Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

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KromHill
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Joined: 26 Jul 2020, 9:08pm

Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by KromHill »

Recently purchased a Gravel bike with disk brakes. Last week it started to make a noise (similar to the sound of a knife being sharpened) to me it sounds like the rear disk is rubbing but when I turn the bike upside down and spin the rear wheel its fine and not rubbing. It only seems to make this noise when I'm putting in effort either uphill or accelerating. I've checked for loose items bolts etc and everything seems tight?? The pedals are around 6 years old as I swapped them from my other bike but it doesn't seem like a pedal noise??

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Many Thanks.
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geomannie
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Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by geomannie »

It could be so many things. Are your wheels in straight and are centred?
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mjr
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Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by mjr »

Front derailleur misadjusted or chainring moving off axis?
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alexnharvey
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Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:39am

Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by alexnharvey »

My guess is one of the discs hitting the pads, specially if it has cable discs.

If it does follow the centring procedure for a cable disc brake.
Brucey
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Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by Brucey »

sounds like a disc rub, but for it to only make the noise under load means the wheel/disc is moving around, so bearings with free play, excessive frame flex, disc out of true, QR not tight.... something like that.

cheers
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MarcusT
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Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by MarcusT »

What Brucey said.
I get the same noise when doing some curvy downhills. The wheel flexing causes the disc to rub. Also happens on long downhills as the disc and pads heat up.
I wish it were as easy as riding a bike
Brucey
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Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by Brucey »

FWIW the fact that you describe it as 'like a knife being sharpened' make it sound like a hard rub rather than just a pad-to-disc rub, i.e. the disc may be hitting the caliper body or the adaptor (if there is one)/disc mount. So especially If the pads are soft (organic ) types look for signs that the disc has been hitting something harder.

Because with a new frame the locknuts 'bite' through the paint on the dropouts, the alignment can change quickly when the bike is still quite new and hard rubs between the LH side of the disc and the RHS of the hardware on the frame are most common. Also be aware that a disc can rub radially too, so check for clearance that way too.

cheers
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reohn2
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Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by reohn2 »

Much as Brucey posts.
First I'd remove the caliper and check if there's sign of scraping of rotor on caliper either on the inside of the caliper or the outer edge of the rotor.
I'd then check the rotor for true straightening if needed and go through the complete caliper set up procedure as per manufacturer's instructions.
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peetee
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Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by peetee »

Might be worth checking by eye if the calliper body is fouling the disc where it mounts to the frame.
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seph
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Joined: 3 Sep 2010, 8:22pm

Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by seph »

2031A1DA-46F5-48E5-848C-7C058260C978.jpeg


Does it look like this? :)
KromHill
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Joined: 26 Jul 2020, 9:08pm

Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by KromHill »

Took the caliper off and its been rubbing on the inside. Weird how it only does it under exertion?? Re centred it and see what happens.

Thanks for your help.
ElCani
Posts: 537
Joined: 5 Mar 2015, 11:24am

Re: Why does my bike make a sound like a knife being sharpened??

Post by ElCani »

KromHill wrote:Took the caliper off and its been rubbing on the inside. Weird how it only does it under exertion?? Re centred it and see what happens.

Thanks for your help.

Lots of stuff on a bike flexes and moves when the rider is pushing hard.
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