New bike - rattling spokes + bobbing wheel?

Mattcee
Mattcee Posts: 148
edited July 2015 in Workshop
I took my new Giant Defy 0 out for a quick ride today for the first time and everything felt ok.

I put it up on stand when home to adjust the seat slightly and while there, I pedalled the rear wheel and noticed the rim wasn't in line all the way around with the brake pads when rotating. Its almost like its slightly out of 'roundness' but its only by a mm or so. Is this normal and acceptable?

The other thing I noticed is that the front wheel makes a rattling noise (from the spokes?) when you drop the front wheel onto the ground (only from a couple of inches with no force). Again, Is this normal and acceptable?

Comments

  • paulbnix
    paulbnix Posts: 631
    Rattling could be a loose headset.
    Pull on the front brake and try pushing the bike forwards. If you can feel a knock then the headset needs tightening.
  • Mattcee
    Mattcee Posts: 148
    Thanks but no slack in headset and all spokes seem tight enough.
  • penguin_of_death
    penguin_of_death Posts: 219
    Front wheel - check the lock ring on the valve stem and also the tightness of the front wheel reflector
  • Mattcee
    Mattcee Posts: 148
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19661991#p19661991]Penguin of Death[/url] wrote:
    Front wheel - check the lock ring on the valve stem and also the tightness of the front wheel reflector

    We have a winner!

    It was the loose lock ring on the valve so many thanks Penguin of Death :)
  • rafletcher
    rafletcher Posts: 1,235
    Chuck the valve lock rings away - they're not needed (unless you're running tubeless tyres, which I doubt).
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    + 1. Throw them away. Rejoice in the weight saving. They don't work particularly well with modern rim profiles anyway. If the valve stem rattles in the hole in the rim, try a wrap of masking tape the next time you refit the tube.

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