Disc brakes on new leisure bike sounds like toilet flushing

[Spatzi]

Brand new bike. Tektro disc brakes. One ride yesterday. Today, noise from back brake started. Even at walking speed on pas 1, it sounds like a toilet flushing whenever brakes are applied. Like water gurgling through the frame of the bike. People across the street turn to look. I don’t even need a bell anymore. Rize support told me (guessing) this is normal. I do not agree. Front brake makes no noise. I also have rx pro, also brand new, also tektro disc brakes, and it makes zero noise when brakes are applied. (rize has now heard the file and admits they don’t know what the sound is)

 

[FlatSix911]

Clean the rotors with alcohol and then re-bed the pads.

 

[Spatzi]

the sound of water is from what? how does cleaning the rotor eliminate noise? I don’t know how to rebed pads. I can’t even find a single video where someone explains or demonstrates this noise.

 

[harryS]

On any new bikes, it's likely a simple adjustment issue.

 

[Spatzi]

On any new bikes, it's likely a simple adjustment issue.

I just had brake pad alignment done at a shop. It has nothing to do with the sound of water through pipes.

 

[harryS]

Well then, maybe you really have water in the down tubes, or the shop did a crap job.

My wife's bike would give a loud squonk on braking, but those were rim brakes. I put on kool stop pads this week and noted one of her old pads was half gone after 800 miles,

 

[Spatzi]

Well then, maybe you really have water in the down tubes, or the shop did a crap job.

My wife's bike would give a loud squonk on braking, but those were rim brakes. I put on kool stop pads this week and noted one of her old pads was half gone after 800 miles,

noise was there even before getting pads aligned.

 

[GenXrider]

It sounds more like a bird chirping, more of a squeaking sound. It doesn't sound anything like a toilet.

 

[Spatzi]

It sounds more like a bird chirping, more of a squeaking sound. It doesn't sound anything like a toilet.

a bird chirping? Squeaking? Lol. No, it sounds like water running through pipes. I know what squeaking sounds like on these brakes. The amazing thing is no one recognizes the sound, or the cause of the sound, including the company.

 

[J.R.]

noise was there even before getting pads aligned.

Then it was a really crap job if they didn't test ride and notice the problem.

All new disc brake need to be bed in.

 

[Spatzi]

Then it was a really crap job if they didn't test ride and notice the problem.

All new disc brake need to be bed in.

They never test ride bikes. They arrive from China boxed, then Shipped to customer. And even if they did test drive, the problem never happened until after a 20 km ride. No company tests bikes that far. Also, if all bikes need to be bedded, then my other bike with disc brakes would have the same noise problem, and it is silent. This is not a minor noise - this can be heard from across the street and basically sounds like you are riding a series of pipes with water sloshing around in them. This video also does not explain or highlight this particular noise problem, only mentions ‘squeaking‘, which is definitely not the problem I’m having. I’m waiting for someone to say “I recognize that sound. This is what it is and this is how you fix it.”

 

[J.R.]

just had brake pad alignment done at a shop

They never test ride bikes. They arrive from China boxed, then Shipped to customer. And even if they did test drive, the problem never happened until after a 20 km ride. No company tests bikes that far.

I thought you had the pads adjusted at a shop?

 

[Spatzi]

I thought you had the pads adjusted at a shop?

Yes, but the water sloshing noise started before it was even taken to the shop. It was noiseless for 20km, then got really bad.

 

[FlatSix911]

Well then, maybe you really have water in the down tubes, or the shop did a crap job.

My wife's bike would give a loud squonk on braking, but those were rim brakes. I put on kool stop pads this week and noted one of her old pads was half gone after 800 miles,

This could be the answer... the problem may not be the caliper or pads. Perhaps you have water inside the frame that sloshes forward when you brake...

 

[Spatzi]

This could be the answer... the problem may not be the caliper or pads. Perhaps you have water inside the frame that sloshes forward when you brake...

But why only on back brake? Front brake stops from good speed are silent. if there was water in there I would hear it from mile one, not starting after 20 KM in.

 

[Handlebars]

If it was water, yeah, why wouldn't the front brake produce the sound too? It sounded like water but also like microphone feedback or something weird!

 

[jaizon]

I did have this problem once on a Rize bike. We tried everything but finally after a month I had to return the bike. Who could ride with that awful sound. You may have the same problem or even the very same bike I returned! No use in beating your head against the wall any more. You won't solve the problem. Just return the bike immediately and move on.

 

[GenXrider]

a bird chirping? Squeaking? Lol. No, it sounds like water running through pipes. I know what squeaking sounds like on these brakes. The amazing thing is no one recognizes the sound, or the cause of the sound, including the company.

No, absolutely not. I've heard plenty of water/pipe sounds, and that sounds nothing like it. The closest I can get to that would be the squeaking sound of turning the handle of a squeaky faucet. This is similar to your recording. I've never heard that sound from any brakes in my life.

Here's an example:

 

[J.R.]

If it's the brakes actually making whatever kind of noise and the rotors and calipers are installed properly, you can try cleaning the rotors and pads, then bed them in.

This video has kind of a gurgling before the tic... tic. Whatever the noise, make sure are the brakes are installed properly, are not contaminated and pads are bedded in.

 

[Spatzi]

here is a better video sample.