Annoying noise while I ride

GSJ

Not sure if this has been going on since I bought the bike, but since the last two rides it's really been getting to me.. there's a rattling type noise coming from what seems the handlebar area. I'm not sure what it is exactly, I think it could be the gears.. not sure. It only happens when I go over rough bumpy tarmac, and is pretty non existent when it's totally smooth.
Also on todays ride I lost one of my bolts from the cleat

thescouselander

First thing I'd check is the locking nut on your brake calliper adjuster.

20eyes

I had exactly the same problem and it took me ages to workout what it was.

It was my brake cable that runs under the cross bar, has a black plastic sheath covering it, and this was rattling against the frame.

Tape it to the underneath of your crossbar and see if it disappears.

I hope this works for you as well because it was really winding me up until I found it.

GSJ

thescouselander wrote:

First thing I'd check is the locking nut on your brake calliper adjuster.

As soon as I got home I checked all nut and cranny and everything was tight

simona75

Maybe check your stem/headset, sometimes these can develop a bit of play in them but only after ages. Just hold both brakes and rock the bike back and forth.

smidsy

Could be almost anything as sound often transfers so what you think is coming form the front may be from the back etc.

What about your brake levers - older levers can often rattle as they get worn internals.

Bottle cage - thats often a favourite. Mine's fitted fine, is Ok empty but rattles like a good un when it has a bottle in.

Loose spokes - had this on my old wheels and took me a monthto identify it.

Gear cables against frame - especially likely when on the small front ring.

Or 101 other things.

adm1

I had a loose headset on a new bike - it gave a nasty clicky rattle on anything rough. 10 seconds and a 5mm allen key fixed that. At which point I started to notice the rattle from the bottle cage. Bent that a bit tighter which fixed that. Then I noticed the cables sometimes rattled against the frame. A cable tie fixed that.

Now the bike runs almost silently :-)

Bottom line....eliminate one probable cause at a time until the noise goes away!

mattcroad

Gear cables housings if they cross over each other can give a rattling sound over bumpy terain (mine do that, perfect on smooth termain as the 1cm gap stops them touching).

CiB

I used to get a bothersome knocking noise when I had the tri-bars in place and I was down low going for it. Obviously the only assumption possible was that my massive power output was causing the frame to flex and allow moving parts to come into contact where they shouldn't. Turned out to be my watch jangling on my wrist against the l/h tri-bar. Check the prosaic before stripping the bike down in a hunt for something that isn't there, is my advice.

HTH.

slowbike

adm1 wrote:

Now the bike runs almost silently :-)

Except for the gasping of breath from the rider as he fights his way up another hill

houndlegs

I had a rattle in the handlebar area,it turned out to be the star fangled nut.
A piece had snapped of it somehow. New one fitted and job done.

Gizmo_

I have an annoying creaking that only appears when going up straight hills. Took me a while to work out that it's the gear cables rubbing against the sides of the headset as the handlebars rock slightly from side to side...

Garryboy

Do you have a pump attached to the frame? I had a similar noise and it was the pump knocking against the frame when going over bumps - weird as it def sounded like it was coming front front of bike.