rommer25

I have a 2013 Fuji Absolute 3.0. It's got about 1200 miles on it. I ride to and from work a couple of times a week. I also trade off, riding my old Cannondale H400.

I have noticed a click coming from the bottom bracket (crank area). It is one click per revolution, only when a load is put on the crank, like going up a hill or increasing speed. I am considering taking it to the shop. My one year guarantee from Performance expired 10 days ago.

What I want to ask is: is it common for such a bike to do this? I am 250 pounds and ride with a 20 pound bag. I've experienced no other problems with the bike: wheels are still true and the gear adjustment is still accurate. Any advice would be appreciated.

FBinNY 

Once or twice per turn crank creaks or clicks are probably the hardest diagnostic in all of bike repair. That's because there are so many causes, and places for the clicking to come from. Even expert mechanics can be fooled into taking BBs apart for something that turns out to be axle flex in the dropout.

I always start from the simplest elimination, even if it's not the likeliest, because it feels so dumb to co complex work only to find it was simple.

So remove both pedals and replace with any to others on the off chance that it's in the pedal or pedal threads. If it still clicks, clean the threads, and reinstall the original pedals and tighten about 25% more than you normally do. If nothing changed, you know it's not the pedals, and at this point given your experience and the the just out of warranty, let the shop take the next steps.

Panthers007

Sometimes a clicking-sound indicates a chain being too long - often by one link. When you have your bike in the neutral (parking) gears of chain-on-smallest cog in the cassette in the rear and small chain-ring up front, what position are the two wheels on the rear derailleur? Ideally they should be at roughly 8 o'clock and 2 o'clock. In other words: At about a 45 degree angle to one another.

I see countless cases of these being at a 9 - 3 o'clock position. The reason being that many shops don't bother to properly size a chain before giving the bike to the customer.

Good luck!

Andrew R Stewart 

Unless the rider was riding in the small/small crossover combo (which is not recommended) I doubt that a link more chain length will produce a clicking. For the chain to make a noise it has to be striking something not usually contacted.

I do strongly agree with Francis though. This type of diagnosis is challenging at best. We usually first check for any play in the parts, any loose fittings, any worn parts (and wear is not only mileage driven). We try to duplicate the conditions that the noise happens within. We try to break down when the noise happens and when not. But this often requires that the bike be ridden on roads (hills, rough surfaces) that are not in the back parking lot of the LBS. I ask the listers here if they are willing to pay their mechanic to ride the bike for as long as it takes to hear/feel the nose. 5 minutes is about $5, at 15mph that's about 1.2 miles. I really "like" the descriptions of noises when they say that it takes "X" number of miles before the noise starts. (I've always attributed this claim to the rider getting tired and or away from the noise of congested areas).

For the typical crank area noises we initially tighten all external fittings (and there are a lot of them, far more then most think about) then replace the easy parts (like the pedals that Francis mentions) before moving on to service that require more time and take apart. But there are some cases where we take all apart and reassemble but don't know the culprit that is finally quiet. Andy.

FBinNY 

What makes the synchronous crank click so hard to diagnose is that so many things happen once or twice per pedal revolution.

1- Pedals are loaded, so could be a pedal or the pedal/crank fit, or shoe cleat, or....
2- Cranks are torqued so could be the crank/spindle connection
3- cranks are loaded with a left/right rocking force, so anything in the bottom bracket.
4- chainring turns, so could be a bent tooth, or something to do with chain meshing on ring
5- chain tension increases in pulses, so it could be pulling the rear hub forward flexing the axle, chainstay, dropout,
6- wheel torque changes with chain tension, so anything there
7- hips rock as you pedal, so saddle, post etc.
8- frame flexes as your hip moves, so things can change just about any place, from the rear end to the fork, to the handlebars.

What also complicates it is that it's hard to pinpoint the origin of sounds on a moving bicycle. Earlier, we had someone trying to diagnose a rear disc rub. He eliminated the brake by removing the caliper. Still made the same noise and he couldn't find a cause. Turned out to be the front disc, but sounded like it was coming from the back.

Jeff Wills

Ditto on this being a difficult diagnosis. I once spent three consecutive weekends pulling apart and reassembling my cranks & bottom bracket. I finally removed the pedals, cleaned the threads, and reassembled with fresh grease. Noise gone.

FBinNY 

EXACTLY why I say start by swapping pedals. Call it "Gee, I feel stupid" insurance.

BTW- I forgot to mention chainring bolts, which are a very common cause of crank click when chainrings attach to the right crank arm, as opposed to 5 independent mounts. I know professional mechanics who've torn their bikes apart, only to find a cracked bolt in the crank arm.

These are very prone to creaking. These are much less so.

mlugo

I had a persistent click when I stood and pedaled, once per revolution. I ended up swapping my cranks and the click still returned returned. The final solution was I greased the dropouts where my front wheel and forks meet. For whatever reason, this cleared up the problem.

zymphad

For me it was the bottom bracket. I removed it and cleaned it up, put some grease on the threads and re-installed. Noise gone.

RandomTroll

I've had clicks from worn cassettes, worn chains, cracked frame, broken tooth on a chainring, broken ball bearing in rear hub, too-tight crankarm, spoke in the process of breaking, defective knee, defective hip.

Al1943

Does the noise continue when you pedal while standing? This falls within #7 on FB's list.

I once had a popping noise that happened once on each crank revolution. Turned out to be my left kneecap.