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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
Hi I recently had a new-old-stock Pinarello Paris built up and it's
making a terrifying noise. When I hit an irregularity in the paving at any speed I get a sharp cracking-splitting noise in the front of the bike. A couple of times it sure sounded like the steerer tube had coughed it up. My mechanic inspected the steerer and said everything looked OK and maybe the bearings in the internal headset were just settling in. He couldn't replicate the noise by riding over a curb. I think maybe that curb action just compressed the steerer rather than stressing it forward or back like a pothole might. Anyway, there's no obvious play in the headset (you know, the old squeeze the brakes and torque the front end test), and the bike rides OK (actually it rides great). But clearly there's something wrong and I don't want to discover the problem the hard way. Does anybody have any suggestions? |
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#2
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
ItsFred wrote:
Hi I recently had a new-old-stock Pinarello Paris built up and it's making a terrifying noise. When I hit an irregularity in the paving at any speed I get a sharp cracking-splitting noise in the front of the bike. Assuming that's a plastic bike, noises like that are generally very bad news. As in unsafe to ride unless specifically and conclusively identified as benign. Chalo |
#3
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
On Oct 7, 8:27*pm, Chalo wrote:
ItsFred wrote: Hi I recently had a new-old-stock Pinarello Paris built up and it's making a terrifying noise. When I hit an irregularity in the paving at any speed I get a sharp cracking-splitting noise in the front of the bike. Assuming that's a plastic bike, noises like that are generally very bad news. *As in unsafe to ride unless specifically and conclusively identified as benign. Chalo Yes it's a plastic bike with a plastic steerer, and I was afraid you'd say that Chalo! |
#4
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
Assuming that's a plastic bike, noises like that are generally very bad news. As in unsafe to ride unless specifically and conclusively identified as benign. Chalo Yes it's a plastic bike with a plastic steerer, and I was afraid you'd say that Chalo! ------ cracked the steerer by tightening the stem bolts too much? Does the average guy really need a plastic steerer? |
#5
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
On Oct 7, 10:48*pm, ItsFred wrote:
Hi I recently had a new-old-stock Pinarello Paris built up and it's making a terrifying noise. When I hit an irregularity in the paving at any speed I get a sharp cracking-splitting noise in the front of the bike. A couple of times it sure sounded like the steerer tube had coughed it up. My mechanic inspected the steerer and said everything looked OK and maybe the bearings in the internal headset were just settling in. He couldn't replicate the noise by riding over a curb. I think maybe that curb action just compressed the steerer rather than stressing it forward or back like a pothole might. Anyway, there's no obvious play in the headset (you know, the old squeeze the brakes and torque the front end test), and the bike rides OK (actually it rides great). But clearly there's something wrong and I don't want to discover the problem the hard way. Does anybody have any suggestions? The noise is not a good sign. If I've read this correctly, initial visual inspections of the bike and specifically of the fork assembly (including headset security) show nothing. The noise could be originating from the handlebar assembly. Ride to recreate the noise and if there is a marked difference between holding and releasing the handlebars then the bar assembly or its interface with the steerer seems a likely candidate for the noise. Following this, see if using different wheel types makes any difference, and if not, start simplifying the bike to locate the source of the problem. |
#6
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
On Oct 8, 10:42*am, someone wrote:
On Oct 7, 10:48*pm, ItsFred wrote: Hi I recently had a new-old-stock Pinarello Paris built up and it's making a terrifying noise. When I hit an irregularity in the paving at any speed I get a sharp cracking-splitting noise in the front of the bike. A couple of times it sure sounded like the steerer tube had coughed it up. My mechanic inspected the steerer and said everything looked OK and maybe the bearings in the internal headset were just settling in. He couldn't replicate the noise by riding over a curb. I think maybe that curb action just compressed the steerer rather than stressing it forward or back like a pothole might. Anyway, there's no obvious play in the headset (you know, the old squeeze the brakes and torque the front end test), and the bike rides OK (actually it rides great). But clearly there's something wrong and I don't want to discover the problem the hard way. Does anybody have any suggestions? The noise is not a good sign. *If I've read this correctly, initial visual inspections of the bike and specifically of the fork assembly (including headset security) show nothing. *The noise could be originating from the handlebar assembly. *Ride to recreate the noise and if there is a marked difference between holding and releasing the handlebars then the bar assembly or its interface with the steerer seems a likely candidate for the noise. *Following this, see if using different wheel types makes any difference, and if not, start simplifying the bike to locate the source of the problem. I bought a used Merckx carbon bike and needed a shorter stem. When installing ,I tightened the stem bolts without the FSA compressor cap tightened (doh!) and heard a loud crack. Took the stem back off and could see nothing wrong with the carbon steerer. Rode for weeks/ months but occasionally when dismounted and turning the bars very far left (almost touching the top tube), the sound recurred. I finally took the fork completely off, and found the crack- it was in the portion of the steerer normally hidden inside the head tube, and was all the way from inside to outside of the steerer. Ordered a replacement fork from the Merckx distributor for €120 and was back on wheels in a week. No noises since. |
#7
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
On Oct 7, 4:48*pm, ItsFred wrote:
Hi I recently had a new-old-stock Pinarello Paris built up and it's making a terrifying noise. When I hit an irregularity in the paving at any speed I get a sharp cracking-splitting noise in the front of the bike. A couple of times it sure sounded like the steerer tube had coughed it up. My mechanic inspected the steerer and said everything looked OK and maybe the bearings in the internal headset were just settling in. He couldn't replicate the noise by riding over a curb. I think maybe that curb action just compressed the steerer rather than stressing it forward or back like a pothole might. Anyway, there's no obvious play in the headset (you know, the old squeeze the brakes and torque the front end test), and the bike rides OK (actually it rides great). But clearly there's something wrong and I don't want to discover the problem the hard way. Does anybody have any suggestions? I had a very similar noise from the front end of my Storck. Turns out the handlebar was rotating ever-so-slightly with a pothole or deep crack hit. Each rotation made a sharp cracking noise as if there were something severely wrong with the fork. It wasn't until a ride in which the bar rotated like 10 degrees with one hit that I figured it out. Kept re- assembling the threadless headset but that wasn't it. Yours sounds exactly like my issue. D'ohBoy |
#8
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
On Oct 8, 1:39*pm, "D'ohBoy" wrote:
On Oct 7, 4:48*pm, ItsFred wrote: Hi I recently had a new-old-stock Pinarello Paris built up and it's making a terrifying noise. When I hit an irregularity in the paving at any speed I get a sharp cracking-splitting noise in the front of the bike. A couple of times it sure sounded like the steerer tube had coughed it up. My mechanic inspected the steerer and said everything looked OK and maybe the bearings in the internal headset were just settling in. He couldn't replicate the noise by riding over a curb. I think maybe that curb action just compressed the steerer rather than stressing it forward or back like a pothole might. Anyway, there's no obvious play in the headset (you know, the old squeeze the brakes and torque the front end test), and the bike rides OK (actually it rides great). But clearly there's something wrong and I don't want to discover the problem the hard way. Does anybody have any suggestions? I had a very similar noise from the front end of my Storck. *Turns out the handlebar was rotating ever-so-slightly with a pothole or deep crack hit. Resin on resin? I can imagine it makes a fierce cracking sound. Time to grease the stem bolts and apply a torque wrench. Each rotation made a sharp cracking noise as if there were something severely wrong with the fork. *It wasn't until a ride in which the bar rotated like 10 degrees with one hit that I figured it out. *Kept re- assembling the threadless headset but that wasn't it. Yours sounds exactly like my issue. Could be. Could also be a bunged up headset install--like somebody got stoned behind the shop and forgot to put an expander collar in the stack. ;-) |
#9
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
On 2009-10-08, Cicero Venatio wrote:
cracked the steerer by tightening the stem bolts too much? Does the average guy really need a plastic steerer? The average guy doesn't need a plastic bike, either. -- -John ) |
#10
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Cracking Noise from Headset Area
On Oct 8, 5:16 pm, landotter wrote:
On Oct 8, 1:39 pm, "D'ohBoy" wrote: On Oct 7, 4:48 pm, ItsFred wrote: Hi I recently had a new-old-stock Pinarello Paris built up and it's making a terrifying noise. When I hit an irregularity in the paving at any speed I get a sharp cracking-splitting noise in the front of the bike. A couple of times it sure sounded like the steerer tube had coughed it up. My mechanic inspected the steerer and said everything looked OK and maybe the bearings in the internal headset were just settling in. He couldn't replicate the noise by riding over a curb. I think maybe that curb action just compressed the steerer rather than stressing it forward or back like a pothole might. Anyway, there's no obvious play in the headset (you know, the old squeeze the brakes and torque the front end test), and the bike rides OK (actually it rides great). But clearly there's something wrong and I don't want to discover the problem the hard way. Does anybody have any suggestions? I had a very similar noise from the front end of my Storck. Turns out the handlebar was rotating ever-so-slightly with a pothole or deep crack hit. Resin on resin? I can imagine it makes a fierce cracking sound. Time to grease the stem bolts and apply a torque wrench. Each rotation made a sharp cracking noise as if there were something severely wrong with the fork. It wasn't until a ride in which the bar rotated like 10 degrees with one hit that I figured it out. Kept re- assembling the threadless headset but that wasn't it. Yours sounds exactly like my issue. Could be. Could also be a bunged up headset install--like somebody got stoned behind the shop and forgot to put an expander collar in the stack. ;-) Actually, NOT resin on resin (i.e., carbon bar and stem). I have a Easton alloy bar and Thomson stem. I was sure there was something seriously wrong with the fork or head tube or headset but could not find anything. Think it was the small amount of rotation combined with how quickly it occurred that caused the character of the noise. Anyhoo, reinstallation of the bar and use of a torque wrench to mfr spec on the bar clamp bolts fixed it for good. Also briefly heard this when using that lamea** Ritchey liquid torque crap. Wonder if there were remnants on the bar clamp area contributing to the issue? They claim it works on everything but actually, it works on nothing. D'ohBoy |
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