Motolegs

Recently got a bike in a box. Got it all put together and most of the gremlins sorted out (really an amateur, so some things I had to do twice) have noticed a faint pinging that I believe is coming from the spokes while under load, esp climbing. I didn't do anything but install the wheels out of the box. Is it time for a trip to the lbs? I have a tool set with adjustment tools, but don't want to monkey with stuff like that without knowing what I'm doing.

DiabloScott

Keep riding until they stop pinging, then see if the wheel is still true. If not, time for the trip.

Pinging means they're unwinding a little bit... probably built in a hurry, or by a machine.

maddog34

+1... the nipples bind up a bit during wheel building.... when you ride a fresh wheel, the stress unloads that built up tension... i bet it's already stopped pinging, hasn't it?
check for unusually loose spokes and/or out-of-true rims... look ok? you're fine....

a good wheel builder relieves that stress before the wheel gets ridden... no time for such silliness at big factories...

prathmann

If they continue to ping it's usually an indication that the spokes are too loose and the ones at the bottom of the wheel are losing their tension. This can eventually lead to fatigue failure of the spokes so it would be a good idea to take it to a shop and have them tighten the spokes.

rumrunn6

cpl years ago I read somewhere here that for new bikes have a tech check the spokes & wheels, then again after the 1st 100 miles

last time I heard mine pinging, not long after, spokes broke, got tangled up & wheel warped. needed daughter to rescue me w a car :/

Bill Kapaun

On the wheels I've built, any pinging was gone in 2-3 revolutions.
If you have continually pinging, the spokes probably need to be properly tensioned.
You can also try a drop of oil on the spoke crosses to see if they are the problem.

cyccommute 

The "pinging" (more a loud creaking in my opinion) from releasing windup should go away within the first 100 yards of riding. If there is a noticeable and continuous pinging coming from the wheels, that says to me that the spokes aren't properly tensioned.

Since this is a new bike, I would suspect machine built wheels that need to be tensioned before riding. You should get it done checked soon, Motolegs, before those spokes start to break.

Iride01 

In addition to all the advice above, you might consider making sure there are not any really loose spokes.

You don't need any thing but your fingers. Just pinch one between your thumb and finger and try to wiggle each. If some wiggle significantly more than the others, then you might need to go to the LBS sooner.

Some might say plink the spokes with your fingernail and listen to the sound. This is generally excellent way to see if they are all tensioned the same. But an off sounding spoke might not be bad enough to warrant the trip to the LBS at this point. IMO.

I'm not a wheel expert so I'll defer to any wheel builders that take me to task on that.

zacster

It is unlikely that a bike in a box has properly tensioned wheels, so I'd definitely check that. I would offer to check them out for you but alas you are waaaaay too far away, unless you want to take a trip to Brooklyn. I would take them to a shop if you can't do it yourself.

Motolegs

A couple more variables I should have mentioned. This is a performance oriented bike with aero (bladed?) spokes, 20 on the front, 24 on the rear. They only cross on the drive side rear. I weigh 183 lbs. I'm not a powerful rider but do like to stand and stomp up hills now and then. Hills are where the pinging generally manifests itself. It has continued for upwards of about 40 miles since new. It's a soft,musical pinging, not sharp like a creak..(had a genuine creak coming from the seat post that I cured with assembly paste and a torque wrench)

Wiggled the spokes and none really seem much looser than the others. Plucking them reveals differing tones.

Will try a drop of oil where the spokes cross tomorrow and test ride. I'll also double check the QR's. If it persists I won't take it on a planned 35 mile group ride Sunday, but instead take it to the LBS.

cyccommute 

It definitely sounds like loose spokes. I've experienced this before on a spoke that unwound near Biggs, OR while on tour. The "ping" is probably the spoke head moving in the hub as you tension/detension the spoke as you weight the rim during riding. Your weight deforms the rim a little which allows the spoke to move up and when that section of rim is unweighted, the spoke tightens again and slams into the hub flange.

With low spoke count wheels, this is harder on the spokes than with higher spoke count wheels because the spoke is carrying much more load.

Motolegs

I think you are right. Took the bike out today after oiling spokes where they cross each other and the pinging is still there. Will take it to LBS. Thanks to all who replied.

zacster

at your weight, even lower than mine, you are stressing those wheels a bit. And if the spokes are not tight, definitely stressing them. Aero spokes tend to stretch and flex a more than round ones too. Under magnification, curly hair is flat while straight hair is round. The same goes for spokes. Flat spokes bend and round ones don't.

Motolegs

Interesting, insightful post. This is my first lightweight, racy bicycle. There has been a learning curve. Spokes are something that I never gave much thought to up until now. Looking over my other road bikes they all have higher count, round spokes.

Motolegs

Update: after dropping wheel off @ LBS got a call later on that they had finished working on it. The spokes were not under enough tension.

ctpres

Rear wheel spokes make noise at crossover points on modest effort. Thanks to posts here I proved source with oil drops at each X. I have no desire to try DIY. Any recommendations on where to get it done? Near Hwy 6 and Westpark Toll Rd would be nice but can go just about anywhere.