2manybikes

If a small piece of something like drilling shavings gets into the space between the inside wall and the wall holding the spokes, it can be very difficult to find, if it's a double wall rim. Take the wheel off the bike and shake it around.

Off topic but- in high school one of my friends put rocks inside the wheel cover on a friends new car.

seedsbelize 

Well, you could tie and solder your spoke crossings. That would tell that particular tale anyway.

Mad Honk 

Steelman,

A clicking noise is not something a bearing would create. But a rim that has a bit of a protrusion where it is joined could catch the brake pad and give that noise. Also sew-up tires will do that occasionally if the under-listing protrudes bit and catches the brake block. I am not sure that clicking noises are a product of spokes rubbing against each other. I am wary of the clearance of the tire in the front fork, and if there is any issues there. If you think the flexing of the spokes are the problem do the simple thing and put a wrap of masking tape on each spoke overlap and see if the noise goes away. I am going to wager this is not the issue though. Check the rim and watch carefully for any irregularities in the true. HTH, MH

Last ride 76 

Not all that weird compared to some things people do...

I think part of the difficulty in diagnosis this from a distance, is understanding how we interpret "clicking". Many spoke sounds, I would describe as a metallic "pinging" or "creaking", but definitely in my mind, metallic. Possibilities described of base tape or something else hitting a brake pad, not so metallic, and if you've ridden tubies enough, kind of a distinctive sound in it's own way. You mentioned ferrules. I had set of wheels that made intermittent clicking tension type noises that turned out to be 2 ferrules at about 135° apart that were just slightly, very slightly sprung from the rim, (meaning they shifted an miniscule and invisible amount upon wheel flexion. Clue was in out of saddle climbing it became more apparent, and would disappear with smoother riding. Did you say you reproduced ithe in a parking lot? Ride in circles around an observer, or better have someone ride circles around you, in both directions if necessary to reproduce the sound. Try to visualize what has to occur to actually create the type of sound. Good news, it can only be a few different things if it is from the front wheel. While perhaps not likely, bearings going around and around, can make sound that become cyclic (pardon the pun) and cause a true clicking sound as they keep turning over. More info, more info....

79pmooney

I wonder if the oil is drying out. I've never used oil, always grease. Phil for years, now marine grease. (I love that the marine stuff never changes. What you finish the build with is what you will have years later. (I also use that grease to lube the rim seats for the nipples.)

Ben

Steelman54 

OK, killed more time on this annoying issue. Again, thanks for all the thoughts on this one.

- double wall, double eyelet H Plus Son TB 14 rims, brandy new. Nothing loose inside rattling around that i can hear.

- I triple checked my build (i use Brandts book, also have Wheelpro download), spokes all cross over or under as they are supposed to. Compared it to another wheel and it is identical.

- Greased cross over points, still clicking/ ratcheting

- Although i have switched wheels back and forth between bikes, and i thought i even switched skewers, i switched skewers and the noise was gone. I started thinking it sounded more like a ratcheting sound as if the skewer spring was somehow rotating/ratcheting/clicking even though the skewer was dead nuts tight. So, maybe the final check might be to put original skewer back on (admittedly its a cheap one as i have not scored a better set yet) without the spring and see if noise is gone.

- Of course at this point, I'm losing my mind, so probably need to step back a bit, but if i get time today/tomorrow will do another neighborhood test with "good" skewers and switch to "bad" skewers without the springs.

Again, thanks for thinking on this one.

Steelman54 

OK, been killing more time on this irritating and surprisingly to me, loud click or ratcheting sound.

For the moment, it is gone. I am running a Campag skewer from a spare set of hubs i have and the wheel is dead silent. If i put the original, admittedly cheap skewer on, it clicks within a block.

So, i removed the springs from the skewer and it still clicks. I have looked at this d*mn thing and can't see what could click, but sure enough it does when its on the bike. I know others have stated the quick release can make noise. This is an external quick release and when on the bike seems tight, but maybe it really isn't that tight?

Anyhow, will do a few more rides to see if it stays quiet. If it does I'll be looking for a pair of QR's in silver made by Campag or Shimano.

Mike

Mad Honk 

Steelman,
It sounds as if your QR skewer may be bottoming out on the axle before making solid contact with the drop out. Put the wheel in the drop outs by itself and note if any part of the axle protrudes beyond the out board side of the drop out. If that is the case you will need to re-position the axle in the hub by moving both of the cones and lock washers to center the axle. If the axle is indeed too long grinding it down a bit would solve the problem. I just looked at a Campy skewer and it is deeper than most clamps. Which would explain the loss of clicking. However if my suspicions are correct that the axle is protruding you are only clamping one side of the wheel in the drop outs and the clicking is from a loose wheel. If so, that is gonna cause and end-o sooner or later. HTH, MH

seedsbelize 

2manybikes

The external cam skewers have a lot less clamping force than the internal cam type. Even the hardness and type of metals grabbing the drop outs can change how well they work. I read somewhere that Litespeed used titanium that was so hard the skewers could not grab the dropouts. They switched to a softer Ti to fix it. Myself and a mtb riding buddy have never been able to get the external cam seat post clamps to keep the seat posts from sliding down. Use the internal cam type and then do something more fun.

Also make the lever so hard to close that it makes a mark on your hand.

jideta

As I posted earlier, the bike shop just tightened my skewer and the creak went away.
I could only suppose that under load, the wheel(axle) was microscopically moving around in the drop out and making the skewer really tight stopped that movement. By tight I mean leave a mark on your palm tight.
Or maybe it was just magic! All I know is I felt sorta stupid when I left the bike shop.
Loose skewer? really?

Hopefully you solved your mystery!

Steelman54 

Mad Honk - definitely not axle protrusion as I checked that per an earlier post.

For the moment i'm going with 2manybikes explanation - the external cam skewer type has less clamping force (though believe me it sure seems tight judging by imprint in my hand and how hard it is to release). Weather looking crappy today, so not sure i'll get the bike outside. Will report back as i hopefully ride it more.

Thanks for all the help.

Mike

Steelman54 

OK, a 20 mile ride and no noise whatsoever! Gonna call it fixed until it squawks again. Got a bead on some nice skewers also. Thanks for all the help.