'14 Boardman Team Carbon...click, click, click

CypriotSid

Hi All,

Sorry that my first post has to be a negative one, but it is borne out of sheer frustration and I hope some knowledgeable folk, will be able to assist.

I live overseas. A few years back I suffered a family tragedy that led to depression - don't worry, i won't go into details. Eventually a year or so ago, I decided to 'get in' to cycling, for a personal goal. I have really grown into it and find being out and about a great motivator. I decided to take it further and step up to a decent road bike. On my budget, reading all reviews, the 2014 Boardman Team Carbon seemed to tick all the boxes. So, against better judgement (I'm an accountant and hate spending money!) I took the plunge and spent my £1k.

The first ride - awesome........thereafter, I have been without the bike more that I have had it. From the second ride onwards, every rotation of the pedals has been accompanied by a very loud 'click', when the left pedal is pushed down. I know the noise is increased due to the carbon resonating, but people turn and look from 50m away! It's blooming annoying and increases under extra load/uphill.

I have taken the bike back to the importer twice. He has been very helpful, changed the bearings re-greased etc and sent me on my way. Each time thereafter, 1k into a new ride, the clicking is back. It does not stop. He has promised he will get to the bottom of it, but i don't think he gets my concern that a £1k bike has an issue that he says 'will get sorted and its ok to ride'. For me, the noise should not be there.

I have done some research and all that pops up are known issues with BB30? He says its not this as the bearings have been changed? I am no expert, but I don't agree. It's an FSA set up as standard from Halfords.

https://youtu.be/H-_u3Bis8CY

I know carbons can make noise, but surely this can be rectified? I have also read of the conversion kit available to go away from BB30 - but should I really be expected to pay for this on a 2 month old bike that has been like this pretty much out the box and covered less than 500km?

Thanks in advance for any tips/advice and hopefully cures!

Cheers, Si

pinno

Long process of elimination.

Check:

1.Pedal cleats.
2. Rear jockey wheels.
3. Rear Mech alignment - if it is not aligned properly, you may see wear marks on the jockey wheel cage which may indicate this.
4. The jockey wheel cage may be bent. Find a gear where the chain is in a perfect straight line and visually check the position of the rear mech. See if the chain looks like it could be too close to the cage.
5. Freewheel - take the wheel off and feel it as you rotate it.
6. Pedals.
7. Loose Chain ring bolts - very common problem. The clicks sound like loose chain ring bolts.
8. Bottom Bracket.
9. Check the chain for a link that is protruding. ie, when it was assembled, the link pin (providing it wasn't a quick link) was pushed in too far and is hitting something. If the link is pushed too far towards the frame, it may not click in 1st gear. If it is the other way (unlikely) it will click in all positions except the smallest cog.
10. Loose spokes (unlikely but possible).
11. Front mech too low and coming into contact with the large chain ring.
12. Front mech poorly aligned.
13. Far out possibility - chainset coming into contact with the frame. I doubt it because it would be a different sound.

As it was transported in a box, something may have been knocked and therefore misaligned.
The clicks don't seem to be regular which suggests chain. It may be worth taking the chain off and turn the chainset over and do checks to see if you can elicit a click.

Bear in mind that the click(s) may only occur whilst there is a bit of pressure on the transmission. I doubt that it is anything other than a transmission fault but then that is where there are the most moving parts.

Good luck.

dee4life2005

Couple of quick things I'd try - you've probably ruled these out already, but just in case.

1) Check you're right foot isn't catching the front derailleur gear cable on each pedal revolution. This might only be evident when on one of the chainrings at the front though.
2) Check that the pedals are tightened to the axles correctly - might be worth removing them and re-greasing the threads and re-installing.
3) Check the quick release skewers are tight. If they are a fraction loose you can get a click like this as the torque from pedalling pulls the wheel sideways a tiny fraction. I'd check both front/back wheels for this, and maybe tighten a fraction just to rule this out.
4) Saddle rails, another source of clicking on pedal revolutions. A quick squirt of GT85 or similar at the contact points is usually enough to silence it long enough to rule this out.

svetty

Click coincides mainly with L powerstroke. Could be L cleat - pedal interface or L pedal spindle/ crank. Can you feel it as well as hear it?
Does it occur when riding out of the saddle?
It's rather a 'hollow ' sounding click......
Seat post flexing in seat tube/clamp? or even ?? a crack in the frame flexing??

CypriotSid

Thanks for the replies! Much appreciated. I will give everything a once over, but I'm pretty new working my way around the bike. It's def only on the left stroke and still occurs when I'm out of the saddle. I previously ruled the cleats/pedals out on the basis that the click was also present when I was off the bike and when I rolled the bike fwd and backwards.

The click is like someone flick'ing their fingernail directly on to the carbon/plastic.

Sincerely hope it's not a crack in the frame.....never come off the bike or dropped it, so can't see how it would be.

apreading

I have had a boardman hybrid for 4 years - ran very quiet until I decided to upgrade chainset and bottom bracket to Ultegra and at the same time fit a new cassette and chain. Since then I have had this clicking under load from the right crank at about the 3 o clock position and have stripped and greased just about everything - several times! Also tried two other sets of pedals (as I had spares), two sets of shoes and earlier this week got the bike shop to remove and refit the bottom bracket and chainset. Still clicked. One more try last night, I removed and cleaned the cassette, refitted & made sure it was tight, greased the wheel dropouts, new skewers and tightened the chainring bolts to more than the torque that Shimano say. Seemed quiet tonight although I have had the odd quiet ride when stripping and regreasing before so I am not counting my chickens...

I know that I get a clicking every 6 months or so, which is the seatpost - I have learned that and a quick clean/regrease fixes it for another 6 months. This latest click was almost only when out of the saddle though - so I knew it wasnt that.

Certainly you need to verify if it still clicks when standing - to rule out seatpost/saddle issues. Once you have done that, things I have tried were much as above:

Remove pedals and make sure you have greased the threads and done them up tight
Remove all chainring bolts, grease and fit them tight
Make sure crank bolts are greased and done up tight
make sure cassette is done up tight
make sure stem/headset done up tight
make sure skewers are done up tight and maybe try some grease in the wheel dropouts
Push fit/BB30 bottom brackets are commonly creaking/clicking and need to be fitted carefully and possibly get the frame faced to ensure both sides are perfectly parallel

If you still have some flat pedals that maybe came with the bike, does it click when using these and normal shoes? Would help rule something out.

CypriotSid

Thanks AP.

I am taking the bike to the dealer today. He is going to have another look all over. Unfortunately it didn't come with flats. But the guy owns a biking holiday rental/hire unit (solely boardman bikes) and seems to know his stuff, so hopefully he can use some spares to eliminate things, through what seems will be a long process of elimination.

Fingers crossed!

jgsi

The click seems to be in time with crank rotation... primary suspect would be the bb area.
All i'd suggest is if you are not mechanically minded then finding an experienced bike mechanic is key ... and yes bikes to keep them tip top always need a b it of tlc.... they are not like modern cars... just drive and forget until eventually they break leaving you stranded.
For example if you dont have a long handled 10mm hex key or 10mm hex bolt on a quality torque wrench, you are already on the back foot as regards bb30.

CypriotSid

Took the bike back today and he fully stripped down the bottom bracket and put it all back together. Still not fixed. But then, by the power of a magic spanner and a tightening of the pedals...... Boom and the click is gone! Well at least for now!

Thanks all!