• This topic has 19 replies, 16 voices, and was last updated 4 years ago by Yak.
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  • Help me track down an annoying click
  • PJay
    Free Member

    My Singular Swift has developed a click which sounds like it’s coming from the drivetrain (it’s not loud or alarming but it’s annoying me).

    It occurs , if I put power through the driveside crank, at the point where that power is relaxed (at the bottom of the stroke). I’m riding flat pedals and an ancient XT Octalink 3×9 chainset. If I remove the driveside pedal and just push my foot down on the crank arm I can still generate the click.

    I’ve removed and regreased the eccentric bottom bracket as well as the Octalink BB cartridge, cranks and crank bolts have also been attended to (including chainring bolts) as have the pedals. I’ve even replaced the chain, but it’s still there.

    What to try next? I might check that the cassette hasn’t worked loose. I suppose that it could be a bearing starting to go in the venerable bottom bracket (or even a hub bearing as these can generate clicks that seem to come anywhere but the affected hub). It does sound as if the click is coming from the chainset which is probably 12-14 years old and on its 3rd or 4th bike (new rings obviously); perhaps I need a new one!

    Any thoughts?

    cdoc
    Free Member

    Bent tooth on the chainset? That’s what my latest click was,

    aP
    Free Member

    I had a very similar annoying click on my Spider FRO. It took weeks to find and a near full strip down. It was an undersized ferrule going into the RH shifter pod.

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    neilthewheel
    Full Member

    Shoelaces

    PJay
    Free Member

    I’ve certainly had shoelaces cause me grief in the past, but not this time and I think that it’s unlikely to be a bent tooth as it happens in all 3 rings. I’ve tightened up the cassette but that doesn’t seem to have solved it either.

    I can’t see any obvious damage to the chainset but it (along with the BB) is ancient and well past its best.

    northernsoul
    Full Member

    Could it be from the derailleur hanger?

    hols2
    Free Member

    I had the exact same problem. I kept replacing parts until I had a new bike, but never got rid of the click. I used the old parts to build a spare bike, which no longer has the click.

    slackalice
    Free Member

    Annoying clicks are annoying, here’s a few suggestions:

    Worn splines on the bottom bracket spindle or in the crank arm/s?
    Chainring bolts?
    Have you changed or swapped the bottom bracket yet? As you mentioned, it might be on its way out.

    Alternatively, rear hub?

    Or leftfield possibilities being saddle rails, seatpost, headset…

    Lionheart
    Free Member

    I feel for you here, every part has been replaced on my 29ner (from other bikes) and yet a weird squeak/scrape noise comes from it. I had friends video it, ride it, ride along side it, watch listen whilst I rode a wall. Only the frame is left, tried putting that under pressure/twist striped down but nothing. I’m trying now to ‘embrace and appreciate’ it…

    Let us know if you find yours

    gkeeffe
    Full Member

    Pedals. Either in the pedal itself or pedal crank interface. I had it. Drove me mad.

    Oops sorry didn’t read the last sentence, I’d say worn crank splines. Can you swap the cranks over and test them on the opposite side. This should stop it if worn.

    avdave2
    Full Member

    I had something very similar a few months ago which to my surprise turned out to be a jockey wheel needing a clean up and some grease. Click was like yours which made me think it was coming from the pedal or crank.

    superleggero
    Free Member

    I’ve had something similar where the clicking/ticking happened at certain points of the pedal stroke. Took me ages to locate the noise and diagnose that the culprit was the seatpost/frame interface. It was a relatively easy fix so worth having a look.

    Solution was to thoroughly clean and degrease the seatpost, seatpost clamp, and inside the frame tube (with a rag tied to a wooden dowel sprayed with isopropyl alcohol). When reassembling apply a thick grease to seatpost – I used copper grease.

    northernremedy
    Full Member

    Seatpost

    jimdubleyou
    Full Member

    Spoke

    PJay
    Free Member

    Thanks for the thoughts. I suspect that it’s going to be a case of living with it (it’s annoying to not too bad) and hoping that it eventually goes over time as a result of maintenance and replacements.

    bruneep
    Full Member

    2 x 5p coins in short pockets 😒

    senorj
    Full Member

    Bottom bracket bearings need replacing?

    martinhutch
    Full Member

    Clutch mech a bit sticky? Possibly not on a HT but mine was clicking as it extended with chain growth on every pedal stroke.

    PJay
    Free Member

    Bottom bracket bearings need replacing?

    I did wonder this, although it’s a sealed cartridge (Octalink) BB so I’d need to replace the whole thing.

    It’s not pedal related as if I remove the driveside pedal, stand next to the bike with brakes applied and push down on the crank arm with my foot I can generate a click (so also unlikely to be seatpost or my own suggestion of hub bearings).

    Yak
    Full Member

    My latest click was evading me until I spotted a bent tooth on the tension jockey wheel. Almost impossible to spot on the workstand as it needed to be under load to make a loud click.

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