Low hum / whoosh noise
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Low hum / whoosh noise
Just bought a 2022 Trek Sport Dual 1 hybrid bike. When ridden there is this constant low hum or whoosh noise. It increases with speed. Not present when just spinning the tire. I haven't heard this on any of our other bikes. I can only think of the tires or the hollow frame as the source, maybe more so the latter (it also has a few small holes where the cables run through it). Tires pressure is 40psi. Any similar experience or ideas what may be causing this? Thank you.
#2
Junior Member
could be tire noise
due to no center rib
due to no center rib
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1958 Post(s)
Liked 2,932 Times
in
1,489 Posts
Hold your bike up to your computer, can't hear it yet.
Likes For cxwrench:
#4
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,270 Times
in
1,439 Posts
All frames are "hollow," so I doubt it's the frame or the internal cables. Sounds more like tires -- do you have similarly knobby ones on your other bikes? Are the tires properly inflated? Is the noise more from the front, the rear, or both? Does it happen when you pedal, when you coast, or all the time? Are your brake rotors true and centered between the calipers? Can you "feel" the noise, or do you only hear it? Get someone to ride alongside you to find the location of the source.
#5
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,991
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6194 Post(s)
Liked 4,810 Times
in
3,318 Posts
If it particularly happens when you are at faster speed, then it might just be a quartering crosswind blowing through your wheels.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,300
Bikes: yes, i have one
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1138 Post(s)
Liked 1,182 Times
in
687 Posts
When I rented a CF bike in FL last year I heard a similar sound. I've now replaced the old alloy wheels with new alloy wheels on my alloy frame. I hear the same sound. I'm chalking it up to spokes or rim profile.
#7
Callipygian Connoisseur
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,373
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 564 Post(s)
Liked 350 Times
in
190 Posts
I’ve heard new knobbies that howled so loud they almost had a ring to them. If the noise you’re hearing is from the tires, it’ll get a little quieter as they wear in, and you’ll get used to the hum at the same time.
#8
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks all for your comments. What I gather from them is that the tires / wheels seem to be the primary suspects. To some of your questions - the sound is present all the time, pedaling or coasting, starting at medium slow speed. The tires, brand new, have lots of very small knobs, I think because this is a hybrid model and not a mountain one. I expect they will wear out pretty fast.
Could be the tires, could be the wheel/spokes. The noise is mildly distracting and as I'm not planning to change the wheels any time soon I guess I just have to get used to it.
Thanks again.
Could be the tires, could be the wheel/spokes. The noise is mildly distracting and as I'm not planning to change the wheels any time soon I guess I just have to get used to it.
Thanks again.
#9
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,991
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6194 Post(s)
Liked 4,810 Times
in
3,318 Posts
Looking back at your OP and seeing you said 40 psi in the tires then I'm guessing fairly wide knobbie tires. I'll lean toward it being the tire tread on the particular surface you ride. Probably fairly smooth asphalt with very small aggregate.
You might just pump them up more to see if that changes the sound. You can always put them back at your proper inflation afterwards. Then you might can get an idea if getting some smoother tread tires might help. If you are riding paved roads you absolutely do not need knobbies. If you ride a lot on paved road, those knobs will be worn down soon enough.
You might just pump them up more to see if that changes the sound. You can always put them back at your proper inflation afterwards. Then you might can get an idea if getting some smoother tread tires might help. If you are riding paved roads you absolutely do not need knobbies. If you ride a lot on paved road, those knobs will be worn down soon enough.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Elevation 666m Edmonton Canada
Posts: 2,482
Bikes: 2013 Custom SA5w / Rohloff Tourster
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1237 Post(s)
Liked 321 Times
in
248 Posts
It's the tires for sure. Could be the new tire extrusion hairs adding to the noise.
My tour bike actually does have a weird hum at about 23 to 32 mph, maybe fork resonance? I noticed it going down my favorite speed hill on the highway.
36 mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires.
========== EDIT
I just looked at my old video of that hill run. The bike and fork were way different. But the hum happened then also, but maybe the speed was different.
My tour bike actually does have a weird hum at about 23 to 32 mph, maybe fork resonance? I noticed it going down my favorite speed hill on the highway.
36 mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires.
========== EDIT
I just looked at my old video of that hill run. The bike and fork were way different. But the hum happened then also, but maybe the speed was different.
Last edited by GamblerGORD53; 03-06-22 at 11:05 AM.
#11
moving target
dont forget bladed spokes, surprised that question made it through
#12
Senior Member
Knobbie tires will always make noise, regardless of whether or not they have a center ridge or the flashing is still on the knobs.
#13
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#14
moving target
#16
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Checked the spokes - not bladed. Inflated the tires to max (50psi vs the 40 I had before) - makes no difference.
Given the fact that the rest of the bikes in the family have knobbies (new word I learned here, thank you) and don't make the same noise, I am after all inclined to think that the hollow nature of the frame has something to do with it. I understand that all frames are hollow but the cavity of this one seems pretty large and who knows may be picking up and amplifying some vibrations or something. I tried to "silence" it by grabbing it with my hand and I think it muted the sound slightly. Of course there's a very good chance I am just being delusional.
Thanks for all the comments again.
Given the fact that the rest of the bikes in the family have knobbies (new word I learned here, thank you) and don't make the same noise, I am after all inclined to think that the hollow nature of the frame has something to do with it. I understand that all frames are hollow but the cavity of this one seems pretty large and who knows may be picking up and amplifying some vibrations or something. I tried to "silence" it by grabbing it with my hand and I think it muted the sound slightly. Of course there's a very good chance I am just being delusional.
Thanks for all the comments again.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Allen, TX
Posts: 2,636
Bikes: 2021 S-Works Turbo Creo SL, 2020 Specialized Roubaix Expert
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 762 Post(s)
Liked 4,035 Times
in
1,429 Posts
I thought from the title this thread might be about a lost follow-up album from Traffic.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,904
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2604 Post(s)
Liked 1,933 Times
in
1,213 Posts
I'm still sticking with knobbies on the tire as the reason for the hum. It may be the pattern, or the wear on the rest of the family's tires, that makes your different from theirs. Keep riding, and see if the hum diminishes after a couple hundred miles.