Plinking sound from front end

[Scabutz]

My commuter, an old Trek 1.1 (all Alu), is making a strange sound. Every time I hit a bump there is a metallic plinking type sound from the front. Its coming from near stem, I think from the bars, but not certain.

Any ideas? I dont want to change bits randomly but I am concerned that something is fatigued and eventually I will hit a bump and the entire front is going to collapse. I have removed the bars from the stem and can't see any cracks or anything obvious. What do we reckon, change each part in turn until it goes away?

Bike is 6.5 years old and has had 12500 KMs ridden

[snobetter]

checked your spokes?

[jesusbuiltmycar]

Had something similar last night - the little lock ring on the valve had come slight loose and it was rattling against the rim.

Edited by jesusbuiltmycar on Wednesday 5th June 13:03

[Scabutz]

Never use the lock rings on the valve. Spokes seem ok, nothing loose.

I am sure its coming from the stem, bars, fork crown area

[BOR]

Could be the top cap above the bearing coming loose whilst you're riding, but then returning to correct position when you are stopped.

Mine is loose and occasionally jumps around.

[broster]

Check the little leaver on the brake calliper. Mine sometimes rattles, took me ages to locate it

[Jacobyte]

Frames send the sound everywhere, so it really could be anything even if you think it's coming from a specific place... steerer, stem, bars, bottom bracket, pedal, cleat, dropout, etc. Mine drove crazy to point that I thought the frame was cracked under the paint at the head tube. Turned out to be the rear derailleur hanger, the small bolts just needed 1/16 of a turn each to nip them up.

[Scabutz]

Thanks all, I think I have fixed it. No noise on my commute this morning.

I stripped the stem, and forks down. Noticed when in doing everything that one of the bolts clamping the bars to the stem wasn't tight.

Guess it was that.

Undid the top nut and didn't have hold of the forks which came shooting out throwing the spacers everywhere. FML.

I also noticed that if I am going to commute in winter I need to up my maintenance a bit. Drive train was filthy and brake blocks almost completely worn away.

[anonymous-user]

Is this you scabutz?

https://twitter.com/CyclingTodayEn/status/11378335...