Bicycle Mechanics - Strange Sound with Rohloff(?)

Hi all,

Have a Bike Friday New World Tourist equipped with a Rohloff hub. Purchased a little under a year ago and only up to about 1800 kms. Just recently, I noticed a slight, dull click-click sound while riding.

When I am sitting and drifting along with my pedals perfectly horizontal I don't hear it but the moment that I change the position of the pedals I do and it seems to be most pronounced when it is at the 12-6 position. I don't hear this sound when I walk the bike nor do I hear this sound when I walk the bike and put my weight on it by laying my chest atop the saddle.

I am pretty sure that it is something to do with the drivetrain/Rohloff but I could be wrong. I've checked over the bike a couple of times and can't see what else it could be.

Any suggestions would be appreciated or even maybe someone saying that this is normal for such a bike/drivetrain? Thanks!

Rats! Put this in the wrong forum...should have been in Mechanics...can a mod move this please?

Sounds can transmit along the frame quite easily. Can you isolate crank area from the rear hub area?

Though the bike isn't old, there shouldn't be issues with pedals or even the BB for that matter. But one never knows. Whenever I get a clicking sound I immediately look at the pedals first, followed by the BB.

I've never had my Rohloff make any other sound than the whirring.

It does not seem to be likely it is the hub IMO as pedal position is not related to any particular parts positions in the rear hub as they are not geared together at 1 to 1.

I certainly have not noted anything similar with my Civia Hyland with Rohloff hub.

I am beginning to regret the title of this thread because now I don't think that it's the Rohloff but I won't rule it out either.

Ok, so I spent 45 mins cycling around the parking area and here is what I've found:

- The only common denominator to reproduce the sound is that it needs weight. More than just me walking alongside the bike with my chest pressing down on the saddle.
- I can feel the sound/click and it's coming from somewhere beneath me.
- The earlier observation that the pedals need to be in a certain position is incorrect. The sound comes no matter what position the pedals are at. There are certain positions where the sound is not present but when I try to come back to those the sound reappears.
- The sound appears even if I do not put any weight on the pedals themselves (rats...should have rode along with my feet out of them).
- The sound does not need me to be sitting on the saddle itself, just standing in the pedals and cruising along is enough.

I had originally thought a few days ago that it was a spoke problem but nothing is wrong with them so far as I can tell. Pedals are checked every week (lesson learned after one fell off on another bike and had to ride home with one pedal for about 15 kms) but no idea how to check the BB. In my experience, hubs and BBs do not fail, well, not when there are good components involved.

Please keep the ideas coming! Thanks!

P.S. I weigh about 165 lbs now...urgh.