Funny clicking noise...

[agrsgrl]

I have a question about a wierd noise I was getting on the road today. I was climbing and getting this loud clicking noise with each pedal revolution. It only happened on steep climbs, not on the flats.

I checked my bottom bracket and its not wobbly. The bike only has about 2500 miles on it. I've got a Shimano Ultegra BB, is it possible I need to replace the bearing cassettes?

Also, I just switched to a 12/27 cassette yesterday and replaced my chain. Any chance that has something to do with it?

Any suggestions/solutions would be greatly appreciated!

[Triskeliongirl]

I have a question about a wierd noise I was getting on the road today. I was climbing and getting this loud clicking noise with each pedal revolution. It only happened on steep climbs, not on the flats.

I checked my bottom bracket and its not wobbly. The bike only has about 2500 miles on it. I've got a Shimano Ultegra BB, is it possible I need to replace the bearing cassettes?

Also, I just switched to a 12/27 cassette yesterday and replaced my chain. Any chance that has something to do with it?

Any suggestions/solutions would be greatly appreciated!

Did you check that you tightened the new casette properly? Maybe the click is rotation of a loose casette.

[withm]

I always try the simple solution first - try lubing the chain and see if that doesn't help.

[bike4ever]

Do you use clipless pedals? They are often a culprit of unidentifiable clicks.

[SadieKate]

The link on the chain where you re-pinned it. Did you get it good and loosened up? Is it still stiff?

Have you checked your chain ring bolts lately? Just asking. These tend to get ignored (I'm not immune).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Does the click always happen at a certain spot in your pedal stroke no matter which gear you are in? If so, then the problem is more likely with the shoe, the pedal, or the crank and axle....not with the chain or gears.

I know this sounds ridiculous...but more than one person has discovered that their mysterious click on their pedal stroke has been the hard end of a sholace ticking against a gear ring on each stroke. Just something to check on.

I just had to change one of my pedals (it's a "regular" bike pedal, not clipless) due to something INSIDE the pedal axle being loose after several thousand miles use. It made an annoying little snap/thunk sound and a snapping vibration every time my foot was at 1:00 starting each downstroke. DH kept saying it couldn't be inside the pedal, someone else said try it, they had had the same problem...and when we finally changed the pedal the problem was instantly gone.

If these things seem unlikely, then ask your LBS to check to make sure your crank is not loose. Unless you know what to watch for, it's not always easy to know what a slightly loose crank feels like.

[divingbiker]

I've been following this because I had a similar clicking noise, always when my right pedal was at the bottom, always when going up hills or when the pedals were under pressure.

Yesterday I rode home in the rain, and now the clicking is gone. I think my clicking was coming from the seatpost/saddle connection, and the rain got in there and lubed it up a little. So maybe tighten/loosen/jiggle things around the saddle connection and see if that helps.

Bikes are like ventriloquists sometimes; the noises throw themselves around and you can't figure out where it's coming from, especially when your ears are high above the source of the sound.

[r900]

I'll toss my 2 cents in, could it be a loose pedal on a crank arm?

[agrsgrl]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I've now checked shoes/pedals, seatpost, cadence meter, chain, derailleurs, cassette, and cranks. No luck yet. This afternoon I'm going to pull the crank arms off and look at the BB again--maybe it is loose and I couldn't tell.

Worst comes to worst I'll take it to the LBS tomorrow to have them look at it.
Will keep everyone posted...

[Eden]

I had a very quiet tick - it almost sounded like someone dropping a ball bearing, that was the BB - one side was just a little loose. It didn't do any damage, but once it was tightened up it stopped making the noise and I no longer have to worry about it. I also had a creak that I determined was the rear dropout. I adjusted the quick release and that noise stopped.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I once had an annoying metallic rattle coming from my stem area somewhaere. It was driving me CRAZY!!!!
Eventually I found it- it was the metal buckle of my saddlebag that was vibrating against my seatpost at every bump. YES- the metal pinging sound was traveling from the seatpost, all along my top tube, right to the front and seemed to be coming from my stem!!!