Spokes driving me crazy

[higdawg]

Tried everything I can think of to figure out which spoke is playing up and to fix it but I am pretty sure that one of them is loose and rattling as I ride.
I'm sure it is something extremely simple that I have missed but what is the best way to make sure that they are all tightened up properly. Anyone got a special secret for when they get a rattle?

[usernameforme]

If the wheel is true and one spoke is loose enough to rattle you have some serious problems with that wheel. A loose spoke should be VERY obvious (you should be able to feel it) so if you haven't found it yet It would suggest to me it is caused by something else.

I would first look into things like cable slack, which can also cause a rattling sound over rougher surfaces

[__PG__]

I once lost a spoke from my rear wheel and it took me a few rides to notice.

That's the benefit of a 32 spoke wheel.

[neild]

Another thing to check is the valve on your tube. Sometimes I've found that it can rattle a little in the valve hole especially if its not screwed down tightly.

[Crawf]

Another thing to check is the valve on your tube. Sometimes I've found that it can rattle a little in the valve hole especially if its not screwed down tightly.

+1
If your wheel is mostly true and you can't find the 'obvious' spoke then it's probably the valve rattling, pierce some plumbers tape over the top or put a washer over it if it's threaded.

[usernameforme]

That's the benefit of a 32 spoke wheel.

+1

[higdawg]

So I got a flat yesterday, fixed it last night and this morning when I rode to work the rattle seemed to be gone. The crazy world that we live in.
Also for one little piece of glass my tire resembled the side of the titanic.

[jasonc]

So I got a flat yesterday, fixed it last night and this morning when I rode to work the rattle seemed to be gone.

that means it was probably the valve stem as suggested above.

[higdawg]

Yeah, it seems to be in there nice and tight now. No movement at all.

[bychosis]

It shouldn't be too hard to check all the spokes one by one. Start at the valve and work your way around, wiggle each one. If none are loose, then shouldn't be any different if you are on the bike and the rattle cometh from the deep dark places within the soul of the cycle.

[drubie]

It shouldn't be too hard to check all the spokes one by one. Start at the valve and work your way around, wiggle each one. If none are loose, then shouldn't be any different if you are on the bike and the rattle cometh from the deep dark places within the soul of the cycle.

Wiggle?

If it's loose enough to rattle, it won't "ping" when you run your finger past it. Takes all of 30 seconds to check a whole wheel, the busted/loose ones just make a dull noise rather than a nice "ping".

Lift bike, spin wheel, run fingers over spokes, stop when it doesn't sound right and/or the tip of your finger bounces down the road.

[greyhoundtom]

Nah just put a flapper on both wheels, you can soon tell if a spoke is loose as it goes out of tune.