Road Cycling - Middle chain ring clicking

I like my bike to ride quietly, and I'm bothered by a clicking noise
when riding the middle chainring. It seems to click twice per
revolution. Has anyone else experienced this?

I don't think it's caused by the front derailer, since it happens for
any rear gear (i.e, its not chain-rub). And it only affects the middle
chainring. The bike is a Bianchi Vigorelli, I think it's all Ultegra except
for SRAM rear cassette).

Thanks for any help!

I like my bike to ride quietly, and I'm bothered by a clicking noise
when riding the middle chainring. It seems to click twice per
revolution.

Check the tightness of your chainring bolts. I would suggest you use a torque-wrench to make sure they're evenly torqued.

My old Schwinn Paramount had a similar problem. Another thing it could be is if it only happens in the bottom of the cassette in the middle ring, it could be the chain hitting the shifting pins on big chainring.

Apparantly this problem is more widespread than I initially thought, and it's exacerbated by short chainstays and narrow BB spindles. You could also have a tight link in your chain.

A friend of mine just went throught that with his brand new Ultegra equipped Serotta. Middle chain ring only. It turned out to be a defective chain ring. Removed and replaced by LBS and everything is Okey Dokey now.

A friend of mine just went throught that with his brand new Ultegra equipped Serotta. Middle chain ring only. It turned out to be a defective chain ring. Removed and replaced by LBS and everything is Okey Dokey now.

Interesting...I'll have my LBS check it out, along with tightening
everything up to spec. Doesn't seem to be chain related, since it occurs
on every revolution of the cranks. Thanks for the help

Hate to break it to you, but if it's happening every revolution or twice a revolution as you initially stated, theres a VERY GOOD CHANCE it's chain related. Think about it.

Also, I can't ever say I've seen a defective chainring. MtnMan, what exactly was wrong with his chainring???

I like my bike to ride quietly, and I'm bothered by a clicking noise
when riding the middle chainring. It seems to click twice per
revolution. Has anyone else experienced this?

I don't think it's caused by the front derailer, since it happens for
any rear gear (i.e, its not chain-rub). And it only affects the middle
chainring. The bike is a Bianchi Vigorelli, I think it's all Ultegra except
for SRAM rear cassette).

Thanks for any help!

I have the EXACT same problem occuring on a newly built-up bike with Ultegra crankset. Did you ever find out what this was? Thanks.

I have the EXACT same problem occuring on a newly built-up bike with Ultegra crankset. Did you ever find out what this was? Thanks.

On my bike it was a loose crankset/BB. Had it tightened up, and all was fine after that.

My brand new bike w/ Ultegra has the problem too. I thought the bike just needed "breaking in". I'll be bringing it back to lbs next. If any has answer to this problem, please post it.

MtnMan, what exactly was wrong with his chainring???

All I heard is that is was a manufacturing defect. My friend could not see anything visually
wrong with the part nor could the shop. Based on the number of "middle chain ring clicks" that
I have read about with the Ultegra Group on all the BBs, ShimaNo must have got a bad
batch of parts. That, of course, is my oppinion only.

My brand new bike w/ Ultegra has the problem too. I thought the bike just needed "breaking in". I'll be bringing it back to lbs next. If any has answer to this problem, please post it.

I actually called up Shimano and the tech said that sometimes he's heard of some of the "pins" clicking against the chain on the middle chainring and that it usually goes away when the wear down a bit but that I could send them the chainring and they would replace it. Based on all of the evidence at this point, it seems like the chainring itself because BB/crank are torqued fine and it only occurs on the middle chainring and it occurs over the entire range of back cogs. I'm going to fix it one way or another and will post my response when it's fixed.

The clicking noise you hear while using the middle chainring on an ultegra tripple is caused by the chain tapping against the steel lift ramps on the chainring, which are riveted on slightly too high. This is considered a defect in manufacturing. :)