Whilst some riders seem happy, or oblivious, to their bikes making a cacophony of noise, most of us prefer a silent ride. However, we’ve all experienced an annoying creak or unexplained rattle from time to time. These noises may be irritating to us and our ride buddies, but they can also indicate that maintenance is needed, parts are due replacement, or even that something more serious is afoot. They are always worth investigating.
Diagnosing mystery noises is far from straightforward, rarely can they be reproduced on the workstand. Bikes, particularly carbon ones, transmit noise throughout the frame, making it extremely difficult to find the source of the trouble. I once spent a few miles on a warm ride trying to discover where some terminal-sounding frame clunks were coming from, only to realize it was the ice cubes knocking about in my water bottle.
