Mystery Noise
Saturday was gorgeous with clear skies, temps in the mid 70's, and nothing at all in the "have to do" department, so I broke out the Heavy Duti, and went cruising. I take good care of my bikes, and I'm a nut for bike maintenance, even though an old coaster brake single speed doesn't really need much in the way of periodic adjustments.
Nonetheless, after riding a few blocks I noticed a small noise coming from somewhere on the bicycle. Tink, tink, tink, tink, every turn of the crank produced this odd little noise. Crank hitting the kickstand? No. Chain slop? Not on my bike. Still, I stopped to check. The chain was fine. So I hopped back on, and coasted a little ways. No noise. Until I got off the main boulevard, and headed down a quiet side street. Tink, tink, tink
Damn. Something in a tire? Stop again, and check. The tires are fine.
Tink tink tink Uh, oh. Maybe the bearing cup in the bottom bracket is cracked. No, that would make a different sort of noise. Loose spokes? No, that can't be it. Cracked frame? Broken weld? Tink, tink, tink...
I was racking my brain trying to figure it out. Maybe turn back, and get one of the other bikes, maybe just look down while I'm pedaling along and see if I can notice-
that the tip of the stiff new shoelace from my new sneakers was sticking straight out to the side, and slapping the chainguard with every turn of the crank.
Tink tink tink
Oh.
Well, that's an easy fix, isn't it?
At least I didn't go back home and rip the bike apart.
JWM