Rattle is driving me insane!!!

zzzzzzzz · 23-04-2009 08:37AM #1

As the title suggests... something on my bike is rattling.

It happens when I'm travelling at any sort of speed over a bumpy surface.

It's either coming from BB/pedal area or towards the back of the bike. Can't really tell.

It happens whether I am pedalling or not.

I've checked my BB for any play, and there is none. Although occasionally it creaks going uphill... is that a sign that it's on the way out?

I initially thought my cassette might have been coming loose or something but it happens when using 2 different sets of wheels.

I was actually dreaming about it last night. Really driving me nuts.

Suggestions?

Wez · 23-04-2009 08:42AM

It could be something simple like a loose nut? Have a check over the rear end and see if anything could be loose/wobbling.

I got the same kinda noise on my brother's mtb, realised it was the back mudguard tapping off the carrier.

More than likely something simple! Try and listen to how often it rattles, e.g. if it happens everytime the pedals are in a certain position/wheel contacts at a certain part. I do that to try and break down what it could be.

Those little noises/squeeks/rattles tend to really take away from good rides!

kenmc · 23-04-2009 08:44AM

Could be the valve nut rattling, or perhas there's something inside the rim of the wheel.

zzzzzzzz · 23-04-2009 08:46AM

kenmc wrote: »

Could be the valve nut rattling, or perhas there's something inside the rim of the wheel.

Nah - definitely nothing on the wheel as I have two sets and it happens when using both

Raam · 23-04-2009 08:47AM

Long shot: I had a knocking coming from my bike when I hit uneven ground. Turned out to be a tool in my saddle bag hitting the underside of the saddle.

zzzzzzzz · 23-04-2009 08:50AM

Wez wrote: »

It could be something simple like a loose nut? Have a check over the rear end and see if anything could be loose/wobbling.

I got the same kinda noise on my brother's mtb, realised it was the back mudguard tapping off the carrier.

More than likely something simple! Try and listen to how often it rattles, e.g. if it happens everytime the pedals are in a certain position/wheel contacts at a certain part. I do that to try and break down what it could be.

Those little noises/squeeks/rattles tend to really take away from good rides!

It's not really a "knock" that I could time (i.e. one pedal revolution one wheel revolution). It just rattles when going over a bumpy road surface.

I don't have mudguards so it couldn't be that.

Makes no odds what position the pedals are in.

Any attempt to re-create the noise fails (i.e. it only ever happens when I'm out on the road and it's hard to distinguish exactly where it's coming from)

zzzzzzzz · 23-04-2009 08:51AM

Raam wrote: »

Long shot: I had a knocking coming from my bike when I hit uneven ground. Turned out to be a tool in my saddle bag hitting the underside of the saddle.

Nice try - but I've no saddle bag on the bike at the moment

Raam · 23-04-2009 08:53AM

Another long shot: check the spokes ain't loose. The bro had a seemingly random rattle in his bike, that's what it was.

kona · 23-04-2009 08:57AM

Do ya have front suspention forks?

bcmf · 23-04-2009 08:58AM

get your allen keys out.Tighten EVERY nut.Could be something like nuts on your crankset to your brake calipers coming loose.Tighten nuts underneath your saddle,Jockey wheels on your rear mech,Brake shoes,front mech etc etc.They all need a tighten anyway but you can also eliminate all these if it is still there.
Also check cable rubbing off your frame.

Morgan · 23-04-2009 08:59AM

If it happens when you're not pedaling then it's not your cranks/pedals.

As above - I had a mystery rattle which turned out to be the valve stems knocking against the rims.

Can't really add more than that - just go for a spin somewhere quiet and try to figure out where it's coming from.

zzzzzzzz · 23-04-2009 09:00AM

kona wrote: »

Do ya have front suspention forks?

nope - it's a real road bike.

interested · 23-04-2009 09:06AM

had this recently myself - only on rough surface ... turned out to be the cassette block needed a bit of a tighten ... annoying as hell ...

zzzzzzzz · 23-04-2009 09:08AM

interested wrote: »

had this recently myself - only on rough surface ... turned out to be the cassette block needed a bit of a tighten ... annoying as hell ...

Yeah - that was my initial thought but it's happening regardless of what wheel i have on the bike.

Cassette is tight on both wheels.

Chips Lovell · 23-04-2009 09:08AM

Rattles and creaks can be really hard to pin down. They always sound like their coming from the BB or headset, but usually aren't. It's usually a frustrating process of trial and error to find the culprit. Checking all the bolts is usually a good start. For example, one annoying creak I had was solved by greasing and tightening the bottle cage bolts on the seat tube. I've had a rattle before that was caused by the mini-pump mounted to the frame being ever so slightly lose. The last one I had was solved by slighly tightening my rear quick release. Cables can cause a rattle too sometimes.

interested · 23-04-2009 09:10AM

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Yeah - that was my initial thought but it's happening regardless of what wheel i have on the bike.

Cassette is tight on both wheels.

Hmm ... take both wheels off - and chain if handy - or tape it to frame - then rattle bike about ... it wouldnt be anything inside the frame ??? .... bizarre ...

zzzzzzzz · 23-04-2009 09:16AM

interested wrote: »

Hmm ... take both wheels off - and chain if handy - or tape it to frame - then rattle bike about ... it wouldnt be anything inside the frame ??? .... bizarre ...

Tried shaking the bike alright - noise didn't happen. I am, however, a bike shaking lunatic now in my neighbours' minds.

"What did that bike ever do to you?!"

Quigs Snr · 23-04-2009 09:22AM

Well it could be anything. I have had every rattle you can imagine. Sometimes it has been valves in the rims (just a wee bit of tape around the valve sorted that).

Other times its just the chain (often you can't do anything about this - some roads are so rough that the bike will rattle).

It can be the headset also, however the one which had me the most stumped recently when I was in the canaries was a very loud rattle which I could not pin down at all, sometimes it sounded like the rear of the bike, sometimes the front. Trouble with Carbon frames is that they can carry the sound to strange places making it hard to pin down.

The solution was a slightly loose bottle cage would you believe.

blorg · 23-04-2009 09:23AM

Big Dick wrote: »

caused by the mini-pump mounted to the frame being ever so slightly lose.

:eek: Frame mounted pump? I refer you to rule 30; they go in the jersey. Hope you have lost that bad habit. :pac:

Raam · 23-04-2009 09:30AM

blorg wrote: »

:eek: Frame mounted pump? I refer you to rule 30; they go in the jersey. Hope you have lost that bad habit. :pac:

Agreed. Such a fabulous bike should not have the wart that is a frame mounted pump anywhere near it.

Chips Lovell · 23-04-2009 09:42AM

There is a pump on it in the pic.

zzzzzzzz · 23-04-2009 09:42AM

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Well it could be anything. I have had every rattle you can imagine. Sometimes it has been valves in the rims (just a wee bit of tape around the valve sorted that).

Other times its just the chain (often you can't do anything about this - some roads are so rough that the bike will rattle).

It can be the headset also, however the one which had me the most stumped recently when I was in the canaries was a very loud rattle which I could not pin down at all, sometimes it sounded like the rear of the bike, sometimes the front. Trouble with Carbon frames is that they can carry the sound to strange places making it hard to pin down.

The solution was a slightly loose bottle cage would you believe.

Actually - I was just tightening up a few bits and pieces and checked the valves as people keep mentioning them. I have the screw-on things that tightens the valve to the rim but I think they may be the culprit. I'll try taping them, as you've suggested.

Also possible that it was one of my cages rattling which I hadn't considered before...

Anyway - we'll see later on if it's sorted. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Raam · 23-04-2009 09:50AM

My Name is Mario wrote: »

There is a pump on it in the pic.

You used to be one of the cool kids.

TinyExplosions · 23-04-2009 10:02AM

Big Dick wrote: »

There is a pump on it in the pic.

I noticed that too, but was too upset to comment

bcmf wrote: »

Also check cable rubbing off your frame.

+1 on this, could be the gear or brake cables hitting the frame

Lumen · 23-04-2009 10:16AM

Bottle cages?

rottenhat · 23-04-2009 10:19AM

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Also possible that it was one of my cages rattling which I hadn't considered before...

Bottle cages are one of the worst offenders in my book - it can be hard to get those piddling little bolts tightened up enough to stop them from loosening over time.

Gavin · 23-04-2009 10:35AM

loctite !

Quigs Snr · 23-04-2009 10:41AM

All this talk of rattles has jinxed me. A nasty rattle coming out of the bike at the moment, sounds like its in the chainset, but its not....

Stopped the bike several times and checked it over, couldn't find anything loose but keep getting this tinny little rattle when the bike is moving. Only spotted it whilst reaching for a bottle ... the top cap on the steerer tube ... it has cervelo written on it, well I noted that the cervelo logo was slowly rotating around... the headset / bung expander was still tight but the top cap had somehow become slightly loose and was rattling like crazy. Whilst stationary I couldn't make it rattle at all and true to form the rattle didn't sound like it was coming from the steerer but it was. Unusual one.

Raam · 23-04-2009 10:46AM

CheGuedara · 23-04-2009 01:57PM

Try the bottle cage - can be one of the usual suspects given the details of the probem

kona · 23-04-2009 02:04PM

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Tried shaking the bike alright - noise didn't happen. I am, however, a bike shaking lunatic now in my neighbours' minds.

"What did that bike ever do to you?!"

were the wheels on or off when you shook it?

Rattle is driving me insane!!!

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