bike squeal/squeak

[ftssjk]

hey guys
i have a squeak/squeal on my bike.

i have had it ever since i got the bike second hand.
its a giant TCX 1.

basically if i have the bike next to me/in front of me and i just tilt it to one side it squeaks.

[ftssjk]

any ideas?

would it help if i were to make a video of it?

what sort of things should i also do in the video to kind of deduct other possibilities.
spin the pedals?
apply the brakes?

[Mulger bill]

Check out every one of your cable crossovers. Had this with the rear brake/shift cables on my 'Dale. Turn the bars and they'd rub together most annoyingly.

[ironhanglider]

Hmm it is a bit hard to diagnose without an accurate description/video.

All you'd need to show in a video is what needs to happen to cause the noise. If it makes the noise without pedalling then there is no point in showing pedalling. Same with brakes or wheel movement.

If I understand you correctly, it makes the noise when you are standing still and you lean the bike to one side. My first guess would be either the cables, or perhaps the headset. Gear cable housing ends can sometimes move within the ferules or within the cable stops on the frame as the bars turn, possibly also rear brake cables too. The causes range from cables that are the wrong length, to ferules that are a poor fit to either the cable or the guides or left off entirely.

If it is the headset that is making the noise then it will likely have to be pulled apart, cleaned greased and rebuilt. Easy enough for the average home mechanic but it may be an LBS job if you are not familiar with bearings.

Try to isolate the noise to one thing moving at a time.

Cheers,

Cameron

[ironhanglider]

Remove the bottom bracket and let the gerbil out.

Cheers,

Cameron

[ftssjk]

thanks for the replies guys,
some of the noise was coming from the cables,
but i found the main problem,
it was the brake pads not being toed in correctly.

i have fixed the noise but now the left front side of the pads are much closer to the rim than the right hand side?
the front wheel doesnt spin for very long, i think the left hand pad is rubbing on the rim.

any ideas?

i have cantiliver brakes.

avid cantilever shorty 6 i think it was.

[Mulger bill]

Near the pivot on each arm, you should find a small screw sticking out to the side. These are the centring screws. Loosen off the right side one a tad and check the response. Go from there.
It is best to not loosen or tighten either side to excess.

[kb]

Also make sure the wheel is in straight.

[Nobody]

And if all else fails, you could convert to disc brake on front.

viewtopic.php?f=72&t=59879

[ftssjk]

thanks for the info guys
after some 20 minutes i figured it out through trial and error .
i did the front first and then the back.

not ready for disc brakes yet hehe.. i just use the cyclocross as a comfortable road bike at the moment.

i also noticed if i spin the wheel the wheel very slightly moves to the right 1mm or so at a particular point as it makes a complete revolution.
is this the 'trueness' of the wheel?

[Nobody]

Yes, the wheel is slightly out of true.

[ftssjk]

Yes, the wheel is slightly out of true.

thanks
alot to learn