Headset sound driving me MENTAL
Hi guys,
So I have a 2014 Giant Defy ( http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 833/66132/ ) and have a problem that is literally driving me insane. About 4/5 months ago I noticed I started to get a slight sound when I put the gas on, usually out of the saddle and rocking the front side to side, it got worse and worse and at its worst it happened while in the saddle and just regular riding.
Eventually through many means of elimination I discovered at least the general area where it was coming from, somewhere between the headset/steerertube and the wheel hub. Eventually after much research I thought it could be the bearings, so after a few youtube tutorials and arming myself with some new grease, I took out the headset bearings (the sealed units, not the actual bearings (looked like this http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 833/66132/ ), cleaned them up, greased where I needed to grease, put back together and VOILA, sound gone. Awesome, I rode it for about 200 miles, then the sound came back. Frustrated I thought maybe I hadn't tightened properly, done the right torque etc. Anyway, took out, cleaned, regreased, did it again, sound gone, yay! Maybe this time!
100 miles later, sound is back, got fed up, went to bike shop (Cyclopedia, Watford) and got a replacement set of bearings, just in case my bearings were just shot. Fitted, sound had gone, 100-200 miles later, sound is back. Finally I'm fed up, and just hand it to the bikeshop, they looked and after seeing I didn't do anything wrong and checking the fork for cracks etc, came to the conclusion that the tube at top of fork might be a bit high and not leaving enough space for the headset topcap to push down enough on the headset. So they put a 5mm spacer and assumed all was ok. i've given it a good ride out with the club, and done about 70 miles, and the sound is back.
I'm so fed up, does anyone have any ideas. The fact that it didn't do it for 9 months since buying the bike and the fact that taking headset out and putting back in seems to fix it again makes me think that something must be coming loose, but I've checked and all seems fine. I need some ideas, I'm certainly a bit of a rookie when it comes to this but I'm pretty sure i'm not doing anything wrong.
Appreciate any advice you can give!.
Will
So I have a 2014 Giant Defy ( http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 833/66132/ ) and have a problem that is literally driving me insane. About 4/5 months ago I noticed I started to get a slight sound when I put the gas on, usually out of the saddle and rocking the front side to side, it got worse and worse and at its worst it happened while in the saddle and just regular riding.
Eventually through many means of elimination I discovered at least the general area where it was coming from, somewhere between the headset/steerertube and the wheel hub. Eventually after much research I thought it could be the bearings, so after a few youtube tutorials and arming myself with some new grease, I took out the headset bearings (the sealed units, not the actual bearings (looked like this http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 833/66132/ ), cleaned them up, greased where I needed to grease, put back together and VOILA, sound gone. Awesome, I rode it for about 200 miles, then the sound came back. Frustrated I thought maybe I hadn't tightened properly, done the right torque etc. Anyway, took out, cleaned, regreased, did it again, sound gone, yay! Maybe this time!
100 miles later, sound is back, got fed up, went to bike shop (Cyclopedia, Watford) and got a replacement set of bearings, just in case my bearings were just shot. Fitted, sound had gone, 100-200 miles later, sound is back. Finally I'm fed up, and just hand it to the bikeshop, they looked and after seeing I didn't do anything wrong and checking the fork for cracks etc, came to the conclusion that the tube at top of fork might be a bit high and not leaving enough space for the headset topcap to push down enough on the headset. So they put a 5mm spacer and assumed all was ok. i've given it a good ride out with the club, and done about 70 miles, and the sound is back.
I'm so fed up, does anyone have any ideas. The fact that it didn't do it for 9 months since buying the bike and the fact that taking headset out and putting back in seems to fix it again makes me think that something must be coming loose, but I've checked and all seems fine. I need some ideas, I'm certainly a bit of a rookie when it comes to this but I'm pretty sure i'm not doing anything wrong.
Appreciate any advice you can give!.
Will
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Comments
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Is it possible that the noise is being resolved because something else is being reset during the strip down? Could it be as simple as the QR skewer being done back up? IME, QR skewers incorrectly tightened can lead to some pretty annoying sounds on a bike.
When the sound returns, perhaps just remove and replace the wheel and tighten up skewer? Apologies for simplistic post, but you never know.0 -
It's worth a shot, don't think its that but I'll certainly try anything! Thanks dude! How would you recommend a 'correctly' tightened QR squewer should be done? I usually spin it till I can't physically close the QR and then back it off a bit so I just about can. Is there a better way?0
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+1 with dodgy.
you can sometimes get the noise transmitted through the frame from the front hub.
Make sure the drop-outs are clean, and also the end of the axles and QR skewer. Sounds can come and go when the wheel is taken out and put back in.
I also had an issue with the steerer being slightly too long, so I can see where the bike shop were going with that one. The top cap was just touching the top of the steerer and makin a god-awful noise!0 -
That's pretty much how I tighten it, too.
If the skewer is the problem, the creak could be coming from the interface between hub and fork, apply some grease there if it fixes it, might lengthen the time/distance between re occurrences.0 -
Don't tell your doctor about this s/he might section you
From my experience anything that has contact on the bike will potentially make a noise. It's a royal pain in the wotsit but a good strip down and regrease of everything on the bike works wonders. I had an annoying noise recently, turned out to be a loose screw on the stem, quite literally a quarter turn fixed it.0 -
I've taken wheel off, will put back on and ride the commute home, will assume fi it doesn't happen then this is the cause! Will let you know.0
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Another possibility is that the star nut or expander bung is not securely anchored and is moving up the steerer tube slightly and introducing play in the headset after each reinstallation?
My recent phantom creak on the carbon bike I think I have traced to the saddle, having previously suspected the front hub / skewer, headset then bottom bracket :roll:0 -
Well, all i did yesterday was undo the QR level and take the whole spindle out, give it a spray, put it back in, creak sound was gone. I'm a bit concerned now that it was this the whole damn time! Either way that seems to have fixed it. So, considering it has done this every 100-200 miles, how does one ensure it stops. I don't particularly fancy undoing and doing up the lever every time. I've inspected it and it all looks in good cond and not bent or anything. Try different lever and spindle?0
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You owe me a pint
Just put some grease in there, focusing on any areas that 'mate' to others.0 -
Cheers buddy! Consider this thanks enough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilMzs1UHEmw0
