Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - mysterius rattle from my IRO

I recently got an IRO Mark V, overall it has been a great bike but I think whoever put it together that day was having a bit of a rough day as there have been a few issues, most of which I have been able to fix, one of which I have not, maybe you guys have some suggestions?

There was a loud creaking from the bottom bracket, sure enough, my cranks were loose so I re-tightened that, now it doesn't want to stay tight, and even if it does there is still a creak in a specific point in my rotation and its only from the side that keeps coming loose so I think it is related.

Now there is a rattle, it's really odd, at first I thought it might just need cleaning, so I took my whole drive train apart and cleaned the chain, cog, chanring but there is still this noise from down there, sounds almost like a creak but its deffinetly some kind of rattle, like something is loose somewhere, it only happens when I am at cruising speed and there is some kind of vibration (going over bumps/rough road) I can't re-create it by shaking the bike, I went to check my chainring and chainring bolts and it looks like 3 of them are stripped (someone was having a bad day when they put together my bike) but they are all snug and its not the chainring thats loose, the rattle doesn't happen in any specific point in the rotation of the pedals and the bearings in the BB feel smooth.

any thoughts? I am thinking it may be something inside the BB so I am guessing I lack the tools to take that apart which means its back to the shop for my BRAND NEW BIKE... arg.

Overall though, besides the component issues, the bike seems nice, just alot of little things, frustrating since IRO's are supposed to be "tanks" I know once I get this all dialed in it should be ok though.

if someone got grease on the BB axl (axel? axle? i cant spell) while building it.. itll creek regardless.. if you take the cranks off.. and degrease with lemon or lime juice.. something citris.. and cleann the inside of the cranks.. then tighten them back down.. it should go away.. since they are new theres not enough wear to creak on their own usually..

who put it together? if stuff is stripped and messed up from the initial assembly you should take it to them and give them a solid smack. have you taken out the seatpost to see if there is something loose inside? a sweet passive aggressive mechanic trick is to put a loose bearing in a seat tube to irriate the rider. hahaha

is it a cartridge bottom bracket? perhaps remove the bb, clean out the shell, regrease the threads, and re-install it. the tool to remove a cartridge bb is not expensive.

some of these guys who work at a bike shop are dazed from drugs/alchohol, its more sensable to destroy it yourself. hehe :)

out of curiosity, do you hear the noises when seated, standing, or both?

It sounds to me like this is a new bike. If it is then I say take it back to where you got it and or contact Tony at IRO. Form everything I have heard Tony is a stand up guy and if there is a problem with his product he will make it right given the chance.

out of curiosity, do you hear the noises when seated, standing, or both?

Both actually, I have tried several different positions, and it seems the only thing that re-creates it is going over rough surfaces at cruising speed, has nothing to do with my position, climbing, sprinting, cruising, doesn't matter which leads me to believe there is something loose internally inside the BB or BB shell...

I will send an email to Tony over at IRO and see what he thinks

good luck with it, I'm sure it will be straightened out one way or 'tother

On my Fuji I have a similar metallic "ticking" sound that appears to come from somewhere down below and usually at the same point during the pedalstroke...it only happens when seated though. Dunno if its the BB, cranks, seatpost, etc.

I recently got an IRO Mark V, overall it has been a great bike but I think whoever put it together that day was having a bit of a rough day as there have been a few issues, most of which I have been able to fix, one of which I have not, maybe you guys have some suggestions?

There was a loud creaking from the bottom bracket, sure enough, my cranks were loose so I re-tightened that, now it doesn't want to stay tight, and even if it does there is still a creak in a specific point in my rotation and its only from the side that keeps coming loose so I think it is related.

Now there is a rattle, it's really odd, at first I thought it might just need cleaning, so I took my whole drive train apart and cleaned the chain, cog, chanring but there is still this noise from down there, sounds almost like a creak but its deffinetly some kind of rattle, like something is loose somewhere, it only happens when I am at cruising speed and there is some kind of vibration (going over bumps/rough road) I can't re-create it by shaking the bike, I went to check my chainring and chainring bolts and it looks like 3 of them are stripped (someone was having a bad day when they put together my bike) but they are all snug and its not the chainring thats loose, the rattle doesn't happen in any specific point in the rotation of the pedals and the bearings in the BB feel smooth.

any thoughts? I am thinking it may be something inside the BB so I am guessing I lack the tools to take that apart which means its back to the shop for my BRAND NEW BIKE... arg.

Overall though, besides the component issues, the bike seems nice, just alot of little things, frustrating since IRO's are supposed to be "tanks" I know once I get this all dialed in it should be ok though.


Looks like it's time to get a new bike.

good luck with it, I'm sure it will be straightened out one way or 'tother

On my Fuji I have a similar metallic "ticking" sound that appears to come from somewhere down below and usually at the same point during the pedalstroke...it only happens when seated though. Dunno if its the BB, cranks, seatpost, etc.

my bet is seatpost or saddle rails.

I finally got my fixie silent after 4 months of weird creaks and rattles.
- greasing the handlebar clamp bolt got rid of the creaking bars on climbs
- adjusting the chainline quieted the drivetrain noise.
- new pedals killed the tick tick tick in my dead SPDs
- WD40 on the seat rails got rid creaking and pinging from that area.

and now... silence......

Nobody has mentioned what seems to be the most obvious source for the noise (at least to me)- the headset- seems like this is easier to miss on a fix because you aren't using the front brake much, if at all.
Also- that crank is probably toast- if it came loose more than once, the taper is screwed.
Moral of the story- build it yourself and you'll be happier. And oh yeah- IRO's rule. Love my Jamie Roy.