Front wheel rattling while cycling?

Mr Benevolent

Looking for some advice. My front wheel has started rattling when cycling. It doesn't rattle when off the ground. Sounds like there's something caught in the spokes but there isn't. Something tells me it could be the spokes coming loose, but they don't feel that loose. Can I tighten them gently with a pliers or do I need to fork out for the tool? There's an electric hub motor in the front wheel, it could be putting higher than normal force on the spokes.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Are you absolutely sure it's the wheel? I thought the same thing about my bike to the point where I stopped one evening to check it wasn't going to fall off or loose. It wasn't but the rattling continued. After I arrived home and spent about 10 minutes bouncing the front wheel to see where the rattle was I discovered that the two brake cables we're touching each other and causing the vibration/rattle and so i taped them together with black electrical tape and rattle disappeared.

feck sake lads

it's not the spokes more than likely it's coming from the hub so its a trip to the bike shop ,btw you wont tighten spokes with plyers you need a spoke key.:eek:

Planet X

Too much commuter racing!
:-)

SetOverSet

Could be the hub bearings. I (very stupidly), managed to flash all the grease out of the hub with a power hose years ago - lesson learned

Mr Benevolent

feck sake lads wrote: »

it's not the spokes more than likely it's coming from the hub so its a trip to the bike shop ,btw you wont tighten spokes with plyers you need a spoke key.:eek:

It's not the hub, the rattling happens power on or off, and if the motor was damaged enough to be rattling it wouldn't be working right. To be clear, it's an electric bike with the motor in the front wheel.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Confab wrote: »

feck sake lads wrote: »

it's not the spokes more than likely it's coming from the hub so its a trip to the bike shop ,btw you wont tighten spokes with plyers you need a spoke key.:eek:

It's not the hub, the rattling happens power on or off, and if the motor was damaged enough to be rattling it wouldn't be working right. To be clear, it's an electric bike with the motor in the front wheel.

Aaaaaahhh...not cables so.

hardCopy

I would imagine the spoke lacing on a stock front wheel would be very different to a back wheel which would be designed to handle drive forces. It would probably have less spokes as well.

Some of the spokes may be loose, lift the wheel and tap each spoke with a screw driver and listen for one with a different note to the rest.

You could tighten it with a pliers but you'll probably strip it. A spoke tool should only cost a couple of euros.

kenmc

have you a locknut on your valve which is a bit loose?