I've cured the rattle!

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Mick F
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Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

I've cured the rattle!

Post by Mick F »

Has anybody had an annoying rattle that they eventually traced and then cured?
Stories please.

I have alu mudguards on Moulton, so they are prone to rattles.
I've already put gutter sealant under the bridges to dampen the sounds, but since stripping the bike last week and re-assembling, there was a rattle over the bumps coming from the rear mudguard.

This has happened in the past, and by stressing and straining at the stays, it went ............. only to reappear the other day. :cry:

Found it this morning! :D
One of the rear stainless stays was about an eighth of an inch too long (RH vertical) so the top of it was ever-so-slightly touching the curve of the mudguard. Removed the stay, and ground off the excess ................. and silence!

Just had a quick test-ride, and it's wonderful!
Proper bike ride tomorrow in peace and quiet.
Mick F. Cornwall
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simonineaston
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Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by simonineaston »

I know what you mean about noises - rattles, squeaks and clicks do my 'ed in!! The titanium seatpost on my Brompton is prone to a particularly horrid screech which is akin to the old fingernails-on-a-blackboard :shock:
The occasional gentle spray with good old WD40 (sans the red tube) is enough to keep it quiet for a whole season if I'm lucky. Which reminds me - it's just started up doing it again so it's time for its periodic dose :-)
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Darkman
Posts: 242
Joined: 30 Aug 2019, 8:46pm

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Darkman »

I have disc brakes and one was grazing the pad ever so slightly resulting in a faint, occasional squeak.

For about ten miles I thought it was a bird or something, before I realised it was either following me, or it wasn't a bird. :mrgreen:
Nessie23
Posts: 91
Joined: 13 Sep 2020, 1:19pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Nessie23 »

I work in the auto-industry and am obsessed with any squeak, rattle or tizz. Anyone remember the Golf advert with squeaky ear-ring?
On my bike a few weeks ago heard an annoying intermittent clicking sound from bottom brkt area. It disappeared when free-wheeling so obviously drivetrain related. Got home put bike in stand and turned pedal with ear all around driveline....nothing.
Next cycle the noise re-appeared and I finally diagnosed the problem. My shoe-lace (newish trainers) was flopping against the pedal stem (but not on every revolution) and the clear plastic covering to prevent lace from fraying was the culprit.
photobike
Posts: 43
Joined: 7 Nov 2014, 5:51pm

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by photobike »

I recently acquired a NOS Pashley Pronto - perfect for doing the grocery run. After a few short cycles there was a ferocious grinding noise from the rear transmission area. Thought my lovely new Sturmey Archer XL-RD3 was about to eat itself. Finally got to chase it down and it was a chain tensioner/idler pulley with a brass on steel grind! Very relieved to track it down and a bit of lube sorted it out
Jamesh
Posts: 2963
Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Jamesh »

I have an annoying rattle on my focus carbon race bike probably from internal cables.

On the other hand changing chains on my Cannondale and winter bike means they are running super smoothly!

Trying Wilko lube ATM in the black bottle - I like it so far.

Cheers James.
ditty bopper
Posts: 26
Joined: 19 Nov 2018, 9:21pm
Location: Detroit, Michigan

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by ditty bopper »

Right then, I'll be the first to point out that the quickest fix is to just remove one's hearing aids...
Cyclewala
Posts: 277
Joined: 7 Nov 2019, 11:07am

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Cyclewala »

I've often had a squeek mid-ride for it to disappear when I've turned direction. On a commuter with rack, mudguards, luggage and lights, there are plenty of places for the wind to hit and make squeaking sounds.

General noises I'm quite good at diagnosing. If it makes a noise whilst pedalling and is quiet whilst freewheeling, it's usually in the drivetrain. Rather than trying to isolate, I'll clean and regrease all elements: BB, chainset interface and pedals.
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Stradageek »

Two rattles on my Speedmachine were pretty hard to pin down. Both sounded like rattling mudguards or cables and much frustrating time was spent trying to fasten any loose bits.

Then I noticed that the rattle was only present in gears 7/8/9 and yup, it was a loose cassette lockring allowing the gear 1-6 block to rattle on the freehub when not in drive :( . A quick nip up with the torque wrench and all was fine.

Next up, emerging a year or two later, was a very similar rattle and again many frustrating hours tinkering, then finding bits of road rough enough to show that the rattle was indeed still there. Finally on one test run I noticed that the rattle stopped when I applied the brakes on a steep bumpy hill. The cause - I'd fitted new brake pads (Avid BB7 brakes) and cleaned out the calipers but installed the old retaining springs. These springs were now too weak to stop the pads rattling around in my clean and newly spacious calipers - doh. A quick bend of the springs and all is now silent :D
Stradageek
Posts: 1657
Joined: 17 Jan 2011, 1:07pm

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Stradageek »

Jamesh wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 11:35am I have an annoying rattle on my focus carbon race bike probably from internal cables.
I have a 1999 BikeE with internal cable routing through the aluminium box section frame, the rattle was deafening. A large lump of foam rubber stuffed into the frame has cured this one
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Jdsk »

Nessie23 wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 10:58am I work in the auto-industry and am obsessed with any squeak, rattle or tizz. Anyone remember the Golf advert with squeaky ear-ring?
Do you know the medical chestnut about the fly in the stethoscope?

: - )

Jonathan
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Jdsk »

Cyclewala wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 11:50amIf it makes a noise whilst pedalling and is quiet whilst freewheeling, it's usually in the drivetrain. Rather than trying to isolate, I'll clean and regrease all elements: BB, chainset interface and pedals.
That's interesting. I'm much less confident than I used to be about locating noises. Luckily there's a rather helpful forum...

Jonathan
sjs
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Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 10:08pm
Location: Hitchin

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by sjs »

Nessie23 wrote: 21 Apr 2021, 10:58am I work in the auto-industry and am obsessed with any squeak, rattle or tizz. Anyone remember the Golf advert with squeaky ear-ring?
On my bike a few weeks ago heard an annoying intermittent clicking sound from bottom brkt area. It disappeared when free-wheeling so obviously drivetrain related. Got home put bike in stand and turned pedal with ear all around driveline....nothing.
Next cycle the noise re-appeared and I finally diagnosed the problem. My shoe-lace (newish trainers) was flopping against the pedal stem (but not on every revolution) and the clear plastic covering to prevent lace from fraying was the culprit.
I spent several miles of a tour (Norfolk somewhere I think) fretting about an annoying rattle, then discovered it was coins in a pocket.
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Mick F
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Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by Mick F »

:D :D :D
Wonderful stuff guys!
Coins in pockets, removing hearing aids, flies in stethoscopes, shoe-laces.

Isn't it strange that you can mount a bike on a stand, or even turn it upside down, and play about with everything and rotating everything, and tapping and knocking everything, but the annoying noise when actually riding the bike is completely illusive?

Glad I'm sorted now!
Mick F. Cornwall
TheBomber
Posts: 525
Joined: 16 Feb 2020, 8:18pm

Re: I've cured the rattle!

Post by TheBomber »

Isn't it strange that you can mount a bike on a stand, or even turn it upside down, and play about with everything and rotating everything, and tapping and knocking everything, but the annoying noise when actually riding the bike is completely illusive?
I have one that is the other way round - I can only hear it when the bike is on the stand. Obviously that shouldn't matter but it still bothers me as I know it's still there, just not loud enough to hear when cycling.

Perhaps this thread should be a list of noises and their cures - then it can be saved as a sticky?
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