Road Bike Derailleur Noise

A hanger separates the derailleur from the frame and is designed to bend or break on impact rather than damaging your frame or derailleur.

Road bike derailleur noise. Derailleur pulleys can squeak often sounding like a bird chirping and you usually know it s the pulley because the faster you pedal the louder and faster the pulley squeaks although models that say sealed on the side don t. This noise should scare you because it generally means something on your bike is loose. Saddle rail clamp bolt. A shoe lace can tap against a crank arm and the rubber can move and squeak under the sole.

If you have riding shoes the cleats under the shoe can loosen and also cause noise. Sometimes people will ride for months on end with a noisy bike others will come in after a single brake squeak. The derailleur hanger is a piece of aluminum bolted to your frame that your derailleur is then mounted on. As part of your regular maintenance tasks you should be periodically replacing the lost contaminated lubrication from your moving parts in this case likely to be your jockey wheels.

Derailleur jockey wheels or chain guide pulleys. Rest your bike on its side and apply a few drops of oil between the pulleys and side plates to silence them. Hangers are unique to your frame and it is a good idea to buy a spare when you buy a new frame. Even regular street shoes on a platform pedal can cause noise.

Wait a few minutes for the lube to penetrate and then wipe off any excess. Another common noise that sounds a bit scarier with good reason is a clunk or clatter. In general your bike should not be making a lot of noise. Derailleur clutch or lockout area.

Although keeping your bike clean is generally a good thing it does have some negative side effects like washing away grease and lubrication on your moving parts.