bagel007

I bought my bike less than 4 months ago. I'm riding on average 10 miles a day, mostly MUP.

Last time I visited my LBS with a clicking sound coming from either the crankset or the wheel, the technical manager looked at the chain, did some measurement and said the chain is used up. I got the chain replacement for free, as the store give one year free maintenance.

How come a chain could be in such bad shape after three months of use on a new bike? Any ideas what could be the reason(s) that the chain was all used up after such a short period of time?? I was cleaning the chain regularly with an old towell, spraying it with Rost Off (recommended by the LBS), removing pieces of dirt on the all the parts that the chain is passing through or touching, lubricating the front and rear derailleur parts and what not.

(BTW, it didn't fix the clicking sound. After that technical manager opened the wheels hub and did some work on it. The clicking is almost gone. Almost. But from time to time I hear a cracking sound. I must add that before all that the mechanics did some work on BB, tuned derailleurs -- saying that the chain was rubbing adjacent cogs and even replaced pedals, as they couldn't figure out what's causing the clicking sound.)

Bike: Giant Cypress 2009.

Ex Pres 

cheap chain. your maintenance sounds OK.

operator

Lol.

If the chain is that worn out then they must've replaced the rear cogset, or most used chainring as well. The fact that it didn't solve the noise problem means they were giving you this excuse in the ass without any ****ing lube.

Noises on a bike are notoriously hard to diagnose, they can be anything and everything.

bagel007

They didn't say anything about replacing the rear cogset or the middle chainring (which I use it mostly).

It was about third time I was in the shop complaining about the clicking noise. This time I came with my audio-recording of the clicking sound. They even took the bike for a spin around two blocks and said there is no clicking. Well, what about this sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK7V5dTnUoA
I asked them with my old audio tape-recorded in my hands.

That sound is gone, or at least I cannot hear it. But now there is a new, crack-crack sound that appears from time to time. Never when cruising.

Panthers007

Same thing on a brand new Trek 7.5 FX last year. Less than 100 miles - and the chain - the LBS said under warranty - was stretched and needed replacing. They gave me a free SRAM. I swear that shop steals new chains off their bikes and replaces 'em with stuff from their dumpster. With those clowns - it's more than likely.

bagel007

Especially those sounds you cannot replicate on the workstand.

In my case I was doubting myself, since previously one of the mechanics and also the shop owner took the bike for a spin. Both came back saying that they don't hear anything and the bike is 100% OK. That forced me to attach my old audio-tape recorder to the seat-stay, turn it on as I left my house and ride to the MUP that is just about 1 mile away. I could hear very pronounced and systematic click-click-click sound even on a flat trail, with applying only mild force on the pedals the moment I shifted to the 4th and 5th gear in the rear and keeping the chain on the middle ring in the front. And all that showed up on the 30-minutes tape-recording.

I was in the bike shop for more than 3.5 hours. It was like that: "Aaahh, that's the BB!" said the mechanics. They did the work on it and said "Try it now". I took the bike riding around two blocks, two spins, listening to the bike. The same click-click-click. I came back with "Sorry, no change, still clicking" response. "Aaaah, that's that the rear gear alignment, the chain is rubbing adjacent cogs" they said. They did the work, I took it for two spins ... and I came back with the same "Sorry, no change, still clicking" response. "Aaaah, maybe the pedals!" They changed the pedals, and so on. After a while the technical manager got involved in all this and he said someting like "OK guys, it's the chain, all used up!" After some measurements, they replaced the chain. Once again, two spins around the block and I'm back with the same disappointing response. Finally, the technical manager said "I think I got it" and did some work on the hub. When I took it for two or three-spins ride, that's the first time I heard significant difference in sounds the bike was emitting. There was some sound, but it was not the systematic "click-click-click" sound as before. But I couldn't be 100% sure -- it was already early hours of the afternoon and all the streets I was test-riding the bike were filled with cars. So I came back, telling him that it seems that he really got it and it seems that the click-click-click sound went away and I'll take the bike home.

Now, from time to time, I hear this "crack" sound coming from the same area as was the "click-click-click" sound. And once again, only when pedaling, even on flat segment of the trail. I must say, I'm a bit worried about it. When I hear that sound, it's like "What a heck was it? Did I ride over some branch or debris? Is the chain dry or out of place somewhere -- or what?". Otherwise, the bike handles perfectly, so...

iareConfusE

.. sounds like you need a new bike... literally. Where did you buy this bike from?

reptilezs

where do you think the noise is coming from?? how much do you weigh? are you cross chaining? 900 miles is not too much for a chain.

bagel007

1. Not sure exactly where the noise is coming from. Somewhere between the chainset and the wheel hub.
2. I weigh 178 lb
3. Cross chaining? No. Mostly using the middle chainring and with that the rear gear is between 2nd and 6th. Downshifting -- I don't shift to the smallest chainring unless I'm in the 4th rear gear (the 4th biggest cog). Almost not using the biggest chainring. That means, I would upshift to the biggest chainring only if the 7th rear gear wouldn't be fast enough. Also, very rarelly using the the 1st rear gear (the biggest cog).

DieselDan

Does the noise happen when pedaling, coasting, or both?

johnknappcc

Get a new LBS.

StanSeven

Sounds like chain stretch. The rear derailleur cable needs adjusting after 500 miles or so due to "cable stretch." That makes shifting off a little, especially in the middle gears. All you need to do is turn the cable barrel adjustment a few clicks to tighten the cable tension.

tanguy frame

could be your saddle. or handle bars.

Panthers007

+10