Disturbing clicking/grinding noise under load when pedalling?

Just put a Shimano 10 speed cassette, SRAM X9 10 speed rear mech and KMC X10-L chain on my bike, to replace the old 9 speed stuff. Still have a Shimano Deore 32t chainring. With the bike static it’s sounding fine and shifting fine. When pedalling gently likewise. When you pedal harder it’s making a weird noise when you put the pressure on the pedals. Any ideas what it is and how to solve it?

errm you did change the shifter too?

I’d suggest front chainring is worn although could be a number of things, tbh.

Check pedals, chainring bolts?

I had a similar issue, turned out to be the pedal bearings: the left specifically. It really seemed like the granny/BB/front derailleur and the sound wasn’t audible every pedal stroke. It was worse when climbing too.

However…

Which gear combinations is it happening in? As said, have you gone 10 on the shifters/chainrings too? AFAIK there is a width difference between the 9 and 10 speed stuff which relates to indexing too.

As above, I’d replace the front chainring.

“weird noise” could you be any less specific?

Could be any number of causes.

mine does this I am guessing at the pedals or the BB or chain ring bolts or any other part of the drivetrain set up or a crack

No front shifter, was 1×9, now 1×10. Sounds very much like the chain grinding against teeth. Al, the topic title describes the ‘weird noise’ thus: “Disturbing clicking/grinding noise”.

The lone front chain ring is less than 6 months old and steel, so I didn’t think it could be worn out but maybe it is? Aren’t 10 speed chains the same width on the inside, but narrower on the outside, so 9 speed single front rings are fine with 10 speed?

Yes, I changed the rear shifter but failed to mention it – SRAM X9 10 speed, like the mech. Haven’t got 9 and 10 mixed up!

chainring is the only non-new part, try replacing it and see.

Otherwise maybe it’s an odd incompatability issue.

is it only in some gears or all ?

I’d suggest the bb.

Just pedalled up and down testing it. It’s doing it in all the gears, and consistently does it whenever you put some proper pressure on the pedals and doesn’t do it when you back off and pedal very lightly. It sounds very clicky in its grindiness, like the links are catching on the teeth.

Seatpost bolts? Does it happen when you pedal standing?

No weird noises when I hop/pump btw.

Had to think for a moment whether I was sitting down at all then… So yes, standing or seated.

Did some further checking – when you pedal softly the chain is running smoothly. Pedal harder and you can see it hang into the bottom of the chain ring for a few extra teeth, then free itself, then repeat the process throughout the pedal cycle except when you’re near 12 o’clock and the torque is lower. New chain ring time? Renthal? Hope? Any other?

Knees?

Amusing if that wasn’t why I’ve had a week off the bike…

I had a “meshing” or “crunching” noise , when pedalling harder a while back ,it turned out to be the freehub body bearings.
Do you have another wheel you could put your cassette on to?
pain in the derriere.

Silly question but have you adjusted your handlebars??? Only asking as I have a similar issue with my road bike and it ended up being the bars.

Some basic issues to check:

– chain length? and/or tension in the rear mech?

– is the chain properly routed through the jockey wheels/cage?

Worth a try!

Check chain for stiff links.

You just described it as chainsuck. Get a new front chainring and it should cease. Less than 6 months can still mean a fair bit of wear as the chain is also steel and it’s been used through the winter grindfest. Harder pedalling is jamming the chain further into the gap, thus making it harder to release.

You’ve worn out your ringpiece in relation to the new setup. Either put up until the two wear together or get a new sprocket.

The Renthal ones look pretty burly.

Mysterious noises apparently emanating from the BB area have driven me crazy over the years, but seem very rarely to have been caused by BB/crank issues. Some of the things that have caused me endless pain and anxiety include:

loose bottle cage bolts
spring mechanisms in pedals requiring oil
pedal bearings needing grease
saddle rails needing grease
seatpost needing grease
loose stem bolt
undertightened rear QR skewer
stiff chain links
loose freehub body
loose spokes
the list goes on…

Having said that, it really does seem as if your problem is chainring related. If it doesn’t work, maybe try one or more of the above.

Yes, when I saw it chainsucking I was fairly certain that it was indeed chainsuck – just wanted to check if it could be caused by anything other than the chainring, though with all the other parts being new it seems highly unlikely. Hope chainring ordered and I guess that takes the bike back to its 1×9 weight too.

P.S. That’s an interesting auto-correct fail Herman…

Fail? Oh, I see.

Glad you sorted it 🙂

Try tightening your chainring bolts.

Hope 32t chainring fitted a couple of days ago – problem solved! Much lighter than the steel Deore unsurprisingly and looks like it’ll be better in the mud what with the cross-drilling and absence of ramps etc.

hi!

I am soo glad you have posted this…

I have the EXACT same issue… took it to 4 LBS but no one could see the issue and said chinring is still ok…

so I then did my own further checks and flipped cycle upside down… held the rear wheel from turning and pedled with my hand .. I could see the chain catching on the last few teeth before it could no longer and then release… so SAME ISSUE!

i have bought and ruined 3 new chains thinking Its the chain type… and now I got a kmc its the same… so… your chain ring replacement worked?

I have done about 7,000 miles on mine.

But I dont see how the chain catches on to my chain rink .. it seems like with load the chain ring angles a bit and so catches the chain and it comes off the ring… could this be a BB issue or defo the ring?

thanks

I have identified my mystery creaking….. shock bushes. Happened only when I was pedalling at first, so I was busy lubing/tightening various bits of the drivetrain and peadals.

Recently it started to also creak when I wasn’t pedalling – turns out it was the bushes.

Yes, been perfect with the new chainring.