Who can solve this clicking noise?

[chappy77]

For about two months on and off I have had a clicking noise as I pedal. It used to be mainly on the left pedal stoke but for the past couple weeks it is only on the right pedal stroke. Its worth noting as well, that the clicking noise is not there when I just turn the cranks with my hand and only when I really start pedalling at a decent cadence with some good torque on the pedals, as I push harder, either standing or sitting, the click goes away and the click is never there when I stand.

In this period, I have repalced (for different reasons) the BB, rear jockey wheels and the chain. I have tried different pedals and re set and greased the seat post. I have also checked for the obvious things such as a long cable or the garmin cadence sensor being in the way, and unless there is some serious flex in the bike as I pedal then none of these appear to be in the way.

I have also thought it might be one of the front ching rings that could be bent, but the click comes no matter which gear combination I am in.

The bike is a carbon fibre Bianchi Infinito with Ultegra groupset.

Any ideas as it just ruins some of my rides as I just concenrate on the click as opposed to the ride it self!

Cheers, Marc

[1FJEF]

What a coincidence. I had the same thing on my "homeless guy" special, which I ride a lot when I shop. Maddening & intermittent, I could feel it in my foot, and hear a single click.
It was slightly loose chain ring fasteners. I got a long arm 5mm hex & that was that.

[Joe_W]

Other possibilities I can think of
- saddle rail
- saddle itself (my Fizik Arione Tri2 creaks, makes me crazy, but is oh so comfy!)
- sometimes the valve can rattle in the rim

The statement that the click never occurs when you stand points to the first two, so the seatpost idea was good, but also check the seatpost clamp.

[Alligator1]

(07-19-2013, 03:37 AM)chappy77 Wrote:  For about two months on and off I have had a clicking noise as I pedal. It used to be mainly on the left pedal stoke but for the past couple weeks it is only on the right pedal stroke. Its worth noting as well, that the clicking noise is not there when I just turn the cranks with my hand and only when I really start pedalling at a decent cadence with some good torque on the pedals, as I push harder, either standing or sitting, the click goes away and the click is never there when I stand.

In this period, I have repalced (for different reasons) the BB, rear jockey wheels and the chain. I have tried different pedals and re set and greased the seat post. I have also checked for the obvious things such as a long cable or the garmin cadence sensor being in the way, and unless there is some serious flex in the bike as I pedal then none of these appear to be in the way.

I have also thought it might be one of the front ching rings that could be bent, but the click comes no matter which gear combination I am in.

The bike is a carbon fibre Bianchi Infinito with Ultegra groupset.

Any ideas as it just ruins some of my rides as I just concenrate on the click as opposed to the ride it self!

Cheers, Marc

Here's what happened to me (previously posted)

RE: Clicking noise when going up slight incline
Replaced cassette, chain, bottom bracket still had a clicking sound, and then:

Checked pedals, skewers, bolts, , seat post lubrication,etc. -still heard clicks.

And then reviewed this webpage carefully:

http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html#click

Did all the things posters suggested, except for the voodoo. -still clicked

And then took it back to bike shop, asking them to check bottom bracket, and chainring tightness. They were in disbelief that their parts and service would be the culprit. They took it for test ride with another bike following and couldn't hear anything.

Next day I bounced rode over a curb.

Clicking stopped.

Gave my rear rack a shake and a squeeze.

Loose bolt on chain side of rack.

Double checked, every time I pushed hard on right pedal, click would happen. Grabbed rack while pedaling, click stopped.

Problem solved.

Moral of the story: Sounds don't come from where you think they do, -And- it stands to reason to check the chain side of your bike first as this is where the most pressure whilst riding is applied. You the bike owner knows your bike and the peculiar sounds that it makes. It is Zen. You and your bike are one.

You can't expect the best bike shop in the world to fix an intermittent problem, especially when the bike shop is located on the flat prairie, and a few km from a hill or incline to do a good test work-out.

[1FJEF]

Guys, does this sound familiar? Didn't another poster have a weird noise that was a rack mount issue? Glad you found it. I forgot to tell you about rattlin' a bag of chicken bones, that would have helped you find it sooner.

[SteveL]

I have the Infinito and have been experiencing the same on and off for about a year.

Remedy? In my case I remove back wheel from stay and then re-insert.

For some reason the clicking appears due to the tiniest difference in the alignment of the rear cassette. I don't know if this is due to the frame flex, or otherwise - it seems the noise comes from the cassette. Drives me nuts as I thought it was the pedals - and BTW this remedy only works 9/10 times for me, so some other cosmic force is at work here as well.

The other cosmic force here maybe the wheel spokes:

http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html#click

[eastman]

Either your pedal bearing or your bottom bracket bearing needs adjustment. It sounds like the bearings are loose, and what happens is that every rotation, the bearings load up and when you put power into it, it 'pops' the ball off to one side.

The way to test this is to wiggle the pedal, then the crank arm. There should be no play - a click or thunk - when you wiggle either from side to side. It should feel solid and spin freely with not binding or grinding.

If it's the bottom bracket - where the crank arm mounts to the frame - a bike shop will have to repair it for you unless you want to go out and buy all the tools, even then this is tricky business for the novice, and my not be possible if you have a sealed-bearing type. In that case, all you can do is replace it.

If it's your pedal, the shop _can_ repair it, but they generally won't want to. It's alot of work and unless you have a set of Durace or Record pedals, it would be cheaper to get new ones.