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frsutrated with my Felt B2 bayonet fork

David WilliamsDavid Williams
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I have a 2009 Felt B2 with a bayonet fork which I got this past winter, so this is my first year riding it.  Early in the spring I was not as familiar with it I noticed the aerobars should creak when I would climb up a hill and had my hands on the handlesrakes.  In other words, when I would shift my weight back and forth on either side.  It would also creak when I would go over bumps and cracks and so forth.  I did not realize it was getting loose until the handling got very unstable and I took it into the shop where I bought it.

 

They tightened things down and told me about a couple different screws getting loose.  They mentioned that one of the screws is internal to the stem and that getting at it to tighten it requires some experience.  Since I am not very mechanically inclined I was nothing to do with taking my stem apart.

 

Since then I have brought the bike into the shop twice more to have them tighten it.  The last time – a couple hundred miles ago – he mentioned he put some locktight in a couple different screws to help prevent it from getting loose.  However, I have noticed that it is starting to creak again when I hit cracks in the road and so forth.

 

I am planning to do IMWI and don’t feel that I should put up with a creaky bike, much less one that I have to take to the shop every few hundred miles.  Does anyone have a similar issue?  Are there recommendations on how to engage Felt over and above my local bike shop?

 

Thanks.

Comments

  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    I have an 08 Felt B2 (bought it new in 09 as a "last year" model so it has just over 1 year of miles on it). I haven't noticed the same issues with handlebars getting loose- but then again, I don't get much opportunity to do a lot of hill work. I have recently noticed some rattling noises when going over bumps but I thought those where coming from the wheels- I'll have to listen more closely to see if it seems to be coming from the stem.
  • HayesSanbornHayesSanborn

     David, 

    Do you know if you have Bayonet 1 or Bayonet 2 fork? Bayonet 1 had some issues like you described. My fork makes all kinds of noises but I have yet to take it in, just lazy. 

     

    Recent thread on ST

     

    http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum....ead#unread

     

  • mgraffeomgraffeo
    Glad you posted. I'd been having similar problems with my 08 B2. Just emailed the LBS...
  • David WilliamsDavid Williams

    I have the Bayonet 1 on my bike - 2009 Felt B2.

    After I posted to EN I also posted on ST here and researched it more on ST.  I found a couple good threads, including theone Hayes posted.  Here is another good one.  I've determined a few things from what I've read, 1 - owners should get familiar with the bayonet assembly to be able to maintain it, 2 - it will continue to come loose over time, 3 - using locktite should help.

     

    I can deal with the creaking when I stand and climb (since I won't be doing too much of that during IMWI).  But when the thing creaks as I roll over normal cracks in the road... ooh, that drives me insane.  Especially when I am going at 70% and have all sorts of mental space to get upset about it.   image

    I do have an aerobottle up front which makes rattling noise when I go over bumps as well.  But  the noise is different and acceptable since the thing is only velcro'ed onto the aerobars!

    It is sad to spend so much money on a bike and not be completely satisfied.

  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Dave- first, thanks for bringing this to my attention- I need to download all the bayonnette info and get myself familiar ASAP. Second, have you been able to replicate the sound with the bike on a trainer or stand? I'm trying to figure out how to demonstrate the issue to an LBS without riding it, And finally- is it a "creek" kinda noise, or is it more of a rattling? I'm trying to figure out if I've got that issue or something else going on.
  • David WilliamsDavid Williams
    Nemo - go to the Felt website and look under technology for a video about the bayonet fork. Also on youtube are some other videos. The ST forums mention a pdf document which I have not been able to locate.

    I can replicate the noise when I stand over my bike with both hands on the handlesrake and press down firmly on either side.

    My noise is definitely a creaking noise, sounds like something is loose.

    I see we have a 4.5 ride coming up on Saturday... I'm trying to decide if I take the thing apart tonight with the option of bringing it to the shop tomorrow if I cannot get it back together. I don't know I have all the tools I need... I do not want to use a fold up Park multi tool and strip one of the bolts... nor do I own a torque wrench.
  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Thanks- I'll look for the videos. If you don't have a torque wrench I don't think you'll want to tackle this yourself. Take it to the shop- but it sounds like (from reading the ST threads) you may want to oversee the operation.

    Unfortunately, I don't have a Felt Dealer/LBS near by- so I'm gonna have to get really familiar with that vid (and I do own a torque wrench). Fortunately I don't seem to have the creek you have- and I can't replicate it. I'm gonna keep listening on my next ride to see if I can figure it out.
  • HayesSanbornHayesSanborn

    David, this link should take you to the pdf

     http://www.feltbicycles.com/Resourc...ctions.pdf

     

  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch

     Inserting the YouTube vids here for future reference:

    Felt Bayonet Instructions:


    Bayonet 1 and 2 Assembly (FF to about 5:00 into the vid for the Bayonet 2):


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