Creakings, clickings, tickings, clankings and knockings.

chris_bass

Manc33 wrote:

I get a "squeak" noise once per revolution of the cranks in the rain if I pedal harder, seems to only be on the right side, I thought it was the rubber on my shoe rubbing the crank, but it isn't that. Its loud enough for passers by to hear it.

I built the bike up myself and I know there's no rubber anywhere that could be making the noise. Squeaking isn't so bad I suppose... in other words I haven't got a clue what it could be.

Is the crank rubbing on the front mech as it goes past? If so slightly adjust the limit screws

Manc33

Chris Bass wrote:

Manc33 wrote:

I get a "squeak" noise once per revolution of the cranks in the rain if I pedal harder, seems to only be on the right side, I thought it was the rubber on my shoe rubbing the crank, but it isn't that. Its loud enough for passers by to hear it.

I built the bike up myself and I know there's no rubber anywhere that could be making the noise. Squeaking isn't so bad I suppose... in other words I haven't got a clue what it could be.

Is the crank rubbing on the front mech as it goes past? If so slightly adjust the limit screws

No because it happens on the granny ring, of a triple. In fact come to think of it I think it only happens on the granny ring. Maybe its something to do with having more torque on the back wheel. Its only since I fitted those old FC-B124 cranks. In dry weather I never hear it.

paulbnix

chrisgal wrote:

Check the chain ring bolts are tight. If it's still there I'd remove the BB, clean and replace using copper slip. Make sure to tighten to the correct torque.

That was the problem.

I have a 5 bolt crank and found that I could spin one of the bolts. It took a fair bit of force.
The other 4 were immovable.

I have managed to remove and refit all 5 bolts and eliminated the creak.

Manc33

Set up my triple chainset a few weeks ago and it was silent. Did a few rides on it, stayed silent. I checked the bolts are still tight after those few rides, they were. Still silent...

Now after a few weeks it creaks. :roll:

Could this have anything to do with having a 52t outer chainring that's only 110BCD?

chris_bass

what exactly creaks? the chainset itself? could it be the bottom bracket?

Out of curiosity why do you need a 52t outer chainring? you must have a very wide range of gears (don't you have a massive largest gear on the cassette and a tiny smallest chainring?)

Manc33

Chris Bass wrote:

what exactly creaks? the chainset itself? could it be the bottom bracket?

It could very well be the bottom bracket, but if it is doesn't that means it is loose?

This goes back to when I said I had my BB screwed in at a shop and I was expecting them to use a vice, but the guy just tightened it by hand with that unavailable Park Tool thing (looks like a gigantic wing nut). So I have been wary of it being tight enough the whole time.

Don't tell me every bike shop going back to antiquity uses those and my bottom bracket is the only one that ever creaked. :P

Chris Bass wrote:

Out of curiosity why do you need a 52t outer chainring? you must have a very wide range of gears (don't you have a massive largest gear on the cassette and a tiny smallest chainring?)

I had a 48t on that wasn't enough (on a 11t sprocket) and thought why not just slap a 52t on and see if the front mech still changes, its all OK.

Last night I was in the top gear going downhill thinking I had another gear left. I didn't need to change into it, its just when you think "I have got another gear there if need be" but I didn't. I was in the 52x11.

So if I had a 50t on I would notice it and be trying to change into the next gear that isn't there.

Should I just pedal quite hard and hope the BB tightens up (if it even is that)? What gets me is it wasn't creaking and now it is.

chris_bass

Isn't it just one of these?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-bottom- ... oval-tool/

I only have press fit or external bottom brackets so someone else might know better.

Creaking doesn't always mean loose, things need removing and regreasing from time to time.
Other things to check are the headset and stem bolts, it can be hard to tell where creaks are coming from

Manc33

Chris Bass wrote:

Isn't it just one of these?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-bottom- ... oval-tool/

I only have press fit or external bottom brackets so someone else might know better.

Creaking doesn't always mean loose, things need removing and regreasing from time to time.
Other things to check are the headset and stem bolts, it can be hard to tell where creaks are coming from

Nah the tool he used was about a foot wide like a big wing nut looking thing with the 20 spline tool in the middle. You can get a lot of leverage with it but I just thought on a vice was the only way to tighten it properly.

It isn't creaking now as much as when I had just put a new chain on.

I got a new problem - chain sticking together. If I wheel the bike forwards the pedals turn, that can't be right. :oops: Its just the chain being new though, that thick waxy stuff. Once its pedaled it loosens up again. This would hint that KMC chains are put together nice and tightly like it should be.

crikey

If I wheel the bike forwards the pedals turn, that can't be right.

...and what's the bit of the bike that is transferring force from the wheel to the chain called?
It has the cassette mounted on it...
It's the freehub isn't it?

Your freehub is getting sticky, not the chain...

Manc33

Was just about to post, it sounds like it is at the freehub, it only clicks once while the cassette "re-engages" on the splines - or thats what it sounds like. Is that clicking something inside the freehub and not the cassette clicking back into worn splines?

It makes that 11sp upgrade (that requires a new rear hub) more appealing. :P

I have got super cheap wheels on, standard ones that came on it (Triban 3). I'll just run the rear hub into the ground... but what happens if I leave it? One day the cranks will just spin around and the freehub internals won't engage at all?

chris_bass

At least you won't need a bell

Manc33

Swapped to my other wheels and voila, zero creaking.

Then again the rear hub on the wheel I took off has a value of something like £5 if that (the entire rear wheel brand new is currently on sale at £15 lol). So how much of that £15 is the rear hub?

First.Aspect

Manc33 wrote:

Swapped to my other wheels and voila, zero creaking.

Then again the rear hub on the wheel I took off has a value of something like £5 if that (the entire rear wheel brand new is currently on sale at £15 lol). So how much of that £15 is the rear hub?

So, when you bought that £15 wheel, did the guy take your money, run out of the shop laughing, jump into a car and speed off?

peterblencowe

I have just installed a new drivetrain but have this constant clicking/rubbing sound: occurs only when drivetrain is moving- and seems to come from the jockey wheels. See video to hear the sound:

https://youtu.be/eA0Jyebvgrw

Anyone idea what I've done wrong?

Thanks,

Pete

chrisgal

Does your B-tension screw need adjusted?

peterblencowe

Thanks Chris- the b screw is fine. In fact, I'Have ridden today and all seems fine when out on the road- can't hear it, so I'm happy! Thanks for the suggestion though

AdamJ

Yet another problem to keep this thread alive

What seems to be my bottom brakcet is making a loud click, mainly on the downstroke of my drive side. I have tightened and lubed everything and changed my pedals but it doesnt seem to help. Assuming it is the BB - what does it involve to replace it? Total newb here but i'd like to be able to maintain the bike myself. Its a CAADX Sora 2014 model, if anyone can provide links to the appropriate tools/parts i would need i would be eternally grateful

Took a vid today - note its not always the same volume, sometimes i cant hear it at all (but can still feel it a little)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHa2V_W ... e=youtu.be

dee4life2005

I had an annoying creak / cracking type noise that appeared once per pedal revolution. If i pedalled lightly I didn't get it, so I assumed it was BB, cranks or pedal related. Stripped them off the bike and it was fine for about 5 miles then gradually returned.

After some further diagnosis, I swapped to my other wheelset and it went away. Put those other wheels back on and it came back again after a few miles. Turns out that the quick release was needing some grease and a general clean. Noise gone now for over 200 miles

shinsplint

Hi guys, looking for some help with an annoying tick i'm now getting.

Bike is a Felt F5, and i've recently eliminated an awful creaking by simply replacing the cleats. Pedals are Ultegra carbons.

I have also recently carried out the following work:

Replaced BB30 and chainset with an FSA threaded sleeve adapter (secured with Loctite) and an Ultegra chainset (52/36).

New KMC chain fitted.

What I have noticed is some play in my rear wheels (Easton EA90 SLX with R4 hubs), so i'm thinking it could be wheel related. Is it common to get a tick sound from hubs?

Other possibilty is the bottom bracket, something related to the new sleeve adapter, but I really doubt that as it is a very solid piece of kit and I used plenty of Loctite.

Could it be worth stripping the Ultegra pedals?? They've only had light use.

As for the ticking, its generally around once per revolution, it can comes and goes depending on the load.

Any help much appreciated.

imatfaal

Twice I have started looking around the bike for a strange creak/tick - and both times it was the saddle. It is hard to tell (for me at least) where the noise originates from; but you tend to investigate the moving parts first so the saddle gets left till end. Both times this was a once per pedal stroke sound

davem399

I was plagued with a creak every pedal stroke. I eventually tracked it down to a slightly loose saddle clamp. I nipped it up and it went away. I even bought a new bottom bracket as I was convinced it was the problem. It's surprising how difficult it can be to track down a creak as they "travel" through the frame and appear to come from just about anywhere on the bike!

davidwilcock

Hi

I have a problem, my chain (when on the small chain ring) bounces and knocks on the chain stay when i freewheel and hit any sort of mildy rough terrain. I thought this might be because my chain is too long but it looks reasonable when compared to others. Is this the issue?

Also maybe related maybe unrelated - my pedals go round like its a fixed gear when i push the bike along. I can stop it by holding the pedal without a lot of force but it seems weird. I am lubing the pawls now. Will this stop that issue?

Many thanks all

Manc33

davidwilcock wrote:

Hi

I have a problem, my chain (when on the small chain ring) bounces and knocks on the chain stay when i freewheel and hit any sort of mildy rough terrain. I thought this might be because my chain is too long but it looks reasonable when compared to others. Is this the issue?

Also maybe related maybe unrelated - my pedals go round like its a fixed gear when i push the bike along. I can stop it by holding the pedal without a lot of force but it seems weird. I am lubing the pawls now. Will this stop that issue?

Many thanks all

It sounds like you put a new chain on and didn't take any links out?

Mine went like a fixed gear when wheeling it forwards on a brand new chain because of that sticky stuff they use. About the chain being loose - is the rear mech swingarm approximately vertical to the ground when its on the middle chainring (or the inner of a double) and the biggest sprocket at the back? If so then it is right, or you might get away with taking an inch or two out, making sure big>big won't shatter your drivetrain.

David Wilcock, are you named after the David Wilcock from "Source Field Investigations" and others?

Imagine it.

Tony__B

In May this year I bought a Giant Defy Advanced Pro 1 from my local Giant store. After about a month it developed an annoying creak that I simply couldn't diagnose. So I took it back to the store early for its six-week shakedown service, told them about it and sure enough they resolved it. Then after a few more blissfully quiet evening rides I took the bike to France on holiday.

As soon as I started riding up hills the creak was back with a vengeance. It got worse and worse as the week went on and was driving me mad. I rode up Alpe d'Huez with the damn thing creaking like a old lady's rusty bike. It sounded for all the world like the creak was coming from around the bottom bracket and like others on this thread I started to worry that it was a problem with the carbon frame. First day back in the UK I was back in the Giant store, armed with a video taken on my phone (in which the creak was clearly audible), expressing my displeasure at the recurrence of a fault that had supposedly been resolved, and at the fact that what should have been a dream cycling experience on an expensive bike had been ruined by the infuriating creaking noise.

Within five minutes of my leaving the store the mechanic had realized the cause; the seatpost. In order to put the bike in the car I'd lowered the saddle by undoing the bolt that sits on the seat tube to release the seatpost, and then when I took the bike out of the car I raised the saddle and re-tightened it. Unfortunately this little bolt has to be tightened with a torque wrench to exactly 6n/m or the seatpost creaks. The mechanic told me that even at 5n/m it'll creak. So before I go abroad again with the bike I'll need a torque wrench!

What is interesting is that I never, ever worked out that that was the source of the noise - and not for lack of trying (I was pretty keen to solve the problem). I listened and listened and I would have sworn that the noise was from the bottom bracket. I note that this is a common theme elsewhere in this thread!

imatfaal

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19678228#p19678228]Tony__B[/url] wrote:

In May this year I bought a Giant Defy Advanced Pro 1 from my local Giant store. After about a month it developed an annoying creak that I simply couldn't diagnose. So I took it back to the store early for its six-week shakedown service, told them about it and sure enough they resolved it. Then after a few more blissfully quiet evening rides I took the bike to France on holiday.

As soon as I started riding up hills the creak was back with a vengeance. It got worse and worse as the week went on and was driving me mad. I rode up Alpe d'Huez with the damn thing creaking like a old lady's rusty bike. It sounded for all the world like the creak was coming from around the bottom bracket and like others on this thread I started to worry that it was a problem with the carbon frame. First day back in the UK I was back in the Giant store, armed with a video taken on my phone (in which the creak was clearly audible), expressing my displeasure at the recurrence of a fault that had supposedly been resolved, and at the fact that what should have been a dream cycling experience on an expensive bike had been ruined by the infuriating creaking noise.

Within five minutes of my leaving the store the mechanic had realized the cause; the seatpost. In order to put the bike in the car I'd lowered the saddle by undoing the bolt that sits on the seat tube to release the seatpost, and then when I took the bike out of the car I raised the saddle and re-tightened it. Unfortunately this little bolt has to be tightened with a torque wrench to exactly 6n/m or the seatpost creaks. The mechanic told me that even at 5n/m it'll creak. So before I go abroad again with the bike I'll need a torque wrench!

What is interesting is that I never, ever worked out that that was the source of the noise - and not for lack of trying (I was pretty keen to solve the problem). I listened and listened and I would have sworn that the noise was from the bottom bracket. I note that this is a common theme elsewhere in this thread!

Tony - you can buy little one torque setting wrenches - they are not much bigger than a bic lighter with the bit fitted at the mid-point. Will dig out a link and post

edit - there are others but this was the first I found with a 6Nm option
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/tools/torque-wrench/product/review-snap-on-incorporated-cdi-torque-preset-t-handle-45182/

cgraley77

Any help would be appreciated!

I have a squeak coming from the rear wheel area. High pitched (the sound you would expect to hear from two unlubricated surfaces moving against each other). I thought I had dialled it down to dry jockey wheels but after re greasing the bushings etc today the squeak is still there. Other notes:

- This has stayed over new pedals and chain fittings and so they can be ruled out.
- The squeak happens when the bike is pedalled both upright and upside down.
- I have greased the QR contact points with the rear drop out
- i have greased the free hub body where it contacts the cassette
- The squeak is not there when coasting/freewheeling
- The squeak is not from the BB as it is not there when the chain is disengaged
- It appears random with regards to gears and cadences but is more common when in the big ring and at higher cadences

This leads me to think it is the hub/wheel bearings in some way, but a high pitched squeak as described isn't what I'd expect from these. I'm hoping to try a friends wheel in a few days to double check it is definitely the wheel but in the meantime, does anyone have any ideas or advice as this is driving me mental!

Thanks

bianchi_dave

cgraley -
Have you checked your freehub is suitably tight - most are secured by a large allen key bolt through the centre of the axle (10mm size on the drive side on shimano but some differ slightly). Also worth putting grease (if you haven't already) on the QR spindle prior to refitting to wheel.

cgraley77

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19690430#p19690430]Bianchi Dave[/url] wrote:

cgraley -
Have you checked your freehub is suitably tight - most are secured by a large allen key bolt through the centre of the axle (10mm size on the drive side on shimano but some differ slightly). Also worth putting grease (if you haven't already) on the QR spindle prior to refitting to wheel.

@BianchiDave
Thanks for the advice. I actually managed to solve the squeak a couple of days after posting and had forgot about the post!

It turned out the squeak was caused by the drive-side 'dust-cap', where it screwed into the inside of the freehub (hard to explain). I finally discovered it was this after unscrewing and hearing the dreaded high pitched squeak during one rotation whilst screwing back in. A very weird problem I must admit but very pleased to have solved it with some well-placed grease!

pirnie

Hi All,

I have an intermittent clicking noise on my winter bike that's driving me mad. It seems to mostly happen when I'm pedaling (although very occasionaly when i'm freewheeling) and whether I'm in or out the saddle. It also doens't seem to be linked to either wheel, crank or chain rotation (not the same point on the pedal stroke, doesn't increase frequency with speed etc) and it doesn't get any better or worse if I put a lot of power through the pedals (it mostly happens when I'm just spinning really gently!). It's also really intermittent, sometimes there'll be 5-15 clicks in a row and other times just one, then silence for a while and then it returns.

My current thinking is it must be either the BB, or the pedals. Anything else I might have missed?

Thanks in advance!

wolfsbane2k

On a 5 week old btwin 500se, I've currently got a horrid clicking from what feels like the front mech/bottom/bracket area when my drive side pedal is at the 2 o'clock position.

I originally thought it was a loose crank or pedal, or just a chainring, but spend last night taking the cranks, pedals off off, regreasing them, and re-installing them, and tightening all of the chain ring bolts.

Re-fettled the gears to account for cable stretch and managed to make the gear changes worse!

None of this made any difference on today's ride in.

Next step is probably a BB (octalink) remove, check and re-fit, but any other recommendations would be appreciated, as I would like to try and fix this before I take it back to Decathlon for it's 3 month service - purely, so I know I can fix this in the future.

Ta