Elitewheels Edge - Creaking Rear - Solution?

[rtuk]

Have a pair of these https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005004767705476.html and the rear has started creaking after limited use. Rode them a few times earlier on with no noticeable issues and then been mainly riding another bike - with the rubbish weather here.

Rode them again recently and found the noise appeared - maybe they've just bedded in. Subsequently I've definitely isolated the noise to the rear wheel - by elimination I ruled out the seapost area, bottom bracket area or anything on the front of the bike. Proved it today by riding a different rear wheel with zero noise.

Noise happens when in a low gear and torquing - think slowly up a steep hill. No crashes, dropping into potholes or similar.

Suggestion of one of the other bikers I know was to lube the spokes. So I plan to put a small amount of grease where the spokes overlap and touch initially and see how that goes. If that fails then I guess I need to think of where the spokes, nipples and rim meet.

Anyone got any alternate thoughts / suggestions pls?
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Edit
Actually I haven't changed the cassette -  so that may be worth doing first or after lubing the cross spokes point?

[Bigbobby1482]

Do you by any chance have an early 12 speed Shimano cassette on the edge wheelset? They had some issues https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=173692

[SillyMochi]

Does the noise appear constantly (i.e. while wheel is spinning) or only under certain situations, e.g. while pedaling, only on the downstroke on one side, while backpedaling, etc. - you get the idea

[rtuk]

Do you by any chance have an early 12 speed Shimano cassette on the edge wheelset? They had some issues https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=173692

.

The creaking wheel has a 12 speed ultra lightweight - Goldix cassette. The wheel I just installed has a 12 speed Shimano. So in this case if its a cassette issue - it'd be the Goldix one

[rtuk]

Does the noise appear constantly (i.e. while wheel is spinning) or only under certain situations, e.g. while pedaling, only on the downstroke on one side, while backpedaling, etc. - you get the idea

I'd need to double check by putting the wheel back on, but from memory it was on the pedal strokes on both sides and as I say definitely uphill in low gear. Freewheeling / back pedalling or pedalling on flat or downhill - no noise at all.

[Da11as]

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The creaking wheel has a 12 speed ultra lightweight - Goldix cassette. The wheel I just installed has a 12 speed Shimano. So in this case if its a cassette issue - it'd be the Goldix one

It is indeed the cassette. The noise comes from the bolts/rivet,s when cassette is under torsional stress as a result of poor tolerances (in case of rivets) or loose bolts (in case of bolts). If you have big sprint it may also start to develop some play.

[jonathanf2]

It could be several things. I had an issue like this, turned out the bottom bracket wasn't properly tightened. I'd double check the BB first to make sure it's torque properly before assuming it's the wheelset or cassette. If you have access to a different wheelset and cassette, I'd try swapping parts around. If the creaking is still happening, I'd check the seat post if has ample carbon paste and seat post clamp is secure.

[rtuk]

Thanks for the follow up replies.

I'm in the fortunate position of having quite a few spares - seatpost, saddle, bars, stem, wheels & cassette. Having swapped out the rear wheel and cassette together, for a longish ride this weekend and had no noise- I appear to have isolated it to the wheel or cassette.

Though I suppose it's possible that the through axle itself could have been the source - I usually torque that to 11nm so it shouldve been ok - but to make sure I could put the Elite rear back.

There's a short hill reasonably close to me, so I might make use of the extra hour in the evening to do some more tests this week