spokewrench
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I’ve had my Aventon Abound nearly 2 years. Sometimes there was a creak that seemed to come from the hinge of the fold-down steering stem. Lubing didn’t fix it permanently.
Recently it got worse. I couldn’t tell if it was coming from the steering head, the boxy down tube, the battery in the tube, the bottom bracket, a battery bracket, or the wiring behind the brackets. It would happen when I put flexing force on the down tube. I couldn’t find evidence of metal fatigue, but I was afraid it would be very unpleasant if the tube snapped while I was riding. It got so bad that sometimes there was a rattling sound as I coasted straight.
I zip tied and taped the wiring behind the upper bracket (with the lock), and at the controller, behind the lower bracket. There was no noise if I rode without the battery. I wet sanded possible rubbing surfaces and applied silicone spray. Then I tried silicone grease.
By now, it would creak with the bike parked if I put pressure on a handlebar that would put torsion on the down tube. I took the steering head apart to be sure everything looked right, and I greased rubbing surfaces. With a stethoscope, I couldn’t hear much at different spots on the frame until I pressed the head against the plastic battery face plate. I guess the whole plate was generating sound, and that’s why I hadn’t been able to hear the source.
If I put the battery in without the plastic plate, I could ride with no noise. With a slip of paper, I found that the butt end of the plate hit the frame. The springs in the top bracket must have pressed the battery hard enough that lubrication didn’t prevent creaking.
A piece of duck tape 0.23mm thick on the butt of the battery acted as a shim against the connector bracket, moving the battery and plate forward enough to stop the creaking. Concerned for my reputation, I replaced the tawdry duck tape with two layers of professional masking tape, which together are also 0.23mm thick. I still can’t slide a slip of paper 0.18mm thick between the back end of the plastic plate and the frame, but I can ride in silence. If there’s further trouble, I can add a layer of professional masking tape.
Maybe some other Aventon owners have heard the mysterious creaking. Maybe it can happen with other brands designed with close tolerances between battery covers and frames.
Recently it got worse. I couldn’t tell if it was coming from the steering head, the boxy down tube, the battery in the tube, the bottom bracket, a battery bracket, or the wiring behind the brackets. It would happen when I put flexing force on the down tube. I couldn’t find evidence of metal fatigue, but I was afraid it would be very unpleasant if the tube snapped while I was riding. It got so bad that sometimes there was a rattling sound as I coasted straight.
I zip tied and taped the wiring behind the upper bracket (with the lock), and at the controller, behind the lower bracket. There was no noise if I rode without the battery. I wet sanded possible rubbing surfaces and applied silicone spray. Then I tried silicone grease.
By now, it would creak with the bike parked if I put pressure on a handlebar that would put torsion on the down tube. I took the steering head apart to be sure everything looked right, and I greased rubbing surfaces. With a stethoscope, I couldn’t hear much at different spots on the frame until I pressed the head against the plastic battery face plate. I guess the whole plate was generating sound, and that’s why I hadn’t been able to hear the source.
If I put the battery in without the plastic plate, I could ride with no noise. With a slip of paper, I found that the butt end of the plate hit the frame. The springs in the top bracket must have pressed the battery hard enough that lubrication didn’t prevent creaking.
A piece of duck tape 0.23mm thick on the butt of the battery acted as a shim against the connector bracket, moving the battery and plate forward enough to stop the creaking. Concerned for my reputation, I replaced the tawdry duck tape with two layers of professional masking tape, which together are also 0.23mm thick. I still can’t slide a slip of paper 0.18mm thick between the back end of the plastic plate and the frame, but I can ride in silence. If there’s further trouble, I can add a layer of professional masking tape.
Maybe some other Aventon owners have heard the mysterious creaking. Maybe it can happen with other brands designed with close tolerances between battery covers and frames.
