Squeaking noise from front wheel

[cisamcgu]

Hi all,
Went for a short ride yesterday and noticed that I was getting a squeaking noise (or chirrupping as Mrs cisamcgu calls it) from the front wheel. It happens when going over rough terrain or when I get out of the saddle and lean the bike down to the right while peddaling. If I had suspension I would say it was a spring, but it is a Dawes Horizon (2005) and hasn't been used that much really, so although the wheel is about 8 years old, it hasn't covered anything like 8 years worth of miles. The noise is coming, in my estimation, from the front hub.

Any ideas, anything I can do, or is it a trip to the bike shop and possiblily a new front wheel ?

Thank
Andrew

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I'd be checking the wheel is seated correctly and properly tightened and then attack it with GT85

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Check for trapped wildlife ;-)

 

[Tim Hall]

Check the bearings for play. With bike staionary, grasp the top of the wheel and try to move it side to side, ie across the direction of travel. It shouldn't. If it does, it suggests the wheel bearings are loose. Has it had any maintenance it its 8 year life? Park Tools guide on front wheel bearing tinkering is here.

 

[cisamcgu]

Thanks for that, I'll have a look at the wheel once the rain stops

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I've come across an irritating and hard to trace squeak like this on my own bike and on my brothers - it turned out to be the rubber dust covers on the hubs which had got twisted and were rubbing. Just check this before comitting to spending money.