Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

What else can it be!?

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

What else can it be!?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-25-13 | 03:56 PM
  #1  
bianchi10's Avatar
Thread Starter
King Hoternot
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,255
Likes: 0
From: Oregon City, OR

Bikes: 2015 Cannondale Evo Hi mod

What else can it be!?

There was someone earlier this month that posted a thread about a creaking/clicking noise. I too, have a distinct "CLICK" during hard efforts. This sound/feeling happens in small ring and large ring. It is NOT consistent to every pedal stroke, but sometimes I can make it happen if I push down and pull up firmly with my stroke. I can feel it in my feet when it happens, so it lead me to believe with was the crank, crank arms or pedals.

This is what I have done in the past week to try and solve the issue:

-LBS cleaned and greased my headset and crankset for me


I have cleaned and greased:
-chain ring bolts
-pedal spindles
-pedals
-taken cleats off and cleaned bolts, surface and shoes where the bolts screw into
-Chain
-I have swapped to new look cleats to see if maybe mine were simply old, didn't help
-taken out seatpost to clean
-cleaned and greased all the bolts in the seatpost and clamps
-stem bolts
-Swapped out my skewers with shimano ultegras and it still clicked

I dont know what else to clean or check!!! I have noticed that I simply dont want to ride this week because I just get frustrated when I hear it.

Last edited by bianchi10; 07-25-13 at 04:27 PM.
bianchi10 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 03:59 PM
  #2  
pallen's Avatar
Descends like a rock
 
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 4,034
Likes: 16
From: Fort Worth, TX

Bikes: Scott Foil, Surly Pacer

This happens sometimes with slammed stems. Flip it back up and add some spacers...

Can you change your wheel? I've had spokes make noise and I could swear it was coming from the BB.
pallen is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:12 PM
  #3  
bianchi10's Avatar
Thread Starter
King Hoternot
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,255
Likes: 0
From: Oregon City, OR

Bikes: 2015 Cannondale Evo Hi mod

I was thinking of taking my wheels in to have them serviced. The rear hub appears to be slightly lose. Dont know if that could be causing it or not.
bianchi10 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:13 PM
  #4  
AdelaaR's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,898
Likes: 4
From: Vlaamse Ardennen, Belgium
Tighten your saddle.
AdelaaR is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:17 PM
  #5  
rpenmanparker's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28,682
Likes: 63
From: Houston, TX

Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build

Originally Posted by AdelaaR
Tighten your saddle.
Lubricate saddle rails as well as tighten.
rpenmanparker is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:18 PM
  #6  
rangerdavid's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 5,095
Likes: 5
From: Boone, North Carolina

Bikes: 2009 Cannondale CAAD9-6 2014 Trek Domaine 5.9

Originally Posted by bianchi10
I too, have a distinct "CLICK" during hard efforts.

The Rodney Dangerfield answer: Don't ride so hard.
rangerdavid is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:19 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 181
From: Newport Beach, CA

Bikes: S works Tarmac, Felt TK2 track

Tighten your sqewers really tight and try again.
popeye is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:24 PM
  #8  
bianchi10's Avatar
Thread Starter
King Hoternot
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,255
Likes: 0
From: Oregon City, OR

Bikes: 2015 Cannondale Evo Hi mod

Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Lubricate saddle rails as well as tighten.
already lubed rails and just tightened. test ride, still clicks.
bianchi10 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:26 PM
  #9  
bianchi10's Avatar
Thread Starter
King Hoternot
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,255
Likes: 0
From: Oregon City, OR

Bikes: 2015 Cannondale Evo Hi mod

Originally Posted by popeye
Tighten your sqewers really tight and try again.
Not gonna over tighten these skewers again. I have thrown on shimano skewers and it still clicked also.
bianchi10 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:26 PM
  #10  
AdelaaR's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,898
Likes: 4
From: Vlaamse Ardennen, Belgium
Get that little clicker thingy out of your bibs that your friends installed there for April's fools.
AdelaaR is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:27 PM
  #11  
AdelaaR's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,898
Likes: 4
From: Vlaamse Ardennen, Belgium
The bearings in the bottom bracket?
AdelaaR is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:29 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 181
From: Newport Beach, CA

Bikes: S works Tarmac, Felt TK2 track

Originally Posted by bianchi10
Not gonna over tighten these skewers again. I have thrown on shimano skewers and it still clicked also.
Well if it still clicked with Shimano that ain't it.
popeye is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:35 PM
  #13  
AdelaaR's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,898
Likes: 4
From: Vlaamse Ardennen, Belgium
Ok ... I'm gonna crack this case now:

1) you feel it when doing hard efforts
2) you feel it in your foot
3) you have ruled out everything on your bike

Conclusion: Your ankle is a bit loose.
AdelaaR is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:36 PM
  #14  
10 Wheels's Avatar
Galveston County Texas
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 33,335
Likes: 1,285
From: In The Wind

Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum

Mine turned out to be the crank set.

Had to swap it out with a quite one to find out.

I had tried everything else.
__________________
Fred "The Real Fred"

10 Wheels is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:46 PM
  #15  
rpenmanparker's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28,682
Likes: 63
From: Houston, TX

Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build

Not sure what you mean by cleaning and lubing pedal spindles. The threads or an pedal overhaul? I have had Look Keo pedal sealed bearings go bad and make noise. Just in case those are what you have and that is the problem, they can't be easily overhauled. It can be done, but it is very hard and the replacement parts aren't furnished by Look. I just had to throw mine away.
rpenmanparker is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:50 PM
  #16  
Keep on climbing
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,193
Likes: 2
From: Marlborough, Massachusetts

Bikes: 2004 Calfee Tetra Pro

I'd take a torque wrench to everything in the crank-arm area. Pedals onto the crank arm, chainring bolts, bottom bracket, and the crankset attachment to the bottom bracket. Not "I think it's tight". Torque wrench.
KevinF is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:54 PM
  #17  
bianchi10's Avatar
Thread Starter
King Hoternot
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,255
Likes: 0
From: Oregon City, OR

Bikes: 2015 Cannondale Evo Hi mod

Originally Posted by KevinF
I'd take a torque wrench to everything in the crank-arm area. Pedals onto the crank arm, chainring bolts, bottom bracket, and the crankset attachment to the bottom bracket. Not "I think it's tight". Torque wrench.
torque wrench is what I use to tighten.

Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Not sure what you mean by cleaning and lubing pedal spindles. The threads or an pedal overhaul? I have had Look Keo pedal sealed bearings go bad and make noise. Just in case those are what you have and that is the problem, they can't be easily overhauled. It can be done, but it is very hard and the replacement parts aren't furnished by Look. I just had to throw mine away.
Sorry, I meant cleaning and greasing the threads to the spindles.
bianchi10 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 04:54 PM
  #18  
Jakedatc's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 10
From: CT
Buckle on your shoe? cables slapping downtube (i'm pretty sure mine do this.. or wiggling in the ferule)
Jakedatc is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 05:05 PM
  #19  
TrojanHorse's Avatar
SuperGimp
 
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,346
Likes: 65
From: Whittier, CA

Bikes: Specialized Roubaix

I had an issue once very similar to that and it turned out to be the front wheel. It was more of a chirping than a click though.

I CURRENTLY have a very faint clicking that I can only really hear when I"m in a low gear going up a mountain. It's so faint I doubt anybody else can hear it and I'm probably just being overly sensitive, and it's not on every revolution either.

Try pedaling butt off seat to see if you still get it.
Try hands off bars.
Try on a trainer to see if you get it.
Try another set of wheels
Make sure your FD der cable isn't ticking against your crank when you're in the small ring
Check your bottle holders
check your saddle pack unless you're too cool to have one.
TrojanHorse is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 05:08 PM
  #20  
rpenmanparker's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28,682
Likes: 63
From: Houston, TX

Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build

Originally Posted by bianchi10

Sorry, I meant cleaning and greasing the threads to the spindles.
That's what I thought. Could possibly be the pedal bearing cartridges. Easy to test if you have another bike to switch out pedals or can borrow a pair from a friend.
rpenmanparker is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 05:18 PM
  #21  
snidely's Avatar
Cycliste sérieux
 
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 466
Likes: 2
I had the exact same issue. Clicking was driving me nuts. Checked everything. Pulled crank, greased BB, tightened chainring bolts, checked wheel hubs, looked for frame cracks, etc, etc, etc. After much agony (and in desperation) I swapped pedals with my other bike. Clicking stopped. I thought great, now I just need to rebuild the bad pedals. Rode the second bike before I got around to working on the pedals, and NO clicking. WTF. Sorry, I have no good advice for you.
snidely is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 05:19 PM
  #22  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 901
Likes: 32
From: NYC
do you have a K edge chain catcher?

if you do, it might be mounted a little too close to the chain ring.
SSRI is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 05:44 PM
  #23  
Newbie
 
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 71
Likes: 1
From: Delaware

Bikes: 1979 schwinn varsity

I feel your pain. I have a click that corresponds to crank revs for the first 8 miles of every ride. Then it goes away. I dunno bro but ride it until it breaks in half.
fmy906 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 05:51 PM
  #24  
bianchi10's Avatar
Thread Starter
King Hoternot
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 5,255
Likes: 0
From: Oregon City, OR

Bikes: 2015 Cannondale Evo Hi mod

Originally Posted by SSRI
do you have a K edge chain catcher?

if you do, it might be mounted a little too close to the chain ring.
No chain catcher, though i have thought about getting one.

Originally Posted by Jakedatc
Buckle on your shoe? cables slapping downtube (i'm pretty sure mine do this.. or wiggling in the ferule)
have boa system, no buckles. checked the boa system though and it all seems fine as far as I can tell. thanks for the idea though, I hadn't thought of that.

Originally Posted by TrojanHorse
I had an issue once very similar to that and it turned out to be the front wheel. It was more of a chirping than a click though.

I CURRENTLY have a very faint clicking that I can only really hear when I"m in a low gear going up a mountain. It's so faint I doubt anybody else can hear it and I'm probably just being overly sensitive, and it's not on every revolution either.

Try pedaling butt off seat to see if you still get it.
Try hands off bars.
Try on a trainer to see if you get it.
Try another set of wheels
Make sure your FD der cable isn't ticking against your crank when you're in the small ring
Check your bottle holders
check your saddle pack unless you're too cool to have one.
Thanks, I will have to check a couple of those. It is indeed a CLICK and not a creak and yes I am too cool for a saddle pack
bianchi10 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-25-13 | 06:18 PM
  #25  
FLvector's Avatar
Stand and Deliver
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 1
From: Tampa Bay

Bikes: Cannondale R1000, Giant TCR Advanced, Giant TCR Advanced SL

Originally Posted by AdelaaR
The bearings in the bottom bracket?
This is what I would suspect. You can clean and relube or might be time to replace.
FLvector is offline  
Reply


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.