Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => Topic started by: alecstilleyedye on 21 April, 2008, 10:23:27 am

Title: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: alecstilleyedye on 21 April, 2008, 10:23:27 am
my road bike is making a click noise (which i can feel through the right pedal) on every revoluton. i reckon either pedal or bb is on way out.

am i wrong (something else, that might just need tightening), or which is most likely? the pedals are older than the bb (look 206s), the bb is octalink splined on a tiagra triple chainset.

cheers in advance
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: border-rider on 21 April, 2008, 10:26:57 am
Those clicks are very hard to track down.  It could be the pedal bearing or BB, it might be something less obvious like a loose chainring bolt

Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: clarion on 21 April, 2008, 10:27:11 am
First thing to check is that the crank is tight, and that it isn't rounded at the edges of the hole (I'm assuming a square taper type)
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: OliverBendix on 21 April, 2008, 10:29:09 am
I quieted a similar noise on the left side by removing the BB and re-installing it with new grease on the outside of the cartridge. I think the (cheap RPM cartridge) BB was shifting slightly in its cups and clicking, not helped by a small quantity of water that had accumulated there as the BB cups obscured the drain hole.

Your click might not be the same but taking it apart and finding out what's there is worth a go.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: Simon Galgut on 21 April, 2008, 10:29:37 am
Second thing to do is to remove the pedal, thoroughly grease the thread and refit reasonably tightly.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: Deano on 21 April, 2008, 10:40:12 am
As others have said, there are a lot of things it could be - I had the same problem last summer (repetitive clicking when putting pressure on the crank, though LH in my case).

Turned out there was dirt gathering between the square taper and the crankarm.  I took off the crank, cleaned and re-greased it.  Problem solved.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: little miss mac on 21 April, 2008, 11:10:23 am
My MTB is afflicted with clicking. BB has been stripped and serviced, new rear wheel, pedals tightened, seat and post checked, bouncy forks serviced... and... click clickety click.

Then my right hand crank sheared off one morning just before parliament square. (It was an interesting sensation still being clipped in and trying to shake the pedal and crank off my foot whilst not falling into the traffic behind me).

I think it still clicks, even now.

Sorry, I know this isn't helpful but helps me to talk about it.  ;D
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: border-rider on 21 April, 2008, 11:14:33 am
Yes, good point - check the crank for hairline cracks around the taper and around the pedal threads.  I've also had a crank snap after a period of creaking, and it wasn't a happy event.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: OliverBendix on 21 April, 2008, 11:18:58 am
Then my right hand crank sheared off one morning just before parliament square.
Ah, my previous BB clicking turned out just like that. The remaining sharp broken end of crank stabbed me in the leg. :'(
Quote
Sorry, I know this isn't helpful but helps me to talk about it.  ;D
It is helpful! There are lessons to be learned - don't ignore a click, it might bite you, and in my case if you clean your bike you might be able to see a crack in the crank before it's too late.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: Cyclops on 21 April, 2008, 02:55:16 pm
I've also had a clicking in the past when one of the cleat bolts has worked loose so give them a check as well
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: annie on 21 April, 2008, 02:57:27 pm
I had exactly the same problem.  I took the bike to one LBS where they tightened the cranks, the problem continued.  I took the bike to a larger LBS where they swapped the pedals and the noise disappeared, problem solved.  They were SPD's by the way, 520's.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: clarion on 21 April, 2008, 06:35:44 pm
d'ye know what?  I went out on my bike, and there was a clicking when I pedal ;D
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: juliet on 21 April, 2008, 06:41:44 pm
Ooh, this is useful.  I have clicking too :(  I'll try refitting the pedals.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: annie on 21 April, 2008, 07:01:14 pm
Ooh, this is useful.  I have clicking too :(  I'll try refitting the pedals.

I actually needed new pedals, I put the old pedals on another bike to try them out, the clicking was still there, the pedals went into the bin.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: Domestique on 21 April, 2008, 07:02:45 pm
Check the BB isnt coming loose and work back from that point, cranks, chainrings, pedals.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: giropaul on 21 April, 2008, 07:43:48 pm
Bizarrely it's also worth checking the lower headset cups/races. Because you sway one way then the other when you pedal I have had a cracked lower race produce the same symptoms.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: Polar Bear on 21 April, 2008, 07:47:51 pm
my road bike is making a click noise (which i can feel through the right pedal) on every revoluton. i reckon either pedal or bb is on way out.

am i wrong (something else, that might just need tightening), or which is most likely? the pedals are older than the bb (look 206s), the bb is octalink splined on a tiagra triple chainset.

cheers in advance

I had a clicking octalink BB.  I dismantled, cleaned, put a smear of grease on the splines and reassembled.  It all went away.   

Hope that might be of help for you.


Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: pdm on 21 April, 2008, 08:11:55 pm
The last episode of clicking with pedal pressure turned out to be the rear hub bearings giving up the ghost...
IME, pedal clicking can come from anywhere along the drivetrain - pedals, cranks, bottom bracket, freewheel and hubs. (sigh)
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: tonycollinet on 21 April, 2008, 08:52:13 pm
I've had this periodically. Have cleared it about three times over about 1 year, by washing grit out of the BB seals area with GT85.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: alecstilleyedye on 21 April, 2008, 10:17:40 pm
well there's no play in the bb, but i did find that most of the chainset bolts needed a bit of tightening. had the pedals off, they seem ok, with no play on the axle.

i'll see how it is tomorrow, if it's still clicking the other roadbike will have to do until i can find the time to strip the whole drivechain down.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: steveB on 22 April, 2008, 01:35:57 am
I had a clicking which felt very metalic and clunky, couldn't find anything wrong under workshop conditions as it only happened when pushing hard uphill (always hard for me), it turned out to be the cleat on my left shoe, although it didn't appear to be loose, I removed it anyway from the shoe and re-fitted it - problem solved.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: kyuss on 22 April, 2008, 02:06:01 am
Three or four months back I had a rhythmic clicking somwhere. Only happened while on the bike and only on the downstroke of the driveside pedal and it didn't seem to matter whether I was going hard or pootling. One by one I stripped and regreased the usual suspects, pedals, cranks, chainrings, seatpost, saddle. I even replaced the BB and jockey wheels just in case and still the problem persisted. Turned out to be the unfastened stud fastening on the righthand leg pocket on my shorts. :-[
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: alecstilleyedye on 22 April, 2008, 08:33:04 am
well there's no play in the bb, but i did find that most of the chainset bolts needed a bit of tightening. had the pedals off, they seem ok, with no play on the axle.

i'll see how it is tomorrow, if it's still clicking the other roadbike will have to do until i can find the time to strip the whole drivechain down.

seems fine now. cheers all.
Title: Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
Post by: alecstilleyedye on 22 April, 2008, 03:09:43 pm
having said that, on ride home for lunch it started again. interestingly, it doesn't do it if i'm out of the saddle honking up a hill, or pushing hard on the flat.

i'll try a change of pedals and see if that makes a difference.