike. This will isolate the problem to the wheel or your frame. (I've seen creaks occur on frames where there was a small crack in the weld at the seatstay/lug joint, and the crack was covered by paint. Only a stethoscope and a dremel tool revealed the problem.)
I know it may sound silly since the source seems to be coming from the wheel itself, but you never know until you really try all possibilities.
Good luck. Keep us informed.
Dedicated scholar of bicycles
When reading this, this is more of a question/answer, I remembered a post here and a pic of a rim that was cracked. If I am right look along the area of the three spokes VERY carefully for any type of cracks.
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
That could do it.
I'd be very careful though. Will all that tension wounds up in the spokes, I'd hate to imagine what would happen if the rim catastrophically failed.
Dedicated scholar of bicycles
(01-28-2010, 07:12 AM)jr14 Wrote: That could do it.
I'd be very careful though. Will all that tension wounds up in the spokes, I'd hate to imagine what would happen if the rim catastrophically failed.
Three words: "Wear Safety Goggles".
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
(01-28-2010, 07:53 AM)Bill Wrote: (01-28-2010, 07:12 AM)jr14 Wrote: That could do it.
I'd be very careful though. Will all that tension wounds up in the spokes, I'd hate to imagine what would happen if the rim catastrophically failed.
Three words: "Wear Safety Goggles".
And a Kevlar vest
Dedicated scholar of bicycles
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
Well, I wouldn't call my myself a welder yet. Still practicing to be able to call myself a welder.
Dedicated scholar of bicycles
I had a rim split on me. It was rear wheel Mavic 221s whilst simply jumping a kerb on the way to work: mind you they were ten years old. Afterwards there was a permanent click from the rear wheel on my continued journey.
I managed to get back to my LBS that evening on the way home and they advised not to ride! It cost me 70 quid for two new wheels (they only had a pair available) and 20 quid for the rear cassette remover and chain whip. A very expensive incident.
I replaced the rear wheel only and everything was fine… Will fit the front, maybe this weekend as I’m sure the Mavics are soon to give up again…
I took the tire off the rim and could not find anything unusual. When I apply side load to the rim, I hear the creaking noise. I looked carefully at the rim and the spokes where the noise is coming from - but could find no evidence of any cracks. I put everything back together and then rode 20 miles. The noise is still there. It gets louder when I stand up and apply more force to the pedals. I afraid I may have a crack in the rim.
Check all the spokes for tension.
If you squeeze each pair of spokes together then you should only get a very slight flex, and all pairs should feel the same.
Spin the wheel and "ping" a piece of metal (screwdriver ?) across the spokes and again they should all sound the same.
The drive side spokes will,though, have more tension than non-drive ones.
If any spoke feels/sounds different then have the wheel checked and re-tensioned.
Check where the spokes enter the rim for any distortion.
Check the sidewalls of the rim for wear. They should be flat, but if worn from brake wear, then they will be slightly concave
If the wheel is true then give each spoke a 1/2 turn to put a fraction more tension on them and see if this helps. (make sure you turn them to tighten up - start at the one next to the valve and work your way round)
Have you started putting more air pressure in the tires recently ???
I've had a wheel that "clicked" when I started inflating it to a higher pressure.
Ride hard or ride home alone!
(01-29-2010, 11:10 AM)twenzel Wrote: I took the tire off the rim and could not find anything unusual. When I apply side load to the rim, I hear the creaking noise. I looked carefully at the rim and the spokes where the noise is coming from - but could find no evidence of any cracks. I put everything back together and then rode 20 miles. The noise is still there. It gets louder when I stand up and apply more force to the pedals. I afraid I may have a crack in the rim.
Try taking one hand and squeezing the two outer spokes inward toward each other and listen for the noise, if nothing try the middle one and an outer one doing same then middle then the other outer one. If the noise appears then try squirting some tri-flow or whatever lubricant you have on all three spoke nipples and the opposite ends. Take for another test drive. If the noise is still there try going to a Local Bicycle Shop.
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
I think its cracked. Something else would be visually wrong if the tension was screwed up. Doesn't hurt to check though. I think its time to involve the LBS.
Dedicated scholar of bicycles
A cracked rim with an inflated tube and tyre fitted can be very difficult to spot. Try taking the tyre and tube off (if not tubeless) and then examine the rim…
Due to snow and winter weather here in NC, I have not had much of a chance to troubleshoot the problem. I have had both wheels off the bike again, and closely examined the rims for cracks, loose spokes, cracked spokes, distortion, etc. - but have found nothing.
I have ridden several short rides, but with cold weather headgear, which makes it considerably more difficult to hear noises coming from the wheels.
I had mentioned in a previous post that the noise becomes more pronounced when I stand on the pedals - after further riding it is apparent that this noise is coming from the front wheel and is separate from the creaking noise in the rear wheel. The front wheel noise sounds like a twang from the spokes, as if something is contacting them during rotation. Again no loose spokes up front and no noise or spoke contact with anything during normal riding conditions (not standing on the pedals.)
Until the weather gets warmer, I probably won't be able to troubleshoot much further.
Thanks for the help.
Hmmm, do you have a reflector that might be moving about?
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
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