Bird songs eminating from my drive train

So I got my bike back from the lbs after her full tune up, and I'm riding around in a light rain and I keep hearing what sounds like birds singing. It's kinda turning spring-like here, so I'm thinking there are just a lot of happy birds around singing their hearts out. But I start to realize the sounds happen every time I am pedaling. Dh rides behind me for a while to look things over, and he tells me that he thinks the sound is coming from the chain. The chain had 800 miles on it, so the lbs hadn't changed it just yet, so it seemed likely that could be the problem. I changed out the chain for a new one, but the chirping a warbling continues (only it's not as pretty sounding as before). Maybe the pulley things need to be replaced too? I've changed the chain on this bike twice now. How often do you replace the other parts of the rear deraileur? I was assured that the casette and the front rings looked fine, so I'm assuming that's not the problem.

That generally means you need to lube the chain - especially if you've been riding in wet conditions. Try that first - use a good quality lube like Tri Flo or something.

That's what I thought at first. I did give it extra lube, but to no avail. I usually wipe and lube the chain every time I ride. Also, the first time I noticed it, the bike had just come back from the shop, so I'm presuming that they had lubed it.

I would hope the LBS lubed it, but wouldn't assume. You might try also lubing the pulleys - at the middle where they attach.

What sort of lube are you using?

The only time I have heard noises like that is in the middle of a long (400k) rainy ride where all my lube had finally washed away. Once I re-lubed, it was silent. I like a thicker lube in wet conditions. DH is a fan of White Lightning, but I am not. This is the stuff I like - nice and thick: http://www.cswestbikes.com/servlet/t...NDETECH/Detail

sounds like a good title for a song. Good luck finding the source before it stops the bike!

Whenever I get any noises coming from the drive train I take the chain off, clean it, remove the pulleys and clean those too. Put everything back on and lube it.

Thom says I'm a bit obsessive about my pulleys.

V.

If a chain indeed is dry, it generally does not sound like a bird. However, what does make that sound is your pulley wheels in your rear derailleur. try taking them apart, clean and put a thin line of grease in around them.

thanks for the advice. I did inject some lube into the pulleys and the noise went away. I think. for a while. I might work up the courage to take them apart. They were pretty gunky from all the extra lube I was throwing on the chain...

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

sounds like a good title for a song.

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Oh, good, now you've put that John Denver song in my head.

"Birdsongs, from my drivetrain, make me crazy...
Birdsongs, from my brakes, can make me cry-y-y-y-y...."