ningnangnong

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

Mr Zippy

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.

reptilezs

sounds are hard to diagnose in itself and even harder on the internet

DieselDan

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.

Chombi

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

cman

Read this first to help diagnose. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html

You may also have the hubs repacked with grease.

velo-orange

could they be rubbing seals? on the pedals? hubs? BB? Derailleur pulleys?
they will take some time to break in.

BCRider

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.

Al1943

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

cnnrmccloskey

Cheack to be sure its not you, your outfit or something else that changes when your lbs is looking at it

dedhed

I was driven nuts by a sound that turned out to be my wider shoes sole rubbing against the crank

ningnangnong

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.

AndrewP

Spoke wrench - tighten spokes 1/4 turn opposite side that is rubbing, and loosen on rubbing side.
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.

Panthers007

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.

Al1943

And you could try greasing the pedal bearings.