Strange tyre noise.

BR 1979

I commute the same route most days from my house to the station - 5 or 6 miles standard country roads, 50% good condition, 45% ok condition, 5% dreadful.

I have had the same tyres on for 6mths ish, though changed an inner tube following a puncture a few days ago. All has been well.

This morning my front wheel/tyre was making a strange rumbling/roaring noise. Sounded great but quite disconcerting. Caused me to stop 20 metres into my ride and then another three times to double check pressure (squeeze check, not a proper gauge job).

Any idea what's causing this? Very strange. Durano Plus if it makes any difference.

Felt like harder work, though that could have been psychological (it was bloody humid).

rubertoe

Brake rub?

andyd77

if your brakes are rubbing on your wheels / tyres - could be caused by any number of things:

before riding back tonight check where the pads are rubbing by rotating the front then rear wheel in turn, once you have found the point at which they catch either go to your lbs or adjust the brake yourself IF you know what you are doing, if you need to ask how to adjust it get your lbs to do it.

on occasion this rubbing can happen on badly adjusted brakes / wheels - when you did your puncture repair you probably have not refitted the quick release correctly ie you probably altered the adjusting nut on the oppostite side to the leaver, undid it, repaired puncture, then refitted it, which i'm guessing is where the problems start from

extrusion

There's a couple of places on my route that my tyres make the strangest roaring* noise, causes me to look down to check they haven't flatted nearly every time. I believe it's the tarmac, but it only happens on one side of the road!

* Well, maybe not roaring, more a rippling screeeeeeeee noise ...

Mindermast

Are you sure it is the tyre/tube? Could be the bearing as well.

BR 1979

Definitely not brake rub.

andyd77

ok try sitting on it and riding slowly its possible it could still be brake rub as an unloaded bike wheel runs slightly differently.

Best way to be 100% on no brake rub is to disconnect your front brake and ride it - if the noise still occurs then its going to most likely be the bearings running hot [ie grinding noises] how long have you had the bike? have you ever squirted wd40 or similar on the axle? as these types of spray lubricants thin the bearing grease and lead to premature wear ans should be avoided in this area.

do also check that the wheel is spinning true. as deviation left or right or up and down could cause similar, though intermittent grinding noises.

chris_bass

might be an odd suggestion but does it happen when you cycle under trees? the sap from them can make tyres make weird noises when you cycle over it!

IanLD

Sounds more likely to be front wheel bearings. If it is a cheaper Shimano hub then virtually guaranteed as they come with far too much pre-load and chew the bearings up in only a few hundred miles.

Try taking the wheel out and then spin it while holding the axle. You'll easily feel the bearings that way to check.

BR 1979

IanLD wrote:

Sounds more likely to be front wheel bearings. If it is a cheaper Shimano hub then virtually guaranteed as they come with far too much pre-load and chew the bearings up in only a few hundred miles.

Try taking the wheel out and then spin it while holding the axle. You'll easily feel the bearings that way to check.

I'm going to have a fiddle with it this weekend.

It's an R500 wheel so certainly fits your "cheaper" and "Shimano" points, but I've done > 3000 miles with it.

Thanks.

mazule

Chris Bass wrote:

might be an odd suggestion but does it happen when you cycle under trees? the sap from them can make tyres make weird noises when you cycle over it!

This.

It happens to me in two places at this time of the year. Only on one side of the road, and only in particular weather.

It is really disconcerting when it first happens.

essex-commuter

mazule wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

might be an odd suggestion but does it happen when you cycle under trees? the sap from them can make tyres make weird noises when you cycle over it!

This.

It happens to me in two places at this time of the year. Only on one side of the road, and only in particular weather.

It is really disconcerting when it first happens.

I've experienced that as well. I've also had a similar noise when it's been 30 degrees plus (years ago I know!) and some types of tarmac get a bit 'sticky'.