Frequent Irregular Clunk Felt Through Pedals

alesupper
alesupper Posts: 286
edited July 2016 in Workshop
Hi

I've got this annoying clunk that I can feel come through the pedals. It happens frequently (eg every 3-5 complete revolutions) but not at regular patters. I've checked every link in my chain and all seems fine. The crank arm is on tight, the pedals feel very smooth so I am at a loss as to the cause? By the way, I can't hear the clunk but can definitely feel it.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Comments

  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    Are you using a quick link?
  • alesupper
    alesupper Posts: 286
    Yes I use the Wipperman quick link.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Possibly on the 'wrong'way.. check their website /YT for correct way fitting that link... it's a Wippermann feature ... or use a KMC.. then it dont matter.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    If it is chain related, then it might be worth riding in eg 50-25; that way the noise will occur at the same crank arm positions each turn of the pedal and you can pretty much rule anything else out.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Alex99
    Alex99 Posts: 1,407
    alesupper wrote:
    Hi

    I've got this annoying clunk that I can feel come through the pedals. It happens frequently (eg every 3-5 complete revolutions) but not at regular patters. I've checked every link in my chain and all seems fine. The crank arm is on tight, the pedals feel very smooth so I am at a loss as to the cause? By the way, I can't hear the clunk but can definitely feel it.

    Has anyone else experienced this?

    Possibly rear wheel bearings. Try a different wheel is you can to rule this out.
  • alesupper
    alesupper Posts: 286
    Thanks for the suggestions guys, much appreciated. I will try a both of those tonight after work and report back.
  • antonyfromoz
    antonyfromoz Posts: 482
    I had the same thing happening on my commuting bike and, after thinking it was due to the chain ring moving when pedalling (I had removed my compact chain rings and fitted a NW single) I found it was an issue with the free hub skipping or not engaging properly every now and again. I replaced the springs and the pawls and this cleared it up for a while but it has started to reoccur intermittently again.
  • alesupper
    alesupper Posts: 286
    antonyfromoz wrote:
    I had the same thing happening on my commuting bike and, after thinking it was due to the chain ring moving when pedalling (I had removed my compact chain rings and fitted a NW single) I found it was an issue with the free hub skipping or not engaging properly every now and again. I replaced the springs and the pawls and this cleared it up for a while but it has started to reoccur intermittently again.

    Cheers, I will also look at that.
  • alesupper
    alesupper Posts: 286
    Hi All

    It turned out to be the Wipperman quick link that was causing this. To be fair I have probably had this link for donkeys years, on several chains, so it was probably well stretched and out of shape.

    Thanks to everyone who responded to my post.
  • crankycrank
    crankycrank Posts: 1,830
    JGSI wrote:
    Possibly on the 'wrong'way.. check their website /YT for correct way fitting that link... it's a Wippermann feature ... or use a KMC.. then it dont matter.
    Did you try JGSI's recommendation ^^^ before switching to a new link?
  • alesupper
    alesupper Posts: 286
    Yeah it was definitely on the right way round. Just very stretched I imagine.

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