Rattling noise

Hi All
Been a while since I've been on here. I'd like to apologise in advance for my questions, which technically speaking sound like I'm a bit behind the curve. In spite of being a cyclist all my life and a regular roadie since 2008, I have alwasy owned, out of choice, aluminium framed bikes with external cabling and rims brakes (albiet high spec models). Recently I inherited a 2016 Giant Defy Advanced from my brother in law who can no longer ride and which has put a bike in my shed for the first time with a carbon frame, internal cable routing and disc brakes. I've ridden plenty of disc braked bikes and am yet to be converted. Today I took the bike out for the first time on a 40 mile ride and was generally quite impressed: lovely ride quality from the frame, a decent climber and fast descender. However....two things are spoiling the party and it would be great to hear from anyone with similar exeriences and even better know of the solution. The first is the rattling noise: the bike has just been serviced by the LBS and I've been over it carefully too and everything is at it should be but the rattling over pitted and rough roads is quite noticeable (and really annoying...!!) Could this be the internal cable routing? i'm a bit OCD and like my bike to run quietly and I don't have the issue with my other bikes running cables externally, If so, is there a fix? Anyone else have this issue?

The second is the brakes. It's running mechanical TRP discs which have just had new cables fitted and adjustment but compared to the Ultegra rims brakes on my other road bike, they lack stopping power and feel. Has anyone exprience of these, or know whether a change of pad would make much difference? I didn't have the pads changed at service as they still look ok but they're really not great and I need to do something with them! Thanks for any advice,

Comments

  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    The rattle could easily be the cables in the frame. Not sure there is a fix tbh but someone with more knowledge may come along. It’s not something I get on my internally routed giant contend.

    I have used mechanical disc brakes and hated them. I’m not sure changing the pads will make a big difference. The usual advice is good quality, compressionless outers but in my limited experience, that doesn’t seem to do much either. If you can, I’d say try to get a decent hydraulic set from eBay. That definitely makes a difference. Failing that, TRP make a mechanically operated hydraulic brake (I wasn’t that impressed with them), there used to be a company called juintech that did similarly, or giant do a stem mounted system that works fine if you can live with the way it looks. I prefer rim brakes to mechanical discs.
  • I've had this on a couple of carbon bike. Both times the problem was solved by rolling up strips of bubble rap (the small bubble type) and pushing it into the frame where the cable enter and exit. Its light, cost next to nothing and solves the problem.