Once a revolution wheel creak

[srw]

Any suggestions as to where to look? It only manifests when we're on the bike, not when spinning the wheel unloaded. We're talking 40-spoke tandem wheels which are running absolutely true, so I'm not sure where to start.

The all-knowing Sheldon Brown suggests tensioning each pair of spokes in turn to try and recreate the sound, but that gets me absolutely nowhere.

The only clue I've got is that it seems to occur when the computer magnet passes the sensor - but it's certainly not touching. Is there a chance that the spoke carrying the magnet could be misbehaving?

 

[WindyRob]

take the magnet off and see if it still happens

 

[Pauluk]

Can you load the bike and then look closely at the magnet/sensor clearance, or have you already satisfied yourself that this clearance is ok when fully loaded.

 

[Pauluk]

why didn't I think of that WindyRob But hang on, I can't take my Bantrger magnet off, its a one time fit

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

This may or may not help but my brothers bike had a similar problem a couple of months ago. On that it turned out to be the seal for the front wheel bearing had got misaligned and pinched between the hub and the axle.

It did the same thing: caused a creak when ridden but was silent when the wheel was lifted and spun.

 

[ColinJ]

Can you load the bike and then look closely at the magnet/sensor clearance, or have you already satisfied yourself that this clearance is ok when fully loaded.

Good point!

A couple of times, I adjusted my Crud Roadracer front mudguard not to rub but when I got on the bike - it did! Obviously, the steel forks must have bent enough to make the difference.

 

[srw]

take the magnet off and see if it still happens

It did. It didn't happen with only me on the bike either - it needed both of us.

This may or may not help but my brothers bike had a similar problem a couple of months ago. On that it turned out to be the seal for the front wheel bearing had got misaligned and pinched between the hub and the axle.

It did the same thing: caused a creak when ridden but was silent when the wheel was lifted and spun.

Based on this, a half-remembered article from years ago, the realisation that it started after the front wheel had been out and a bit of lateral thinking I traced it to an over-tightened quick-release. After slackening the QR off so that it holds firmly rather than like a vice the squeak has gone.

 

[betty swollocks]

Possibly just two spokes rubbing against each other, where they cross, because one or both is/are loose? Try putting the tiniest dab of oil where all spokes cross, or find offending spoke(s) and tighten.