Speedo-Cable Sound

[Mag]

Question for any of you...what does it sound like when the speedo-cable is starting to go? I am trying to figure out a sound that I get when first riding the bike, like in the first 5 minutes of 50 mph....I get a sound that comes (I guess) from the front wheel. It does not sound like brakes, and it is not permanent.

I saw CycleMax has cables for $20, I may just get one for the bike, but wondering if the sound I am hearing is the cable going out. I have not identified it being anything else.....yet.

[Mh434]

It's a scraping or scratching noise, directly related to road speed, which slows to a stop as the bike stops. When I've had it happen, I've heard it at all speeds, from dead slow to highway speed, the pitch of the noise increasing with speed.

One visual symptom of a deteriorating speedo cable is the needle will tend to waver or quiver at any speed where there is cable noise. Needle shake is usually more pronounced at lower speeds.

[Mag]

Makes me believe that is what I actually have. It will make sound, until I slow, or stop, then it will start up again. It is very intermittent but makes sense.

For $20, I think it is worth throwing another on there just in case. Thx thx thx, this is definitely a lesson in working on the bike....

[bweeks]

My 86 made a noise it got so loud I couldn't stand it Speedo needle started acting very erratic ,it almost sounded like a police siren I changed the cable ,no good eventually changed the speedometer and it stopped .yesterday I tore apart the speedometer but couldn't find anything wrong other than the fact there was no lube at all on any of the gears good luck

[Mag]

I went for a ride yesterday (2 hours, 100 miles)....no noise at all this time, that makes me wonder. I did not ever think of the speedo gear. I need the noise to occur again so I can start really figuring out what is happening. The needle is not bouncing much though, just a little bit.