Steelman54 

OK, on my new build everything is new except the frameset (see my Waterford thread), so after about 150 miles the clicking starts. Clicking frequency increased as my speed increased.

Short story after rechecking everything on the bike, switching wheels from this bike to another, retruing (I built the wheels), I have finally found the front wheel is the cause of the loud clicking.

It sounds like spokes ticking that are too loose, but this is pretty loud. I have tightened and retrued the wheel, yet the clicking persists. The spokes are really tight now, don't think they should be much if any tighter. I put the wheel on another bike and it is fine, dead quiet! Back on the new build and she clicks away. I have ruled out the quick release by putting another one in place. Nothing rubbing.

There is no obvious spoke fretting at the crossing when looking with a bit of magnification. Like I stated only ~150 miles on the setup (H Plus Son TB14, Bitex hub, Sapim DB spokes). Bearings are smooth when turning by hand.

I'm thinking at this point maybe the best approach is to loosen the wheel up a bit, put a drop of oil at each rim hole and at the hub holes (try not to make an oily mess), retighten/true. Yes, i did put oil on the rim ferrule when I built the wheel a few months back.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks,

Mike

dsbrantjr

Did you put the other bike's wheel on your new build to confirm the clicking is not still there? Being quiet on the other bike may mean the clicking was left behind on the new one.
You might also try greasing the mating surfaces of both front and rear wheels, dropouts and QRs.
Maybe also put bits of tape or card stock between the spokes where they cross.

Steelman54 

Yes, i put the new wheels on the other bike and the other bikes wheels on the new bike. I put both wheels from other bike on new bike, then switched them one at a time to isolate the noise to the front wheel. It is weird to me that the noisy wheel is dead quiet on the other bike. I'm guessing maybe slight differences in geometry or my position on it affect it.

jideta

If you are sure it's the wheel, I would check the drop outs on the new build. Maybe the wheel is sitting a bit cocked and that's causing the click(fork could be a bit uneven). Put some triflow or something on the spoke nipples and crosses etc. to see if that helps.

dsaul

If the wheel doesn't click on another bike, its not the wheel. Do you have a magnet for a speedometer on this wheel? The click increasing with speed makes it seem like something on the wheel is hitting something on the fork with every revolution.

seedsbelize 

Yes, it appears there is interference between the rim/tire and something. Do you have a flickstand, by chance? Rim/brake ticking? Brake cable end?

Steelman54 

Jideta, I had the fork checked at a shop as I thought it was out of alignment, its pretty much spot on.

dsaul, no magnet on bike/wheel as I don't have a speedo on it. It is not a 1 per revolution, but multiple clicks per revolution

seedsbelize, I've checked for cable rubbing or slapping, etc, but have not found it, will check again.

Thanks for the input.

One thing i did not do was reverse the wheel and see if clicking changes or goes away.

Mike

jideta

I had a creaky wheel once and I'm trying to remember how I fixed it. I think I just had to tighten the skewer a bit more. It was one of those weird things...

Steelman54 

yeah, this is weird. I'm convinced its the wheel after basically disassembling most of this bike and switching wheels around. I thought it was the skewer for a bit but can make it go away with a different skewer. Gonna put some oil on nipples, etc and see what happens.

ridelikeaturtle

Since we're throwing stuff on the wall to see what sticks... did you try changing tyres?

Steelman54 

I have not changed tires yet, mostly because i used my 2 new spares on this build. I do need to order some spares, so that is an option.

Note, typo in my previous post, the clicking does not go away by changing skewers.

Last evening i loosened up all 32 spokes a put a drop of oil on each nipple and hole in the rim, also on the crossing points. Got it mostly trued back up, need to finish and test in the next day or so.

Thanks again.

Mike

2manybikes

Is the thickness of the drop outs different on the two bikes? If there is not enough thickness on the drop outs, it may cause the axle to touch the quick release, preventing the proper clamping of the dropout. But, on another bike with thicker dropouts it would clamp properly.

Steelman54 

2manybikes, very interesting point that I will check; however, on both bikes the dropouts are forged, one is Campagnolo and the other is Henry James. I will measure the thickness and also check axle protrusion (if thats the correct term).

Thanks.

Mike

2manybikes

That's perfect (axle protrusion).

Kimmo 

Tyre tits. They'll mess up your paint if you let them go...

Steelman54 

Can't stop laughing, none on the Conti's i've been running!

Steelman54 

OK, finally got a block of time to deal with this. Basically, I backed off all the nipples till pretty loose and put a drop of oil on the spoke at the nipple so it could lube both threads and nipple seat (even though i used a q-tip and put oil on the ferrules when i built the wheels. Also, put a bit of oil at the crossing and the hub and then killed time wiping the excess away. Ran thru the truing process on my stand and voila, no more clicking/ratcheting! Of course, it was like this when i built the wheels ~150 or so miles back. So, I'll get some miles on them and see how it goes, at least i know 100% it is the front wheel.

2manybikes, thanks for the tip, but no issue with hub protruding beyond the drop out.

Anyway, hoping i'm good to go as i have other things i need to move on to.

Thanks for all the help,

Mike

operator

Make sure you use a ******g tensionmeter to tighten your spokes.

Cringed real hard from reading your first post. You don't "tighten spokes until they feel really tight".

Steelman54 

Yeah, I have one, its good for a check, not the be all to end all. I originally tensioned the wheel and used it to double check where I was and compared to existing wheels I have. My statement originally was meant to convey that i did not think the spokes should be made any tighter based on feel and double checking with tensionometer. Either way, all is quiet now, we'll see how it goes.

seedsbelize 

Suerte
And thanks for the reminders. I'm in the procrastinating stage of measuring and ordering spokes, and might very well have forgotten to oil the threads at install.

Steelman54 

Well, the wheel started doing its clicking/ratcheting noise after about 35 miles of riding. This time it seems to be a 1 or maybe 2 clicks per revolution as i pulled into a parking lot and listened/watched to see if the clicking occurred at same point in wheel revolution relative to say the valve.

I also think I was able to more or less replicate the noise by squeezing spokes so that they rubbed at the crossing. I double checked my build and crossing before, but will do it again, maybe i got 1 spoke under that should be over or something.

I'm beginning to think this wheel is cursed.....

seedsbelize 

Have you taken a gander at the inside of the hub?

Steelman54 

Seedsbelize, yes i've looked at hub, it is new with 200 miles or less on it, sealed cartridge bearings, spins smooth as silk. Also, looked for cracks and found none.

2manybikes

Are they single wall rims?

2manybikes

Is it a Presta valve in a Schrader rim hole ?