2011 Orange Five running 1 x 10
Out yesterday and it is making a weird clicking noise that seems to come from around the bottom bracket or swinging arm pivot area.
It's a strange clicking noise that only occurs when pedalling with a medium pressure. When the bike is in the workshop stand you can it doesn't make a noise. If pedalling hard up hill it doesn't do it either.
The bottom bracket is new and only on it's second ride.
Pedals are really old Shimano spd's that do have play in them but run freely.
Any thoughts?
Mine does too. Absolutely no help though, as I've never found what it is.
It's not the hose/cable knocking the inside of the swingarm is it? It makes quite a hollow sound.
As the swingarm compresses the cable slackens and knocks the inside.
No it is linked in with the pedal stroke and doesn't do it when free-wheeling.
It didn't do it when new so why start now?
Does it do it on compressing the rear end while free wheeling?
Have you tried another set of pedals?
How new is the BB have you regreased it since new, could be build up of crap from rides?
Might be worth stripping down and giving it a service regardless of how new it is.
Does it do it on compressing the rear end while free wheeling?
Have you tried another set of pedals?
How new is the BB have you regreased it since new, could be build up of crap from rides?Might be worth stripping down and giving it a service regardless of how new it is.
No noise when free wheeling downhill with suspension moving quite a bit
Not tried and other pedals so will give it a go tonight
The bottom bracket has been used twice!
funny that as mine makes an intermittent clicking noise in that area too. Figured as it goes away under higher load that I wouldn't worry about it...
Never figured out what it is either, I'll watch this thread with interest 🙂
How recent are the bearings and shock bushings? My Morewood (similar single pivot design) did something like this for a while which was cured by new bearings and bushings (not sure which as both done at the same time).
funny that as mine makes an intermittent clicking noise in that area too. Figured as it goes away under higher load that I wouldn't worry about it...Never figured out what it is either, I'll watch this thread with interest
It's annoying though isn't it!
Do you think it old have got full of crap the times it's been used?
Time it takes to remove might be worth stripping, cleaning and repack with grease.
Just a thought...
Keep us updated how you get on mate..
Orange 5 s will always have mystery noises , first check your rear quick release, strange as it sounds this is usually the first culprit unless its time to change the pivot bearings
Nixie, the bike is about a year old now and to be fair it has been used regularly from the day I bought it all through winter too!
As above, worth making sure the rear qr is really tight. It helped quieten mine. Then I found that the rear axle had actually snapped 😀
Simples, fill said filing cabinet with foam 🙂
I had a strange noise on my 5 which turned out to be the rear QR. Doing it up progressively tighter didn't help but I changed it for a Shimano one and now it is silent.
Remove,clean and grease qr and clean drop outs, check chainring bolts, remove, clean and re-fit mech hanger, check tightness of bb and try different pedals, if Hope hub check freehub.
Do what he said ^^^ and in that order.
Probably just a few paper clips left inside from its previous life 😉
I had a similar issue no noise when free wheeling but clicking noise when pedaling turned out to be a freehub bearing but could have sworn it was the BB as the noise was coming from that area, Stripped the bb re greased and no changed hence checking freehub. There was a small amount of play in the end freehub bearing
dunno if it's mentioned above, but clicking when pedaling, check the chainring bolts. Maybe take em out, re-grease threads and put them back.
+2 andycs. Also saddle clamp and seatpost clamp if it only occurs pedalling seated. Basically remove, clean, relube and retighten everything listed. And do it one at a time so you can identify and eliminate.
The only thing worse for echoing clicks and squeaks than a halifax filing cabinet is a massive carbon monocoque like the Trek Y22 I once had...
I have the same problem with mine and couldnt find out where it was coming from.
Not the QR on mine as its a maxle rear end, not the bb or chainring bolts.
But...
I have been advised by a mate at Orange to try and change the bearings and pawls in the Pro2 rear hub (overhaul basically) as its a known noise and should solve the problem (even though it doesnt sound like the noise is coming from that area).
I have the bearing on order to try it.
Hope this helps.
My old 5 had a strange creak for ages.
Finally tracking it down to the Hope QR, swapped that over to an old Shimano one and it stopped the noise. Problem with the Orange swingarm is it just amplifies everything. Don't know if there was some grit in the qr/frame interface or just the actual qr creaked a tiny bit - might be worth checking.
Similar problem with my 5 but solved eventually. Two possibilities: either the swingarm bearings need replacing or the 2 'chocks' that clamp the bearings are out of alignment.
If the bearings need replacement there tends to be a clicking or cracking noise on compression. If the bike is more than 2 years old replace the bearings. Costs about £15 direct from Orange and is an easy job.
If the bearing clamps are out of alignment you tend to get a creak on pedalling as oil/dirt builds up on the machined face and the edge of the bearing cover. Remove the 2 swingarm bolts and bearing covers and clean everything especially the machined face of the bearing clamp. Realign carefully and torque the swingarm bolts to 12-14 nm on re-assembly.
It took me ages to solve the creaking problem; but in the end the problem was simple and cost nothing.
If you need any advice on the above e-mail in profile.
For the few pence it costs, change the swing arm pinch bolts. They lengthen over time and, in my case, eventually snap. Probably won't happen to you, but a cheap preventative measure.
agreed qr is often the cause
but one thing not to over look is the rear fox shock .
clicking while pedalling under load = chainring bolts IMHO
Thats what I thought, clicking = lose c/ring bolts or loose spoke. Turned out the outer shell of the swingarm bearing had cracked after 4 years abuse and fell apart when I removed it.
Looks like I will be busy tonight then!
I started listening to my mp3 when out on my bike , not heard it since.
Are you sure it's not just got a Yorkshire accent that your not familiar with.
unless you are from Yorkshire of course, in which case, there is far more sensible advice above 😉
nealglover, only if the clicking sound goes like " t', t', t', t'...." 😀
first check your rear quick release, strange as it sounds this is usually the first culprit
this was what made my 5 click
Just rode the bike and it only made a tiny click once!
Checked quick release and it was tight but did tried and make it slightly tighter. No noises when I rode it again but i am not convinced that was it as it was very tight to start with.
I then checked the chain ring bolts. 2 very tight and 2 where I got maybe an eight of a turn.
So in reality I don't know if it was cured or not.
The rear wheel does need some spokes tensioning though.
grease the QR where it presses into the dropouts, sounds wrong but any slight movement is hugely amplified by the that hollow swing arm
I'm glad I got one of those complicated hard-to-service multiple pivot bikes now 
TBH bikes make noise, Fives can make quite a lot, I'd just ignore it. You should hear my commuter groan and scrape and it's fully rigid.
Does it sound anything like this?
Thats it Spin but a little more clicky!
I'd suggest revisiting the bottom bracket, if it was fitted 2 rides ago I'd suggest it either wasn't done up tight enough or has loosened off since fitting. I have just started using a saint bb as I have a bb mounted chain roller and want a decent amount of thread in the bb shell.
I usually torque mine slightly tighter than the reccomended torque (believe its 70nm but check for yourself) as I found it wouldn't take very long to start 'tick tick' when under load. I always grease the threads too as water sitting in the frame around the BB can expediate the noise.
As for the usual orange jokes - yawn!
curvature - did you cure this? i just recently went 1x10 first few rides was silent, now suddenly ive got a click, really odd noise, its not a creak and like you doesnt do it on climbing seated on road with the power down, nor descending at all, just sort of medium/middle ground or slightly off road where the suspension compresses more?...
im wondering if its the pivot bearings as ive got a bit of movement in the rear swingarm and with it seeming to do the click more off road with uneven terrain meaning the suspensions working?
does seem strange as ive just gone 1x10 too!
Make sure the dropout area on the 5 is very clean, bits of grit in the drop outs and qr are the culprit
As said previously, the swinarm amplifies the noise
Went through this noise on a mates orange and it was shit in the dropouts
Would never have believed it
checked the QR etc, its not that, i always keep it nice and greased anyways...and when its been that before it would do it more so under load on road climbs, which it isnt really doing now
Have you tried another saddle?
I spent ages trying to find what the hell caused a random carbon snapping noise on my Trek near the shock mount only for it to be the seat rails moving on the plastic where they go into the seat frame.
i have greased lubed and tigthened the saddle, its defo not that, i have actually had that clicking before but it wasnt the same sort of noise...
just hope curvature spots this and replies 😉
Out of interest, is it a hope qr? Another thing is shock bolts, check they're tight and the pin is straight

