hillzofvalp
100 kW
80 miles into using my wheel from ebikes.ca, it starts making a lot of noise, especially under throttle. Is this this just loose spokes? How much tension should they have?
Spoke Tension WHeel Noises
- Thread starter hillzofvalp
- Start date
dogman dan
1 PW
I'm not the spoke expert, but a new wheel usually loosens up quite a bit in the first 50 miles. Tighten any that are crazy loose, and then true it. They should all have some ring to them when plucked, but not a super high pitch. I have come to where I prefer them on the loose side, just one tweak above where they don't ring at all when plucked. At that tension, they will creak a bit, and talk some as you ride, but not tons of creaking.
yopappamon
10 kW
My first hub had the spokes get loose after a few long rides but it sounded like something bouncing around inside the hub at very slow speed, couldn't hear it beyond about 10-12 mph.
Ykick
1 GW
What motor are you using and are you describing plinking sound or a "whine" as you throttle up to speed? Reason I ask is that most 9C motors exhibit a noticeable whine under throttle around 16-18 MPH.
It usually doesn't last long depending how quickly your bike accelerates to top speed but IMO it tends to be a little worse when spokes loosen a bit over several miles of service. It never goes completely away for me but tighter spokes seem to minimize it. Now, if you're hearing "plinking" and/or creaks then your spokes may be a bit too loose.
Here's an idea to members - perhaps record and share plucked (guitar pick) sounds of our collective bike spokes to better serve as a tuning guide to users? It can be hard thing to pull out of thin air but I just try to keep my spokes tuned to the same pitch/octave as when I 1st got it from EBK. It would be interesting to hear others' for comparison.
If there was ever a need for tech sticky, spoke tensioning and maintenance would probably be one of the most needed...
It usually doesn't last long depending how quickly your bike accelerates to top speed but IMO it tends to be a little worse when spokes loosen a bit over several miles of service. It never goes completely away for me but tighter spokes seem to minimize it. Now, if you're hearing "plinking" and/or creaks then your spokes may be a bit too loose.
Here's an idea to members - perhaps record and share plucked (guitar pick) sounds of our collective bike spokes to better serve as a tuning guide to users? It can be hard thing to pull out of thin air but I just try to keep my spokes tuned to the same pitch/octave as when I 1st got it from EBK. It would be interesting to hear others' for comparison.
If there was ever a need for tech sticky, spoke tensioning and maintenance would probably be one of the most needed...
hillzofvalp
100 kW
yeah, I know which whine you're talking about.. but I'm not talking about that. At low speed it is not as bad. higher than 10mph under no motor torque it is every revolution of the wheel that I hear it. When motor is applied, it is very noisy (multiple spokes). I will take it in to the open stand night at the local bike shop tonight... I'll let you know how it turns out
MadRhino
100 GW
Checking on spoke tension is a daily procedure for me, and trueing weekly is my average. Riding the mountain is hard on wheels, but even when you ride the streets it should be regular maintenance to true your wheels. Learn to do it yourself, it's not complicated.
dogman dan
1 PW
Yeah, the dirtbike needs truing about every 100 miles. The commuter more like every 1000 miles.
hillzofvalp
100 kW
a good entry level truing stand will cost ---- ? any recommendations?
Hardcarve1
100 W
I just replaced my stock 9C rim and spokes with quality gear and the ride is so much better. I have heavy bones and the few hundred km's I do each week would always loosen the spokes up and make the noise you are hearing. Now with the new stuff on, I don't get noises and more importantly the ride is much smoother. I bought a Sun Rhino Lite rim and used 13g Sapim spokes from ebikes.ca and I did the job myself. For a truing stand I put two lengths of aluminium in a bench vice and driled a hole for the axle.
biohazardman
100 kW
You probly don't need the stand and likely can do it with the wheel on your bike. If you tape a pencil on the frame where the eraser is at 90 degrees to and almost touching the rim you can judge how true it is as you spin it. Measurements can be taken inside the frame to the rim for centering or dishing correctly. I have always done it this way and even built wheels for several bikes using the same technique. Only take a little practice to get it down. Just remember tightening and loosening are the opposite direction from inside the rim and you loosen spokes on one side then tighten them on other to straighten things. Tapping the spokes and having them ring at near the same note is helpful but they need not be perfectly in tune for things to be good.
dogman dan
1 PW
My ghetto truing stand is a zip tie on the fork or the stay. Cut to length, adjust to where it just rubs the rim with the protruding end of the tie. Can be done with wire too, if you like more of a sound when it touches.
A junk frame is easily turned into a truing rig too, if you need it to be that straight. Weld a nut to the frame in the right spot, put a bolt through the nut pointing at the rim.
I have to agree, a nice rim and spokes would be much better. Just hard for me to do with about ten or so motors laying around the house. At the moment, only 4 ebikes actually assembled and ready to ride. I constantly try different stuff on different frames. Anyway, it's ride what they come with for me.
A junk frame is easily turned into a truing rig too, if you need it to be that straight. Weld a nut to the frame in the right spot, put a bolt through the nut pointing at the rim.
I have to agree, a nice rim and spokes would be much better. Just hard for me to do with about ten or so motors laying around the house. At the moment, only 4 ebikes actually assembled and ready to ride. I constantly try different stuff on different frames. Anyway, it's ride what they come with for me.
hillzofvalp
100 kW
Just trued up the wheel.. in a park stand. My shop has open stand night every week. Everything was tightened 1/4 turn and it feels and sounds much better. I'm definitely going to rebuild it when funds allow.. I don't think the chinese use spoke prep, run more than 36V, or weigh more than 140 pounds.
