clicking noise ?
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 417
Likes: 0
clicking noise ?
Ok my Giant Defy carbon bike ...I hear a clicking noise that I cant find and its not constant...seems like when in really pumping there is a clicking....sounds like its coming fro the bb area or pedals ?
#3
Senior Member


Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 39,897
Likes: 3,865
From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Clicking noises are just about the hardest to diagnose. Do a search hear for Bottom bracket, click or creak.
The first steps in pinning it down are to identify a pattern, if any, such as once per crank revolution, only on certain chainrings, only when standing, climbing, sprinting, etc. The more specifics you can supply, the easier it is to winnow down possibilities. Then it's process of elimination.
For all BB creaking or clicking, I always start by eliminating the pedals. Remove the pedals, and replace with another pair, preferably non-clipless or even rubber pedals, and see if anything changes. if not, you;ve eliminated the pedals, and shoe cleats, and can get down to the tough stuff.
The first steps in pinning it down are to identify a pattern, if any, such as once per crank revolution, only on certain chainrings, only when standing, climbing, sprinting, etc. The more specifics you can supply, the easier it is to winnow down possibilities. Then it's process of elimination.
For all BB creaking or clicking, I always start by eliminating the pedals. Remove the pedals, and replace with another pair, preferably non-clipless or even rubber pedals, and see if anything changes. if not, you;ve eliminated the pedals, and shoe cleats, and can get down to the tough stuff.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#5
Full Member

Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 361
Likes: 42
From: Seattle
Bikes: Litespeed, O'Brien, Specialized, Fuji
Check the pedals first - I just had a clicking noise that I swore was the BB or left pedal. I rode with it for months, tested it on the driveway, etc. It ended up being the right pedal.
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 433
Likes: 0
From: Merry Land
Bikes: Guru Evolo R, Colnago Pista, Look AL 464P SS, various frankenbikes
Could also be the seat and/or seatpost, and despite the seeming location of the sound, a very common culprit is that the front or rear skewers aren't torqued quite enough. Before going to the trouble of messing with any other potential sources, I'd check the skewers first. I've restored numerous rider's sanity with that one over the years.
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 861
Likes: 11
From: Wichita, KS.
Probably not your problem but, I had the same issue recently. Turns out the the spoke magnet for the speedometer was just a hair to close to the sensor. When I was really pumping there was enough deflection the wheel to cause the magnet to randomly tick the sensor on the way by.
#8
There are dozens of possible causes for clicks & creaks. Any metal-to-metal interface, threaded or not, can cause noise. As FB said, the more specifics you supply the more helpful we can be. If the bike is still pretty new, taking it back to the shop you bought it from is probably the best bet.
__________________
Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
#9
Engineer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 591
Likes: 1
From: Bucharest, Romania, Europe
Bikes: 1989 Krapf (with Dura-ace) road bike, 1973 Sputnik (made by XB3) road bike , 1961 Peugeot fixed gear, 2010 Trek 4400
I'm confronting with this problem for a few days (I assembled this bike recently.. a few days ago, so it's from the beginning)
A creaking sound (squeak-click that sounds like the creaking of cotter pin cranks - yet this not cottered, it's square drive) every revolution of cranks under load on right pedal.
If I load only the left pedal the sound is still there but a lot more quiet. (yet the pattern is still heard/felt).
If I load neither of pedals and just let them spin freely (did I mention it's a fixed gear bike?) no sound of any pattern is heard.
Current situation - cup-cone BB, greased tapers. Fixed gear.
What would be my best bet? (as I'm speaking I'm swapping the pedals out and give it a test run to rule them out)
A creaking sound (squeak-click that sounds like the creaking of cotter pin cranks - yet this not cottered, it's square drive) every revolution of cranks under load on right pedal.
If I load only the left pedal the sound is still there but a lot more quiet. (yet the pattern is still heard/felt).
If I load neither of pedals and just let them spin freely (did I mention it's a fixed gear bike?) no sound of any pattern is heard.
Current situation - cup-cone BB, greased tapers. Fixed gear.
What would be my best bet? (as I'm speaking I'm swapping the pedals out and give it a test run to rule them out)
#10
Banned.
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 509
Likes: 37
Bikes: The Good Book of bicycling
My bike was clicking this week and i thought it was the bottom bracket, well i tightened that up and it still clicked. After swapping pedals, the problem cleared up when the sprocket bolts were tightened.
The joy of it all is the bike feels like new again and the sense of accomplishment.
The joy of it all is the bike feels like new again and the sense of accomplishment.
#11
Engineer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 591
Likes: 1
From: Bucharest, Romania, Europe
Bikes: 1989 Krapf (with Dura-ace) road bike, 1973 Sputnik (made by XB3) road bike , 1961 Peugeot fixed gear, 2010 Trek 4400
Turned out to be those cheapo pedals.. now the noise is gone.. ah the joy of silence without freewheel clicks, and without chain noise from a crooked chainline on multispeed bike, and now without that ugly creak when pedaling
#13
Mechanic/Tourist
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,522
Likes: 12
From: Syracuse, NY
Bikes: 2008 Novara Randonee - love it. Previous bikes:Motobecane Mirage, 1972 Moto Grand Jubilee (my fave), Jackson Rake 16, 1983 C'dale ST500.
As for how to overhaul bottom bracket, Google it - sheldonbrown and parktool sites are the most recommended. Be careful about what you grease - check those sites first, as "grease the bottom bracket" can mean a lot of things.
Last edited by cny-bikeman; 06-20-13 at 11:49 AM.






