Road Cycling - Ultegra BB ticking

Hi all

I have a < 1 year old Merlin Fortius fitted with Ultegra.

In the last few weeks I have noticed an irregular ticking coming from
(I [/I]THINK [I] the BB. Only happens while seated and pedaling. If I
stand, the ticking stops. I have put it on a stand and rotated the pedals
with the brake on...no ticking.

The ticks are very irregular...no correlation with where the pedals are.

Any thoughts? Figured I'd try posting here before taking it over to LBS.

Any help apperciated

Sounds like a dry bearing. Unfortunately, the only solution is replacement.

what it could also be...which happened to me...is that the cassette was slightly loose. A lateral wobble. So once in awhile I would get a ticking sound or occasionally a grind. Got that tightened and no sounds since.

Take your seatpost out, grease it, and then see what happens. I had the same maddening situation last summer and it was a little bit of grease that solved the problem.

(It was the out-of-the-seat thing that tipped me.)

-Seat
-Pedals
-Cleats
-Crank Arms
-Chainrings
-Bracket (various possibilities)

-The zipper on your under the saddle bag

Maddening boogers those damn ticks are. I agree with Dobber along with checking for a loose cassette.

55/Rad

It could also be the chain. My LBS could not figure out mt ticking for the life of them, until one guys tried changing out the chain. No ticking since.

http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/techctr/maintenance/crank_noises.html

try greasing your seat rails... I've had 2 saddles do this to me.. my New Brooks is still doing this.... might need to add a bit more

jeff

Happened to me twice. I think the key is the fact that there is no regular nature to it. Look to your chain. Clean it good. (Take it off this time) If that doesn't fix it, replace it. It's a lot cheaper than replacing the BB

What kind of pedals are you using. I have Look 5.1 pedals and I had the most annoying click for a long time. I took the pedals off, cleaned and lubed them and magically the clicking disappeared.

What kind of pedals are you using. I have Look 5.1 pedals and I had the most annoying click for a long time. I took the pedals off, cleaned and lubed them and magically the clicking disappeared.

I'm using Shimano SPD pedals. I have tried pedaling easily with soft soled shoes with no cleats, and the
noise persists, so it does not appear to be the pedal/cleat connection. But I may try clean/lube anyway. Can't hurt.

Only happens while seated and pedaling.


my money is on the seatpost or saddle, as well.

pull the post, check the post and the seat tube for flaws or cracks.

grease the post, grease the binder bolt, grease the saddle clamp and all bolts up there, grease everything!

tighten it all up and let us know what happens.

Make sure your skewers are nicely lubed.

That more or less solved a creaking problem I had.

My money is on the seatpost/saddle area based on the standing comment. With a ti bike strange noises can pop up from time to time as well. No grease on the post-anti seize is what you want.

If its the seat/seat post it should be easy to isolate. It could be the pedals, try swapping out the pedals. If it is your bb, it could be the coming from the connection of the cups to the shell. Try teflon tape (you could get it from a hardware store). Start the bb cups about a 1/3 of the way in an apply one full wrap of tape. Be sure to start the cup first, otherwise you rise cross threading the thing. ;)

Well, it was the seatpost after all. Simply tightening the bolts at the seatpost and under the saddle seems to have done the trick.

Many thanks to all responders for links/suggestions. As Waldo and the LBS owner pointed out, Ti (and AL) bikes tend to develop creaks and ticks on occasion.

BTW...I absolutely _LOVE_ the Merlin. I put Ksyrium SSC SLs and Vittoria EVO CX tires on, and it is just an absolute joy to ride....when it doesn't creak or click!

-- Ed "Wish I were out riding" Friedman --