New Wheel Rattles

[autolycus]

I've bought a new UST wheelset as the grooves in my old rear (Alex) rim had got so deep as to cause my brakes to lock on. However, having fitted the new front wheel (c/w old inner and tyre) i find that a sharp tap on the side of the rim (or dropping the front of the bike a few inches to the ground) causes a vibration that sounds a bit like a snare drum (audio file attached)!
I temporarily replaced the old front wheel (minus inner and tyre) and that makes no such noise, so i presume it is the new wheel and not something transmitted through the forks.
Could anyone please throw some light?
Thanks.

 

[ianrauk]

Sounds like loose spokes

 

[si_c]

Sounds like loose spokes

That's my first thought.

 

[PapaZita]

It could be spokes, but I’d be surprised if the spokes in a new wheel were that loose.

I’ve had a very similar noise from the rim joint area, where even on a welded rim there’s usually some sort of internal sleeve or pins in there that could be rattling. Try tapping around the rim, e.g. at the valve, at the joint, damping different parts with your hand, to see if you can narrow it down. If that’s it, it’s probably harmless, but annoying. I once tried running some thin glue, maybe shellac, into the area to hold things still. It must have worked, because I can no longer remember which wheel it was.

Another possibility is debris inside the rim, like metal chips from when the spoke holes were drilled. It can be surprisingly difficult to persuade them to move around to the valve hole and drop out.

 

[Big John]

It could be spokes, but I’d be surprised if the spokes in a new wheel were that loose.

I’ve had a very similar noise from the rim joint area, where even on a welded rim there’s usually some sort of internal sleeve or pins in there that could be rattling. Try tapping around the rim, e.g. at the valve, at the joint, damping different parts with your hand, to see if you can narrow it down. If that’s it, it’s probably harmless, but annoying. I once tried running some thin glue, maybe shellac, into the area to hold things still. It must have worked, because I can no longer remember which wheel it was.

Another possibility is debris inside the rim, like metal chips from when the spoke holes were drilled. It can be surprisingly difficult to persuade them to move around to the valve hole and drop out.

^^^ The last paragraph. That's worth checking. I'm pretty sure if it were loose spokes they'd have to be so loose you'd spot it a mile off for it to make that noise. I accidentally dropped a spoke nipple in a rim while I was building a wheel and couldn't get the bugger out. I carried on putting the wheel together until I'd finished, forgot about the spoke nipple floating round and put the tape, tyre and tube on. I soon realised what I'd done when I tried the wheel and heard the rattle. Had to remove it - it was driving me mad. Took an absolute age.

 

[chris-suffolk]

It could be spokes, but I’d be surprised if the spokes in a new wheel were that loose.

I’ve had a very similar noise from the rim joint area, where even on a welded rim there’s usually some sort of internal sleeve or pins in there that could be rattling. Try tapping around the rim, e.g. at the valve, at the joint, damping different parts with your hand, to see if you can narrow it down. If that’s it, it’s probably harmless, but annoying. I once tried running some thin glue, maybe shellac, into the area to hold things still. It must have worked, because I can no longer remember which wheel it was.

Another possibility is debris inside the rim, like metal chips from when the spoke holes were drilled. It can be surprisingly difficult to persuade them to move around to the valve hole and drop out.

Had the same issue with Mavic Open Pro rim, bit of shard from the weld (common issue apparently). Once identified, and I knew exactly where it was, drilled a tiny hole between the spokes under the rim tape and dripped some epoxy in. Rattle gone!

 

[autolycus]

Thanks for the replies. I don't think any of the spokes are loose, neither can i isolate where the noise is coming from. Holding the rim at different points does seem to have an effect but nothing systematic id obvious to me.

As the wheel is brand new, perhaps i should email Mavic and see what they reckon. I bought Mavic partly because i've found them very helpful in the past.

Edit: Holding the new rear wheel firmly by the freehub and tapping the rim gives exactly the same result as the front wheel - if not louder!

 

[Chislenko]

Had the same thing recently, check back a few posts for my video.(Also a Mavic rim)

Took the rim tape off, gave it a good shaking (double skinned wheel) and whatever was in there came out and noise has gone.

 

[autolycus]

Thanks. That sounds like a plan, but i'm reluctant to take the rim tape off (partly because i've never done it and partly because the wheels are brand new) until i've heard back from Mavic (or Wiggle). I've checked your posts back to June, but i can't find the video - any chance of a link?
Was your wheel new, or did something somehow get in there? Where did it come out, the valve hole?

 

[alicat]

If you've never taken rim tape off, it sounds like a good time to learn....

 

[Chislenko]

Thanks. That sounds like a plan, but i'm reluctant to take the rim tape off (partly because i've never done it and partly because the wheels are brand new) until i've heard back from Mavic (or Wiggle). I've checked your posts back to June, but i can't find the video - any chance of a link?
Was your wheel new, or did something somehow get in there? Where did it come out, the valve hole?

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/front-wheel-noise.286180/

Rim tape is easy to get on and off (providing it isn't Bontrega Tubeless Solid Stuff!!)

Whatever offending article it was came out I would imagine through the valve hole yes, I never saw it, didn't find anything on the garage floor so lord knows what it was!

 

[autolycus]

I've heard back from Mavic, who put forward similar suggestions to those here and suggested it would be better to deal with Wiggle, who want me to take the wheel(s) to a LBS for diagnosis. The fact that it is both wheels suggests to me that it's a bit unlikely to be a bit of rogue debris that's found it's way in. And it really doesn't sound that way to me, particularly from the sound of the rear wheel. It seems rather more 'systemic'. I've attached the rear wheel noise meanwhile in case it rings any bells - so to speak!

 

[autolycus]

Wiggle want me to return the set for inspection. I had taken the rear wheel to my LBS where the wheel builder took a look at it. He could not really help but confirmed it was 'faulty'.

When i took off the front wheel (for return), it became clear that the buzzing noise was coming from a loose valve nut - so in fact there is nothing actually wrong with the front wheel!

But the problem with the unfitted rear wheel remained, so i took another look at that. I found that if i slid a thin piece of packing material between where the bladed spokes cross each other, the buzzing noise disappeared ( picture attached). Is it worth the palaver of sending the set back or is there an easy fix? Maybe it's 'normal'? I don't want to get landed with all the inconvenience and expense if Wiggle decide it is.

 

[Chislenko]

A common remedy is a drop of oil at the crossover points of the spokes.

 

[autolycus]

Yep - that worked. Thanks. I'm not sure how permanent a solution, but frankly i'm not sure it's a problem anyway on the rear wheel. The noise really is only evident when you tap the side of the rim and that's not likely to happen in normal use. Unless anyone here advises otherwise, i shall accept the wheelset as fault-free.

I'm surprised it flummoxed the combined experience of the LBS, Wiggle and Mavic; with the millions of bladed spoke Mavic wheels sold i would have thought this query would have been raised and diagnosed before.