Pinging noises from front wheel - spokes or hub?

[robjh]

For the last week I've been getting metallic pinging noises from my front wheel, which started quietly but have got worse. I get them only at speed, above about 15mph, especially on downhills, and this has made it impossible to spot a particular point on the rotation that's causing it.

I've checked all the spokes and done some minor truing. Although not all the spokes ping at quite the same note, there is not much difference and no obviously bad one, and the wheel runs true. I can't replicate the sound when off the bike, but I haven't managed to get rid of it. I've tried greasing the spoke crossover points but to no avail there either.

Could I be barking up the wrong tree? The hub is quite old and I know it is pitted inside and running a bit roughly, and due for replacement anyway. So could the noises be caused by the hub rather than the spoke adjustment?

Or anything else I may have missed?

 

[theclaud]

I get mysterious spokey pinging as well, and have never been able to figure out why. It must be a Welsh thing!

 

[robjh]

It must be a Welsh thing!

What, you think I picked it up in Hay on Wye and it's been lying dormant on my front wheel ever since?

 

[theclaud]

What, you think I picked it up in Hay on Wye and it's been lying dormant on my front wheel ever since?

Quite possibly. There are likely to be pingey spoke trolls on the Devil's Staircase too.

 

[Crackle]

Quite possibly. There are likely to be pingey spoke trolls on the Devil's Staircase too.

They don't need to be able to move fast either.

 

[robjh]

Quite possibly. There are likely to be pingey spoke trolls on the Devil's Staircase too.

Yes, I must admit that Welsh Ping Trolls was a third possibility I hadn't considered.

 

[Sharky]

Do you have a spare wheel or one from another bike. Sometimes worth swapping to confirm that the noise is coming from the wheel and not another part of the bike. Often you can miss hear the source.

Good luck
Keith

 

[robjh]

Do you have a spare wheel or one from another bike. Sometimes worth swapping to confirm that the noise is coming from the wheel and not another part of the bike. Often you can miss hear the source.

Good luck
Keith

No unfortunately not. I've done everything short of that. I know it's not the speed sensor as I've taken that off and still get the noise.

 

[theclaud]

No unfortunately not. I've done everything short of that. I know it's not the speed sensor as I've taken that off and still get the noise.

Trolls aside for the moment, is it a regular, once-per-revolution kind of ping, or more like a thousand twangling instruments that hum about thine ears?

 

[robjh]

Trolls aside for the moment, is it a regular, once-per-revolution kind of ping, or more like a thousand twangling instruments that hum about thine ears?

like a very disorganised orchestra pinging away in different keys to their own indecipherable rhythms. It doesn't sound like once per revolution but since it won't do it when I go slowly I can't give a nice clear answer on that.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

My OH's wheels started doing this until I had words with them (using a spoke key)... I think I tightened each one by 1/2 turn, but can't quite remember now. We replaced the wheels shortly afterwards because they were naff wheels and always out of true.

 

[theclaud]

like a very disorganised orchestra pinging away in different keys to their own indecipherable rhythms. It doesn't sound like once per revolution but since it won't do it when I go slowly I can't give a nice clear answer on that.

Well whatever it is, it definitely sounds like the same thing I've got. HTH!

 

[robjh]

Well whatever it is, it definitely sounds like the same thing I've got. HTH!

Your solidarity is a consolation.

 

[Louch]

local to me, they have covered a lot of roads in tiny stones, and I get this sound too. Anything like that on the roads you hear it on?

 

[Crackle]

Something loose in your rim. If you spin the wheel hard can you hear it?