Steering 'noise'

Paul Davis said:

I was wondering whether anyone might have any ideas?
Thanks, PJay

I had a strange noise from the front that was caused by
the metal ferrule on the brake cable housing moving
around inside a stop on the top tube near the head tube.
Greasing the ferrule made it go away. And another bike
gets a 'rattle' on bumps from the bar end shifter cables
crossing the bottom of the head tube. Check out the
various cables up front?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Paul Davis
I am getting a strange, but quite loud, 'noise' (a sort
of cross between a slightly tinny creak and a ping)
intermitently when steering the bike. It is intermitent
and usually appears only after some time of riding, it's
most frequent when making short, sharp turns but can
occur when just making normal steering corrections when
cycling straight.

It's particularly difficult to replicate off the bike
although I can occassionally do so by turning the bars to
their extremes.

Using my rather limited mechanical knowledge I've done what
I can to eliminate it by tightening up the stem bolts. There
is no play in the headset which is also silky smooth. The
LBS, who built the bike up for me, have had a play around
but have been unable to replicate the problem.

Although the noise appears to come from the stem/headset
area I did wonder whether turning the bars might cause a bit
of flex in the rims causing spokes to rub again eachother
but spoke tension is fine.

I was wondering whether anyone might have any ideas?
Thanks, PJay

Many things move on a bicycle.
http://www.chainreaction.com/noises.htm
is worth a look.
Housings, cable ends, and frame fittings are my suspects for what you describe. You need to do the detective work to eleiminate sources. Loading and/or off-laoding various parts can help isolate. Dry interfaces in the stem to bars, and stem to fork are also potential areas of interest.

Quoted message said:

I was wondering whether anyone might have any ideas?
Thanks, PJay

If you have one, check your computer mount on the leg and
the magnet in the spokes.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Paul Davis said:

I am getting a strange, but quite loud, 'noise' (a sort of
cross between a slightly tinny creak and a ping)
intermitently when steering the bike. It is intermitent
and usually appears only after some time of riding, it's
most frequent when making short, sharp turns but can occur
when just making normal steering corrections when cycling
straight.

It's particularly difficult to replicate off the bike
although I can occassionally do so by turning the bars to
their extremes.

Using my rather limited mechanical knowledge I've done
what I can to eliminate it by tightening up the stem
bolts. There is no play in the headset which is also silky
smooth. The LBS, who built the bike up for me, have had a
play around but have been unable to replicate the problem.

Although the noise appears to come from the stem/headset
area I did wonder whether turning the bars might cause a
bit of flex in the rims causing spokes to rub again
eachother but spoke tension is fine.

This can be nothing be than the brake/shifter cables
creaking when you turn the bars.

Nick

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I am getting a strange, but quite loud, 'noise' (a sort of
cross between a slightly tinny creak and a ping)
intermitently when steering the bike. It is intermitent
and usually appears only after some time of riding, it's
most frequent when making short, sharp turns but can occur
when just making normal steering corrections when cycling
straight.

Quoted message said:

SNIP<<<>

I was wondering whether anyone might have any ideas?
Thanks, PJay

On my bike, it's the crossed Campag gear cables rubbing over
each other.
--
Mark Lee