Author Topic: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress  (Read 5438 times)

clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« 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
she was quite innocent, 'till she got that bicycle - sykurmolanir

border-rider

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #1 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


clarion

  • Tyke
Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #2 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)
Getting there...

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #3 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.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #4 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.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #5 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.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #6 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

border-rider

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #7 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.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #8 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.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #9 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
It didn't look at all like that in the photographs

annie

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #10 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.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #11 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
Getting there...

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #12 on: 21 April, 2008, 06:41:44 pm »
Ooh, this is useful.  I have clicking too :(  I'll try refitting the pedals.

annie

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #13 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.

Domestique

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #14 on: 21 April, 2008, 07:02:45 pm »
Check the BB isnt coming loose and work back from that point, cranks, chainrings, pedals.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #15 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.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #16 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.



pdm

  • Sheffield hills? Nah... Just potholes.
Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #17 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)

tonycollinet

  • No Longer a western province of NĂºmenor
Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #18 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.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #19 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.
she was quite innocent, 'till she got that bicycle - sykurmolanir

steveB

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #20 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.

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #21 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. :-[

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #22 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.
she was quite innocent, 'till she got that bicycle - sykurmolanir

Re: clicking noise from pedal/bb under stress
« Reply #23 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.
she was quite innocent, 'till she got that bicycle - sykurmolanir