Loose spokes?

[christob]

Hi;
A few questions about spokes... Could loose spokes be a culprit for a recurring rhythmic "squeak/chirp" kind of noise, coming from the rear hub wheel? The repetition of the sound speeds up and slows down as I speed up and slow down, and happens whether pedaling or coasting, and with or without PAS.

And - what constitutes a loose spoke? I ask because I was cleaning my bike and noticed that the front wheel, no spoke had any "sideways wiggle-ability"... but the rear wheel -- some were quite tight like the front (no wiggle) and some had a noticeable amount of wiggle available. So -- is that a "loose spoke"? (ie, that I can wiggle it sideways, gripped between thumb and forefinger?) And is tightening them something I can do easily as a novice to bike maintenance, or should I use my LBS? Thanks!

 

[Nova Haibike]

Hi;
A few questions about spokes... Could loose spokes be a culprit for a recurring rhythmic "squeak/chirp" kind of noise, coming from the rear hub wheel? The repetition of the sound speeds up and slows down as I speed up and slow down, and happens whether pedaling or coasting, and with or without PAS.

I won't say definitely no, but since your bike has disc brakes, I'd be more inclined to think the one of the pads is rubbing against the rotor, because the rotor is slightly out of true.

And - what constitutes a loose spoke? I ask because I was cleaning my bike and noticed that the front wheel, no spoke had any "sideways wiggle-ability"... but the rear wheel -- some were quite tight like the front (no wiggle) and some had a noticeable amount of wiggle available. So -- is that a "loose spoke"? (ie, that I can wiggle it sideways, gripped between thumb and forefinger?) And is tightening them something I can do easily as a novice to bike maintenance, or should I use my LBS? Thanks!

Rear wheels, and wheels with disc brakes are often not symmetrical; one side of the spokes is tighter than the other. On rear wheels it is usually the right side that are under more tension. But there should not be any individually loose spokes. Wheel truing seems to be one of the more difficult repairs for people. I've shown many people what/how to do, but most manage to make it worse. LOL. Not trying to discourage you from trying it yourself, but I would bring it to a shop and have them not only tension the loose spokes, but check the overall tension using a tension meter.

 

[christob]

Thanks @Nova Haibike ...!
The chirping squeak is definitely not the brakes; I've actually remove the calipers entirely and taking it for a controlled test ride, and the squeak is completely unchanged / unaffected with no brakes on the bike. The manufacturer is sending me a new rear wheel next week, but I was speculating that perhaps it might be the spokes contributing…

 

[Nova Haibike]

If there are any kind of rubber seals on the axles (to help shield wheel bearings), they can produce a squeak too. A tiny bit of grease or oil where the seal rubes against the hub will quiet down that kind of squeak. Otherwise, I do not know. I have not seen what your hub motor looks like up-close.

 

[slomoshun]

> Could loose spokes be a culprit for a recurring rhythmic "squeak/chirp" kind of noise

Yes


> And - what constitutes a loose spoke? I ask because I was cleaning my bike and noticed
> that the front wheel, no spoke had any "sideways wiggle-ability"... but the rear wheel --
> some were quite tight like the front (no wiggle) and some had a noticeable amount of wiggle available.

To accomodate the sprocket or cluster, a rear wheel can have some offset which will make the spokes on one side tighter than the other. With either side, the spoke tension should be reasonably uniform. Overly loose ones should be adjusted.

> And is tightening them something I can do easily as a novice to bike maintenance...

A wheel rim is aligned to run true by tweaking the tension of select spokes which will move the rim right or left. Incorrect tensioning can make the wheel rim out of round. You can learn how to build or tweak wheels with some practice. It isn't rocket science but it does seem like the masters practice voodoo. The info you need can be found in bicycle repair books, and at Youtube https://tinyurl.com/y7dorrdk . Get some cheap wheels on Craig's, a set spoke wrenches, and go for it.

 

[christob]

Thanks, @slomoshun; I'm receiving a new rear wheel Wed., so I'll be curious to see if that resolves, and will mention/show the spoke wiggle of the existing wheel, when I take it into the shop...

 

[JoePah]

Thanks, @slomoshun; I'm receiving a new rear wheel Wed., so I'll be curious to see if that resolves, and will mention/show the spoke wiggle of the existing wheel, when I take it into the shop...

Good luck and have fun! IF your dealer is installing the wheel, ask him to show you that the spokes are tightened properly; this will ensure he actually checks the spokes and you will know what normal feels like.. If this is an mail order deal, ride it for a week then take it to a bike shop and have them check it out, if you don't want to inspect and tighten them yourself.

There are plenty of non ebike youtube videos that teach you have to tighten your spoke.

On any new wheel the spokes will loosen initially, and should be checked and retightened.

 

[christob]

Happy update, a bit belatedly -- the new wheel / hub motor V.E.B. sent to me was eventually installed at LBS, and the nagging chirping is gone, gone, gone!

 

[WilliamT]

I've had a similar problem with one of my road bikes. It turned out the rubber cap covering the rear hub (opposite the gears) was causing the squeak when you pedal. I removed, cleaned, and greased it and the problem went away.

From my experience, a loose spoke has a more "tinny" sound as it flexes and rubs against other spokes. By then it's already very loose. I just check my spokes when I clean my wheels.