curtwally

Hi, Well I thought I had the problem fixed without going into BB maintainence. But the darn ticking noise is back and now my friends shun away from me. I have got to get this fixed. A friend is bringing over a Park BB9 tool for Shimano Hollotech external bottom bracket and crank. I have a 7800 BB with Enduro Ceramic bearings. The bike is new <1000 miles and the ticking did not start when brand new. So I have tried all things external of the BB and crank.

1. greased peddle threads.
2. Put teflon tape on peddle threads
3. Tightened seat (it was creaky)
4. Checked to make sure nothing is hitting derailuer or crank arm
5. Cussed a lot today as for the first 2 miles all was good and then it started again.

It seems to coincide with every peddle stroke when my left peddle is at the top of the cycle.

Does adjusting the BB have a chance of solving this problem. What should I/we look for? My friend is quite knowledgeable in bike maintainence but neither of us have done Shimano 7800/7900/ceramic before. Suggestions are most welcome.

curtwally

jkmartin

Grease the seatpost. Check tension on rear wheel spokes. Make sure the QR is tight. Make sure BB cups are tight.

None of those things worked for me though and I ended up replacing the BB.

neospazzy

I am having some ticking issues on my RS2 as well. It happen at the downward pedal strokes on both sides and it is louder as I am powering down on the pedals. I tried chaning the chain and regreasing the pedal spindles. I know it isn't the seat post because it happens as I am out of the saddle. I tried tighting up the QR and I run a set of Fulcrum Racing Zeros so I know the spoke tensions are good. I guess I may have to buy a new BB for myself as well ...

ccrrar

I was having the same problem, right down to creaking on the pedal strokes, and went through the same exercise of checking everything I could think of. Catastrophic failure ultimately let me know it was my freehub. Try checking that...make sure it is tight, well lubricated, etc.

Rob

jmess

I just replace my crank and bottom bracket and my intermittent ticking noise is gone. I bought the bike new 3 years ago and I have never been able to eliminate the noise; even had the LBS grease the crank parts. At one point I thought it might be spoke noise but changing wheels didn't fix it.

DennyV

I had the same issue on my Orbea onix TDF. After trying everything you have already done My mechanic teflon taped the bb lock rings and it went away.
Denny

kwrides

+1, and a little emphasis

black_box 

my FSA gossamer and megaexo BB were creaking in a similar fashion. Removing the left crank arm, greasing the splines, and re-installing with proper torquing of the two opposing pinch bolts (a little at a time, alternately) solved the problem.

RazorWind

What crank is it?

I had a very similar problem with my FSA SL-K crankset and the FSA bottom bracket it came with that was eventually solved by replacing the BB with an Ultegra one. Greasing and tightening stuff never seemed to help.

Also, on my Cervelo Soloist Team, I had a problem a few weeks ago with a ticking sound that I thought was in the bottom bracket, but eventually turned out to be an aluminum cable ferrule rattling around in the cable stops (which are more elaborate on that frame than most, and made of rattly anodized aluminum). A little dab of chain lube applied to it made it go away.

surfengine

i have what appears to the be same exact problem. using a FC6600 and BB6600.
it only happens then I am on the bike and pedalling.

I guess based on everyones comments I will buy a new BB.....or return this one as defective?

Bifnasty

Bottom brackets creak sometimes when you have been riding in the rain or not greased it recently. When mine starts creaking it just means its time to take it apart, regrease, teflon tape, and put together. It will be silent for another few thousand miles.

Val23708

i bet its the cassette free body or the cassette itself.

sharkey00

Check your shoes.

Munk69

Just out of curiousity do you guys have Mavic wheels? I just developed a tick yesterday and it sounded like it was coming from the bottom bracket. Was very annoying.

merckx_rider

make sure its not your shoe.

DeweyJuice

Many times I've been sure I have BB ticking. It has always ended up being a loose rear spoke for me.

kwrides

Make sure your skewers are tight. Also, don't forget that hubs need to be serviced.

rruff

6. Remove, grease, and reinstall chainring bolts... make'm tight.
7. Oil wheel QR mechs and grease dropouts and QR mating surfaces.

IME both of these are more likely causes of creaks than the bottom bracket.

GodsBassist

Shoelace ends, too. Mine knock the frame occasionally and make what sounds like a BB problem, at the exact same spot in my stroke.

curtwally

Thanks for the suggestions. Tues we hit the BB for maint.

To answer a few questions,

1. It only ticks when peddling.
2. It coincides with the point when my left leg is at top of stroke and always follows this position no matter what gear I am in.
3. It tends to get worse (louder) as the miles rack up. Today little or no noise for the first 8 miles then on que.... tick tick tick.
4. Ticking mostly goes away when standing but does not totally disappear.
5. no noise ever when coasting.
6. Yes I have Mavic SL's but again no noise when coasting.

Thanks again, curtwally

AEO

tighten down the BB cups. make sure to use teflon tape on threads.

curtwally

Thanks, that is a good suggestion and I do have Teflon tape.

regards, CurtWally

daxr

That follows exactly a noise I have in mine - left crank at 12 o'clock="tic". I haven't really focused on it, but in the course of other upgrades and repairs I've replaced my wheels, my bottom bracket, and my frame. None of that affected the noise. Keep updating if you track it down!

hansel

haha i had that exact same problem. check to see the rear derailleur pulleys to see if they are slopping left to right. thats what happened to me, after i replaced to bb

rruff

In that case I'm betting on the rear QR. Anything associated with the BB would likely get louder with greater force.