Click, click, click.... Bottom Bracket?

[spokewench]

There can be a lot of clicks caused when you are pedaling, so look for really obvious (Or not so obvious things). My old bike used to click and I thought it was the loose stuff rattling around in my pedals (they did this from the first day I bought them so I kind of ignored the click).

Then one day I was looking closely at the bike and realized that the little end cap on the cable for the derailleur was hitting the pedal arm every time I pedaled!

Yikes, talk about obvious!

[Zen]

There can be a lot of clicks caused when you are pedaling, so look for really obvious
... one day I was looking closely at the bike and realized that the little end cap on the cable for the derailleur was hitting the pedal arm every time I pedaled!

I always look for loose duct tape on my bike

[Aggie_Ama]

Is there any certain type of pedals this happens on? My Look pedals are only 3 months old and I don't know where you would grease them. My DH had the clicking problem with Speedplays, but I am not sure where to start with my pedals.

[Eden]

Chimes in with another non-bottom bracket click - I get a creak-click that sounds like someone dropping a ball bearing if I don't periodically reseat/tighten the quick release on my rear wheel. It was driving me bonkers. I had my LBS tighten the BB too - he did say one side (its and external BB) was a bit loose, but the creak remained until I tightened up that rear QR.

My husbands TT bike definitely has a loose BB - the sound it makes is a very loud snaping noise.

[boy in a kilt]

Don't worry about feeling foolish trying to explain the BB clicks to a good wrench. The good ones ride bikes too and they know that mysterious clicks can come from that region or seem like it.

If you decide to take your bike in and have it looked at, take your cleats with you.

On the look pedals. There is a small rubber patch where the cleat contacts the pedal. Try some clear finger nail polish or duct tape on it. Sometimes that works. Also, there is so much plastic in contact with metal that creaks are pretty much inevitable. Replacing it when it starts to wear is the only real way to fix it... until the next time it wears down.

The contact surface of speedplays needs regular lubrication. Take a little oil and work it around the contact surface on the pedal.

[GLC1968]

Is there any certain type of pedals this happens on? My Look pedals are only 3 months old and I don't know where you would grease them. My DH had the clicking problem with Speedplays, but I am not sure where to start with my pedals.

In addition to what BIAK suggested, I also found that just removing the pedal, cleaning up the threads (where it screws into the crank), regreasing them and then putting it back on cleared it up. So simple and yet so silly of me to not have checked! My pedals were only about 4 months old (look-type shimano ultegra) when it started. I actually thought that maybe they were defective since they still looked brand new...I was about to send them back to Shimano when DH suggested I try greasing them and putting them back on. I think that some grit or something must have gotten in the threads? It's been 5 months since I fixed it and I haven't heard a peep out of them.

[Geonz]

My LBS guy said that those clicks are hard to diagnose. I've got one...it's not loud but it's clattery and persistent. Toe clips generally don't click so I don't think that's it I think it'll keep until I take it in for its 5000 mile checkup ...

[lph]

I just had the same thing, and indeed, took off the pedals, regreased the threads, and total silence.

My dh once had this weird creaking from his bike that he just could not diagnose. It turned out it was his seatpost... he finally clicked to the fact that the creaking went away when he stood up to pedal.

[Beane]

My dh once had this weird creaking from his bike that he just could not diagnose. It turned out it was his seatpost... he finally clicked to the fact that the creaking went away when he stood up to pedal.

what did he do to fix it? i have had a creaking which I thought was the seat (since i'd driven it into the garage once, having forgotten it was on the roof rack --whoops!), but i switched seats and it persists.