Creak/rubbing from rear wheel...

[judd5000]

Hi All,

I've got a cyclic rubbing/creaking noise from the rear of my bike. It's been in to LBS for diagnosis...they adjusted spoke tension in the front, but didn't mention about the back... assuming it was checked though. Sound is still there. Happens in and out of saddle, but only when on the bike. Bike has mudguards (genesis equilibrium decade), but clearance looks ok.

Would love any ideas!

Cheers,

Judd

 

[Heigue'r]

Derailleur hanger screws possibly.It could be a number of things but that is one to check for starters.

 

[Cycleops]

Could be the freehub? Remove the wheel and see if you can replicate the sound.

 

[iluvmybike]

If the hub has a rubber cover/seal then they can sometimes squeak as the wheel rotates. A bit of silicon lube around them stops it

 

[silva]

Entire story sounds quite like my case, lasting like half a year with periods come and go, turned out to be a rim crack at the edge inner - side wall. Under a load cycle the rim wall was pushed abit outwards, resulting in cyclic noises due to clearances temporarly lost. And the clearance also dependent on tyre pressure, explaining why the noise started after a flat tyre / repressurizing, to gradually disappear in subsequent weeks/month.
What the precise cause was of that crack is unknown. Fact is that the rims inner wall was also cracked, and over the entire circumference, crossing all spoke holes. Maybe the rim strength was compromized enough to make the outer wall start cracking too.

So it's something to take seriously, I didn't, and only luck (my eye catched it when doing other work) avoided rim failure while riding.

About spoke tensioning to correct it, if rim sidewall basis indeed has a crack that makes the rim wall move outwards under the pressure, then to bring it back to the center it looks like the spokes at the cracked side need tensioning and/or the other side relieved. Which may even put a higher load on the place of the crack.

 

[judd5000]

All good suggestions. I'll give them a go and if I find anything will let you all know 😊

If not will be back to the LBS!

 

[Slick]

I had the exact same thing with my Equilibrium and soon realised that the rear wheel was deflecting under load which I first noticed when laden on a bit of a tour, although the creak soon appeared all the time. I fear your wheel may just of come of age and will need to be replaced.

 

[gbb]

I always trot this one out but only because it happened to me although it has to be very unlikely, check the welds under and around your BB, dropouts etc.
Most unlikely but it will only take seconds to do.

 

[Nigelnightmare]

Maybe the mudguard is flexing OR as "Slick" said the rear wheel!
As you stated it only happens when mudguards are fitted that would be my first port of call.