Rubbing/friction and noise - but the LBS can't feel or hear it! HELP!!!
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Where the cows go bong!
Posts: 183
Bikes: Not a folder.... yet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Rubbing/friction and noise - but the LBS can't feel or hear it! HELP!!!
I'm at a bit of a loss. I've taken my Dawes Discovery 201 in three times to my LBS as I can feel friction/a rubbing through the pedals and when it's quiet, I can hear a faint rubbing/humming sound. However, they've had a look and said there's nothing wrong or out of the norm with it, putting it down to how it is and cheap components.
I know that I'm not imagining things and it's bugging me every time I ride it. I'm happy to upgrade parts as it's not a bad bike and buying a replacement isn't always the solution, especially as being clearly more expensive models they are more stealable! A 201 will appear to most as a 201.
Basic specs are here: https://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec018590
Where would people suggest I start, and upgrade with what? Good quality, but nothing over the top.
Cheers
I know that I'm not imagining things and it's bugging me every time I ride it. I'm happy to upgrade parts as it's not a bad bike and buying a replacement isn't always the solution, especially as being clearly more expensive models they are more stealable! A 201 will appear to most as a 201.
Basic specs are here: https://www.evanscycles.com/products/...-bike-ec018590
Where would people suggest I start, and upgrade with what? Good quality, but nothing over the top.
Cheers
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 67
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
How are you "hearing" it? Sound travels through the parts of the bike, so where the problem is might not be where the sound comes from.
There are a couple of tricks you can use to narrow down where the noise is originating. You can use a empty toilet/kitchen wrap/hand towel roll, to narrow the focus of your ear, and then point the other end towards where the sound is. Another trick is to use a blade screw driver, by placing the end of the handle in your ear (NOT the sharp end, the handle), and then place the sharp end on the bike, tracking down where the noise is coming from. You might want to use a dull screw driver, or something else to protect the bike from scratches while doing this. It's important though that the contact between the screwdriver and the bike is a solid to help the sound carry.
There are a couple of tricks you can use to narrow down where the noise is originating. You can use a empty toilet/kitchen wrap/hand towel roll, to narrow the focus of your ear, and then point the other end towards where the sound is. Another trick is to use a blade screw driver, by placing the end of the handle in your ear (NOT the sharp end, the handle), and then place the sharp end on the bike, tracking down where the noise is coming from. You might want to use a dull screw driver, or something else to protect the bike from scratches while doing this. It's important though that the contact between the screwdriver and the bike is a solid to help the sound carry.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA and surrounding islands.
Posts: 8,521
Bikes: Cannondale R500, Motobecane Messenger
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Could very well be the pavement you ride on or hypersensitive hearing. Back when I ran a bike rental, one customer complained she could hear the tires rubbing on the pavement.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 11,128
Bikes: 1986 Alan Record Carbonio, 1985 Vitus Plus Carbone 7, 1984 Peugeot PSV, 1972 Line Seeker, 1986(est.) Medici Aerodynamic (Project), 1985(est.) Peugeot PY10FC
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 150 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 34 Times
in
27 Posts
Symptoms like you are hearing and feeling are sometimes very hard to pinpoint as there are many points of interface between a bike an it's rider from the different materials in your biking shoes, it's soles, insoles and the new plastic and metal bckels staps and cables used to tighten the shoes on to the rider's feet, to their cleats, the retaining mechanisms in your pedals and it's bearings and spindles.
I think a good way to find the problem is to mount the bike on a trainer, have you sit on it with you bike shoes on and pedal away in front of a mechanic.
A good way to pinpoint the problem is to also note the rhythm/frequency of the noise so you can at least isolate it between the front or rear ends of the drivetrain
Chombi
I think a good way to find the problem is to mount the bike on a trainer, have you sit on it with you bike shoes on and pedal away in front of a mechanic.
A good way to pinpoint the problem is to also note the rhythm/frequency of the noise so you can at least isolate it between the front or rear ends of the drivetrain
Chombi
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Boise,ID
Posts: 516
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Read this first to help diagnose. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html
You may also have the hubs repacked with grease.
You may also have the hubs repacked with grease.
#8
Senior Member
So lift it up and support it somehow or flip it over onto the seat and handlebars and carefully start looking for the cause yourself. If you can feel this tight spot but have trouble isolating which it is then lift the chain off the sprocket and hold it out of the way and find out if it's the cranks or the wheel that is binding. It may be the front that is binding as well. Don't assume anything.
Once you isolate the area and part that is binding you can look at fixing it or replacing it depending on which course of action is suitable.
And don't just look for stuff that is binding. Check your wheels for side to side play. If they have any free play in the bearings that allows you to wobble the rim side to side then this may be the source of your rubbing. As the wheel moves it may well be dragging on the brake pads. The wheels should turn easily but with no play at all
New bottom brackets may not spin all that well due to the seals and how packed with grease they are. But if they are smooth to turn then all is well and they will loosen up as they break in.
While you've got the bike up where you can see all this stuff check that the brake pads are full and evenly retracting after application. If they are sticking then it will make scuffing sounds and in an extreme case hold you back.
If the wheels and cranks turn out to be fine then put the chain back onto the rear cassete and front rings and try again but pay particular attention to the chain and derrailleurs looking for drag.
Once you isolate the area and part that is binding you can look at fixing it or replacing it depending on which course of action is suitable.
And don't just look for stuff that is binding. Check your wheels for side to side play. If they have any free play in the bearings that allows you to wobble the rim side to side then this may be the source of your rubbing. As the wheel moves it may well be dragging on the brake pads. The wheels should turn easily but with no play at all
New bottom brackets may not spin all that well due to the seals and how packed with grease they are. But if they are smooth to turn then all is well and they will loosen up as they break in.
While you've got the bike up where you can see all this stuff check that the brake pads are full and evenly retracting after application. If they are sticking then it will make scuffing sounds and in an extreme case hold you back.
If the wheels and cranks turn out to be fine then put the chain back onto the rear cassete and front rings and try again but pay particular attention to the chain and derrailleurs looking for drag.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 9,438
Bikes: Trek 5500, Colnago C-50
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
Basics first.
Are the axles fully seated in the dropouts? Anytime you remove or loosen either wheel have the wheels on the ground with the full weight of the bike on the wheels at the time you tighten the quick releases or axle nuts.
Are the tires fully inflated to the recommended tire pressure? This should be done before each ride.
Have you wiped down and lubricated the chain? This should be done as often as needed depending on weather and distances traveled.
Al
Are the axles fully seated in the dropouts? Anytime you remove or loosen either wheel have the wheels on the ground with the full weight of the bike on the wheels at the time you tighten the quick releases or axle nuts.
Are the tires fully inflated to the recommended tire pressure? This should be done before each ride.
Have you wiped down and lubricated the chain? This should be done as often as needed depending on weather and distances traveled.
Al
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 744
Bikes: '82 Giante super challange, 70 Gitane Tour de France, GT Gutterball
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Cheack to be sure its not you, your outfit or something else that changes when your lbs is looking at it
#11
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,493
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2740 Post(s)
Liked 3,385 Times
in
2,048 Posts
I was driven nuts by a sound that turned out to be my wider shoes sole rubbing against the crank
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Where the cows go bong!
Posts: 183
Bikes: Not a folder.... yet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks everybody. I'll try top set aside some time tonight to go through the recommendations.
Initial observations on a quick check this morning are that there is a very small misalignment in the rim and the brakes are rubbing on a section of the rim once per revolution, but this is a recent thing. The main issue I described I've had for several months now.
Initial observations on a quick check this morning are that there is a very small misalignment in the rim and the brakes are rubbing on a section of the rim once per revolution, but this is a recent thing. The main issue I described I've had for several months now.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Montreal
Posts: 6,521
Bikes: Peugeot Hybrid, Minelli Hybrid
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Thanks everybody. I'll try top set aside some time tonight to go through the recommendations.
Initial observations on a quick check this morning are that there is a very small misalignment in the rim and the brakes are rubbing on a section of the rim once per revolution, but this is a recent thing. The main issue I described I've had for several months now.
Initial observations on a quick check this morning are that there is a very small misalignment in the rim and the brakes are rubbing on a section of the rim once per revolution, but this is a recent thing. The main issue I described I've had for several months now.
Rough feel - do you feel it all the time or only when pedalling. If it is only while pedalling it must be in pedals or chain rubbing der cage. Check with another bike shop.
#14
Great State of Varmint
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Dante's Third Ring
Posts: 7,476
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
15 Posts
If you have another set of pedals anywhere - swap them out and take a ride. Is the rubbing still there? If yes - then you can rule that out.
Overhaul the bottom-bracket. Still there? Now we can rule the BB out. Thus continue the diagnosis.
Oh yeah - find another bike-shop.
Overhaul the bottom-bracket. Still there? Now we can rule the BB out. Thus continue the diagnosis.
Oh yeah - find another bike-shop.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
qwert566
Adaptive Cycling: Handcycles, Amputee Adaptation, Visual Impairment, and Other Needs
8
04-10-14 03:22 PM
silmarillion
General Cycling Discussion
21
12-10-11 03:21 PM