Originally Posted by
Call Me Al
... I have never looked at the frame hinge, until it developed a ticking, clicking noise. It took a while to isolate it, but its definitely coming from the hinge area, even in free wheel. I posted below about tightening it, but without risking going too tight, it hasn't helped much.
The hinge of an aluminum fold-in-half frame has a bit of play in it, does it? Looks can be deceiving... things aren't always as rosy as they seem... use earplugs until the hinge wears to the point that you feel the frame shifting and it becomes annoying. Then look for another bike. Sorry but I'm not a fan of fold-in-half aluminum frames since there isn't an easy or cost-effective (if you don't have machining skillz) fix for them when they wear out.
-Harbinger of Bad News
Originally Posted by
Call Me Al
If I put the frame together but don't clamp, there is up and down movement. Clamping does make the frame feel completely solid in all directions and it always has done.
Unless you can generate, with your arms, the torque that the weight of your body and the force of your legs on the crank in opposition to your arms on the 'bars can generate on the hinge, you never really can "bench test" for frame issues.