Stadzen

Hey

i have a problem with my zipp back wheel. It makes noise when i put on some power, especially when i go uphill. I have opened and cleaned/lubricated inside the bearings, the sound went away for some time... but came back on the second trip. Maybe i need to do it more properly? Someone told me that i had to put the wheel in a specific way when i put it on the bike, if not it would make some noise. They don´t remember exactly what the trick was with placing the wheel , but i hope that maybe some of u guys know it? The noise sounds like the spokes are cracking.. any solutions?

ty for answers

danvuquoc

I just went through something like this for the front wheel. The rear wheel can get even more complicated.

Check for the following:
- Loose spokes
- Overly tight spokes
- Dry unlubricated rear skewer
- Wheel sits flush in the dropouts
- Skewer is tight enough
- Cassette lockring is torqued to spec
- RD high/low is fine as is cable tension and hanger is not bent.
- Tube stem isn't knocking around
- Axle end caps are torqued appropriately, evenly, and not bone dry.

Even then, something that SOUNDS like its coming from the rear wheel could in fact be coming from another part of the bike. You may want to supplement your first post with exactly how often the sound happens, as in, -- on the power -- every pedal revolution or wheel revolution etc.

Psimet2001 

Latest editions have common flaws that most people seem to encounter. 1. Their bearings are grossly undersized for the application and they just simply wear out. 2. Spokes tend to pop.

There's about 1,000 things you can do to help start to narrow down the specific issue. I'm going out to dinner. Someone in here will start a list. If you don't find the solution or I get bored tonight I'll pop back in here with some options.

merlinextraligh

i have a Zipp 404, circa 2004, that was making horrible creaking popping noises. Checked the skewer, Fussed with spoke tension. Nothing helped.

Ended up puting new bearings in it, and rebuilding the wheel with new spokes. Rides like new now.

soma5

Surprising that it would spin well with any sort of bearing issue. Zipps do make strange noises. My Firecrest 404's make weird noises that I'm tracking down and dealing with now. I have the hub apart and I'm taking a break now. My first reaction is "lube, lube, lube." Including spoke crosses and where the nipple seats into the rim.

Daerkon

I get a similar noise in my 404's though I am not sure it is the rear specifically. They are loud wheels in several ways but one annoyance I have found is the sound of the long (80mm) valve stem on Vredesteins rattling or popping against the valve hole in the rim. Thin shrink wrap seems to be the best for killing the sound.

soma5

I take about 1.5" of electrical tape, put a hole in the center, pull it over the valve stem and stick it on the rim. I have been free of valve stem noise since I started doing this. I saw it on a photo of Fabian Cancellara's bike. I take no credit for this technique.

merlinextraligh

I think the spokes/ nipples creaking was more likely the noise cause but after 7 years and 20,000 plus miles replacing the cartridge bearings seemed reasonable.