Tinkling sound under drive from rear wheel

[Graham]

one of the things that catches folk out is the front derailleur cable; this often pokes out and the crank hits it (making a tinkling noise) every time it goes round.

. . . and even the rear derailleur cable if overlong can end up tinkling against the spokes.

[NetworkMan]

Just to clarify, when you say 'under load', do you mean dead weight load or pedalling load?

Only when being pedalled, freewheeling it's quiet. What's more when pedalling while still freewheeling (no drive torque) it's still quiet which eliminates some possibilities.

[NetworkMan]

I've had noises from laced spokes in an old wheel, caused by slight grooves in the spokes due to fretting where they cross. You can detect this by squeezing adjacent spokes together near their crossing to see if they move smoothly or jerkily. I would have thought that what you did with cardboard squares would have eliminated this possibility, but maybe not.

I'm sure the cardboard trick would have stopped this. Also, I did look for fretting and couldn't detect any.

[NetworkMan]

I just tried stress relieving; squeezing parallel pairs of spokes on opposite sides of the wheel while wearing leather gardening gloves. I did this pretty much as hard as I could so that by the time I'd finished by hands did hurt a bit. Having said that I'm not particular strong. Time for a test ride and, you guessed, it's still making a noise . Having said that I do wonder if it's a bit different. I pedal after a period of freewheeling and there is a second or two of tinkling but trying to maintain constant drive torque the tinkling virtually stops until such time a I freewheel again and the cycle repeats. Also sometimes as I start to freewheel there is a single ping/tinkle. I chucked away my ancient cheap spoke key awhile ago, perhaps I should get a new one and try increasing tension a little, any views?

It's all very frustrating since this bike with Spa's Ti Audax frame is lovely to ride and the 48/38/28 chainset with new Sora FD and old Tiagra 9 speed STIs changes beautifully as does the back with old 9 speed Deore LX RD.

[Brucey]

for the third time; if it is a shimano freehub you should check the freehub body bolt.

cheers

[NetworkMan]

for the third time; if it is a shimano freehub you should check the freehub body bolt.

cheers

Yes thanks. I was delaying removing cones until I had more time and thought I'd regrease as well. Also the change in behaviour after stress relieving implies that spokes may well be responsible.

[Brucey]

noises in the hub may sound spoke-like because the spokes help radiate hub sounds into the air. Similarly if the wheel is moving in the dropouts that noise often sounds a bit spoke-like too.

If the spokes are in fact generating the noise, it can only come from three places (the ends or the middle), and you have eliminated one of those already.

cheers

[NetworkMan]

Similarly if the wheel is moving in the dropouts that noise often sounds a bit spoke-like too.

I'd discounted that because the noise occurs on two frames under a number of different QR adjustments and yes, I appreciate the possibility of vibration conduction along the spokes from the hub.

[kwackers]

Schrader valve?

They have a big hole...
I bet someones whipped it out and dropped a couple of bells out of pet toys in there just to drive you daft.

[PT1029]

Out with the club yesterday, a tinkling sound from someone's rear cassette (I was just behind him when I heard it), I think his indexing - while working well enough all day - was slightly out, well, that is what it sounded like to me. Brucey touched on worn/deformed sprockets tinkling, but no one specifically mentioned indexing, so it may be worth double checking your indexing?

Cheers.

[Brucey]

it ought to be possible to say if the tinkling is a noise from the sprockets or the spokes; the sound will be quite different in each case.

One of the many possibilities is that there is one odd link in the chain and that is tinkling against the sprockets. Possibilities for this include that there is a link that is damaged, breaking, bent, or just that there is a joining pin that is poking through the chain too far.

cheers

[nigelnightmare]

As Brucey say's,

+ check the freehub ratcheting pawls/springs if it hasn't been used for some time it could be dry/rusty best to check it out.

Also as you said the sound goes away if you keep a constant pressure on the pedals it points more to the freehub in my mind.

[David9694]

My money would on a spoke unwinding - I replaced a newish hand-built wheel suffering from a regular “dung” ( spoke noise ), but only with me on the bike.
A mate helped me find the problem as I was stumped by it.

[gregoryoftours]

Are all of your chainring bolts tight?

[NetworkMan]

Are all of your chainring bolts tight?

Sorry about the delay in replying. Yes, crankbolts and chainring bolts all checked. I still have to take the axle out and check the freehub as Brucey advises.