# Clinking Sound from Mavic Ksyrium SL



## acg (Feb 13, 2011)

I have been using a brand new set of 2009 Mavic Ksyrium SLs for the past 6 months. I like its robustness because I weigh 225 lbs. I ride a Merlin titanium with a Campy set up.

I have been getting a "clinking" / "pinging" sound when I ride hard up an incline or when I had sprinting out of the saddle. The sound only appears when I am placing stress on the rear wheel.

I have checked every part of the bike to determine the source of the annoying sound. Everything checks out fine. I believe the sound is coming from the bladed spokes in the rear wheel. It appears to be the bladed spokes hitting each other under stress and causing the "clinking" / "pinging". The wheels are true and there were no loose spokes.

Has any Ksyrium SL user encountered such an issue? If yes, was there a fix?


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## Zen Cyclery (Mar 10, 2009)

I am sorry to say that at 225lbs that you may be just a bit to heavy for those wheels. The spokes on the NDS of Ksyriums although they do cross do not touch. I think your diagnosis of the spokes hitting together may be correct although one would have to hear the sound to be sure. If the spokes are in fact slapping into one and other your experiencing a symptom of too large of a rider on a wheel that is simply not laterally stiff enough. 

There is another more benign problem that could be causing the noise that your hearing however. The joints where the spokes meet the hubs on Ksyriums can creek a bit under large load. I know that I used to hear my old Ksyriums pop and ping when I was riding cyclocross... To remedy this you can get a little bottle of Triflow and apply a few drops to each hub/spoke intersection on the rear wheel. If this does not alleviate the problem then you may in fact simply be a bit too big to be riding the Ksyriums. If your flexing the rear wheel that much though you would expect some brake rub. Have you noticed any?


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## bent steel (Dec 28, 2007)

I agree with Zen, I have the same wheels, and weigh 40 pounds less than you and have always felt a little too heavy for these wheels. The radial lacing on the drive side does seem to present some challenges. I just broke my first spoke on the rear DS and it was clearly scored where it contacted the hub body. It broke at the nipple, but clearly, those spokes move around in the hub shell which probably explains your noises, as I've had similar when sprinting or mashing up hills.


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## wetpaint (Oct 12, 2008)

It seems 50% or more of the people around here that ride them have Ksyriums that ping.

When I had them, I had some clicking that was from the front hub adjustment coming loose. You can use the tool to tighten down the bearing preload and see if that helps.


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## acg (Feb 13, 2011)

Zen Cyclery said:


> I am sorry to say that at 225lbs that you may be just a bit to heavy for those wheels. The spokes on the NDS of Ksyriums although they do cross do not touch. I think your diagnosis of the spokes hitting together may be correct although one would have to hear the sound to be sure. If the spokes are in fact slapping into one and other your experiencing a symptom of too large of a rider on a wheel that is simply not laterally stiff enough.
> 
> There is another more benign problem that could be causing the noise that your hearing however. The joints where the spokes meet the hubs on Ksyriums can creek a bit under large load. I know that I used to hear my old Ksyriums pop and ping when I was riding cyclocross... To remedy this you can get a little bottle of Triflow and apply a few drops to each hub/spoke intersection on the rear wheel. If this does not alleviate the problem then you may in fact simply be a bit too big to be riding the Ksyriums. If your flexing the rear wheel that much though you would expect some brake rub. Have you noticed any?


Thanks to everyone for your insight!

Zen, I have not experienced any brake rub. I will spray some Triflow into the hub/spoke joints and see if the problem will go away.

Thanks again!


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## CyclingVirtual (Apr 10, 2008)

It can of course be spokes, but just check its not the skewer. These skewers are subject to creak if to tight. Clean complete skewer, lightly grease the rod, Drop a little oil in the skewer cam. Dont overtighten the skewer.


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## dhtucker4 (Jul 7, 2004)

My brother is over 240 lbs., and he likes his Ksyrium SL's - he's never had a problem with clinking or clicking or pinging, and he's a masher. He never had to true his wheels, which is saying something. It might be a plethora of causes that make that noise. 

Possibly put one drop light grease on the drive side where the spokes cross (five or six times) or use TriFlow. But light grease will stay put longer than Triflow. Ask your LBS mechanic to recommend some light grease. 

What gruppo are you using? Campagnolo, Shimano, or SRAM? It might be a tight link in your chain... That happened to me, it drove me crazy for two weeks. I still use Chorus 10-speed with a Zipp crank and bottom bracket.


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## JimF22003 (Apr 30, 2009)

Mine do that. Exactly the way you describe. Every six months or so I put a little light oil on the points where the spokes enter the hubs, and that takes care of it.


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## Trbogolf (Jun 15, 2009)

My front did that. Found one spoke that was just a little loose after hitting a pothole allowing it to move ever so slightly. Just did a quick tighten/true and hasn't been a problem since.


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## acg (Feb 13, 2011)

A quick update...

I put some Triflow in the area where the spokes meet the hub. This seems to have fixed the problem.

THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS!


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## jimmylikes2ride (Sep 30, 2008)

I have 2011 Mavic Kysrium SL and my front wheel had the same problem. Very annoying noise! Turns out that my bearings were bad and had to be replaced.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

If you have these skewers, the pin that holds the plastic lever onto the metal tab is known to come loose. The plastic lever then will then make a rattle or clicking sound. A little bit of epoxy or gorilla glue between the plastic and metal will fix it.


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