Chain clicking on cassette
 

Hello! I recently bought my first real bike and I am still very new to the hobby so pardon me if the question has an obvious answer. I tried googling it to no avail.

I am getting a clicking noise which sounds like it's coming from the chain on the cassette but this only occurs when I shift up (from smaller cog to larger one) When I shift down it never seems to occur, quiet as a mouse. So to effectively ride quietly I have to shift past a gear and then back down. The clicking noise eventually goes away after about 30 seconds or so of riding if I just leave it. It's getting a little annoying to have to shift past a gear and then back down or to just ride with a clicking noise for a bit. Any help on how to straighten this out would be greatly appreciated. It was purchased new from a Trek store and was given an out the door tune up not even a week ago.






It's a trek 1.1 with a Shimano Claris groupset.

Sounds like a trim adjustment. I'd start by turning the cable adjuster one quarter turn outward (counter clockwise looking from the top). If that helps you might try another, or back off. If it makes things worse, go back to where you started and try a 1/4 turn the other way. Be sure to note where you started, so you can get back there at any time. Also under stand that trim adjustments will also affect shifting. You need to stay close to where it is now, lest it get too far off center and shift in one direction better at the expense of shifting in the other.

I'd suggest reading and digesting this procedure Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Rear Derailler Adjustments (derailleur) so that you will have some better understanding of the adjustments you are making. There is much wisdom on the Park Tool site as well as Sheldon Brown's Sheldon Brown's Home Page and you would do well to consult them often, as well as this forum, of course.

If you cannot adjust the derailleur yourself there may be other problems (cable housing ills come to mind) and it a new bike you should probably take it back to the seller for service before you do anything other than make a few simple adjustments.

Take it back to the shop if a simple adjustment as recommended above does not resolve the clicky clacking. I would venture a guess that there is excessive friction within the cable housing.

Thanks for the advice! I think you are right in saying it's a trim adjustment and i will definitively read the Park Tool Co article before I adjust anything. Thanks again.

At least on my antique bikes with 5-7 speeds in the rear ;), it's easy to look down at the back of the cassette/freewheel and see if the chain is winding onto the sprocket straight-on, or off-center after a shift (having the bike on a repair stand makes it even easier.) You might try doing a shift on the floor, turning the crank a little to let it shift, and then inspect it to see. If you see more daylight between one side of the chain and the neighboring sprocket, that should help determine which way to adjust the trim to get things lined up and quiet again. :thumb: