Seeking Silence

[Geoff Pearson]

My Specialized A1 Comp has been creaking and clicking recently. I eventually found the most noise
came from the seat post, which has now been rendered silent with grease. I thought the head set was
done too until I found it was the brake cables creaking. Silence is imminent.

Now I have one noise - a feeling really rather than actual sound - left. I can feel something
rubbing once per chain revolution when using the smallest cogs on my 8-gear Shimano cassette. It
goes when I get onto the flat metal ones - bigger. I presume that either I have a tight link in the
chain - made evident by going round the tight radii of the smallest gears or something is rubbing
when the chain is pushed over that way. I can't reproduce when stationary with the bike on a stand.

I wondered whether I have put back the idler biscuit wheels the right way - one has a deliberately
loose bearing, the other is tight - which way round should they go - loose close to the cogs, tight
at the end of the rear mech?

Otherwise I think I will swap the chain.

 

[Pete Biggs]

Geoff Pearson wrote:
> Now I have one noise - a feeling really rather than actual sound - left. I can feel something
> rubbing once per chain revolution when using the smallest cogs on my 8-gear Shimano cassette. It
> goes when I get onto the flat metal ones - bigger. I presume that either I have a tight link in
> the chain - made evident by going round the tight radii of the smallest gears or something is
> rubbing when the chain is pushed over that way. I can't reproduce when stationary with the bike on
> a stand.

I would manually test each chain link by swivelling with fingers and check no plate or pin is
sticking out more than normal. If noise really is exactly once per chain rev (and not wheel or crank
rev) then you'll probably find something wrong like this.

Stiff links can be corrected by using the "spreader" position of a chain tool, or if Shimano,
possibly by replacing pin with one of the special ones.

> I wondered whether I have put back the idler biscuit wheels

Biscuit wheels! That's a new one on me

> the right way - one has a deliberately loose bearing, the other is tight - which way round should
> they go - loose close to the cogs, tight at the end of the rear mech?

Upper biscuit (nearest the cogs) has the floating ("loose") bushing.

~PB

 

[Geoff Pearson]

"Geoff Pearson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Geoff Pearson wrote:
> > > Now I have one noise - a feeling really rather than actual sound - left. I can feel something
> > > rubbing once per chain revolution when using the smallest cogs on my 8-gear Shimano cassette.
> > > It goes when I get onto the flat metal ones - bigger. I presume that either I have a tight
> > > link in the chain - made evident by going round the tight radii of the smallest gears or
> > > something is rubbing when the chain is pushed over that way. I can't reproduce when stationary
> > > with the bike on a stand.
> >
> > I would manually test each chain link by swivelling with fingers and
check
> > no plate or pin is sticking out more than normal. If noise really is exactly once per chain rev
> > (and not wheel or crank rev) then you'll probably find something wrong like this.
> >
> > Stiff links can be corrected by using the "spreader" position of a chain tool, or if Shimano,
> > possibly by replacing pin with one of the special ones.
> >
> > > I wondered whether I have put back the idler biscuit wheels
> >
> > Biscuit wheels! That's a new one on me
> >
> > > the right way - one has a deliberately loose bearing, the other is tight - which way round
> > > should they go - loose close to the cogs, tight at the end of the rear mech?
> >
> > Upper biscuit (nearest the cogs) has the floating ("loose") bushing.
> >
> > ~PB
> >
> >
>
> Thanks - I will do the chain test in the next couple of days. Sorry about the biscuits but that is
> what they look and feel like.
>
>

I feel a fool - I had got my biscuits the wrong way round - wobbly furthest from cogs. Now
all is well.

 

[Geoff Pearson]

"Geoff Pearson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Geoff Pearson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Pete Biggs" <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Geoff Pearson wrote:
> > > > Now I have one noise - a feeling really rather than actual sound - left. I can feel
> > > > something rubbing once per chain revolution when using the smallest cogs on my 8-gear
> > > > Shimano cassette. It goes when I get onto the flat metal ones - bigger. I presume that
> > > > either I have a tight link in the chain - made evident by going round the tight radii of the
> > > > smallest gears or something is rubbing when the chain is pushed over that way. I can't
> > > > reproduce when stationary with the bike on a stand.
> > >
> > > I would manually test each chain link by swivelling with fingers and
> check
> > > no plate or pin is sticking out more than normal. If noise really is exactly once per chain
> > > rev (and not wheel or crank rev) then you'll probably find something wrong like this.
> > >
> > > Stiff links can be corrected by using the "spreader" position of a
chain
> > > tool, or if Shimano, possibly by replacing pin with one of the special ones.
> > >
> > > > I wondered whether I have put back the idler biscuit wheels
> > >
> > > Biscuit wheels! That's a new one on me
> > >
> > > > the right way - one has a deliberately loose bearing, the other is tight - which way round
> > > > should they go - loose close to the cogs, tight at the end of the rear mech?
> > >
> > > Upper biscuit (nearest the cogs) has the floating ("loose") bushing.
> > >
> > > ~PB
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Thanks - I will do the chain test in the next couple of days. Sorry
about
> > the biscuits but that is what they look and feel like.
> >
> >
>
> I feel a fool - I had got my biscuits the wrong way round - wobbly
furthest
> from cogs. Now all is well.
>
>

Utter silence now attained - chain worn to buggery, so new chain and cassette - bliss.