Clunk/click sound from pedal/crank, what could it be?

Old Git On A Bike

Something I wanted to ask, when I was out on the bike the other tonight, on every revolution of the pedal, on the left hand side I think, there is a sort of clunk/click sound, I remember a bike years ago making the same noise, I can't remember what caused it, the pedal is tight, is it possibly the pedal arm slightly bent or something, maybe the crank? It now makes the noise every time I ride.

When I spin the crank with my hand using the pedals, there is no noise, seems to only be when the pressure of the foot is turning the pedals.

nicklouse

have a read of the diagnosing noisy drive train topic on parktools. then you will be able to work it out.

Pat920

In my experience, could be as simple as the front mech being out of alignment, or crank hitting the front mech cable (best to go for the most obvious first!)
If it is as you put pressure on the chainring side crank, check the bottom bracket by grabbing both pedals and see if they are rattling in the frame (even if only slightly). Another option is the chainring bolts not being properly snug. Or crank bolt needs tightening.

Marjory Stewart BAxtor

maybe you need to take some cod liver oil
</banter>

Old Git On A Bike

@ Nicklouse, I had a look at the drivetrain section on Park Tools, there was nothing there that describes the noise I'm getting.

@ Pat920, the front mech looks ok, it's not hitting the cable or anything, there is no rattling or play when I grab the pedals, the chaingring doesn't have bolts, they look like rivet sort of things, but I can't see anything loose or any play in that either, as for the crank bolt needing to be tightened, I don't have a spanner for doing that, so it will have to stay as it is for now.

@ Marjory Stewart BAxtor, you cheeky git

cunning-stunt

Given the pedals/BB a bit of TLC?

Loose pedal inserts in the crank arm?

When you hear the click/clunk,can you feel anything through your foot?

cukrave

hi i had something very similar to that on my old marin only happened when pedaling hard and in the end it was my cassette was loose.

doobie919

COuld also need to grease a few things up.

heez29

i had that on my bmx and i replaced the crank axle. So it could be the taper on the BB axle has gone. it probably wont look like it has but thats what i thought, just clean up the taper and the crank arm(s) and you never know it could be alright.

Old Git On A Bike

Cheers for the advice, there is not a lot I can do really, due to having no tools to take cranks or other things apart, I was just wondering what the cause of the noise might have been, I'll just have to leave it as it is for now and ride it for another 2 months, I have only ridden the bike 15 times since I got it from a catalogue, the parts on it are not the greatest, for example, Zoom shocks and Quando hubs, the rest, apart from the SRAM X5 shifters/derailleur and Promax rotors, are pretty substandard non named parts, so that might explain why something is going wrong with it already.

I spent most of last night looking at hardtail bikes on Chain Reaction Cycles for about £500, I have picked out a few 2007 bikes that I like the look of that are reduced in price quite a bit, I'll post about them on the forum tonight for advice.

So, I'll ride this for the next 2 months until I have enough for a new bike, then contact the catalogue and tell them to come and collect it, so they can either send it back to Claud Butler/Falcon Cycles for repair, or give me a new bike, then my other half can have this bike after I get a new one.