yet another "Help me Diagnose This Noise" thread

[Bob Ross]

This noise just started 2 or 3 rides ago. It's a clicking/creaking sound whenever the drive-side crankarm is in the forward position, say between 2:00-4:00. Happens on every single pedal revolution, regardless of whether the chain is on the big or small chainring. It sounds to my ear almost like a stiff link, though the fact that it happens with every single turn of the cranks would seem to rule that out. Definitely sounds like it's emanating from the crank/bottom bracket area.

Bike is relatively new, has fewer than 2500 miles on it. Chain has not yet been replaced, but has been lubed regularly though infrequently as per the NFS instructions, & gets wiped down religiously after every ride. Drive train is all Campy Record 11-speed.

I lubed my pedals and pulled/lubed/reseated the small chainring bolts. No change, still makes the same noise.
I have not yet pulled/lubed/reseated the large chainring bolts nor pulled the crankset, though I'm thinking those should be my next steps.

Actually I'm wondering if just buying a new chain should be my next step...

Any ideas? The noise is remarkably consistent/regular/predictable ...which makes it so unlike any other mechanical noise I've ever had to diagnose on a bike that I'm at a complete loss!

Thanks.


[edit: see post #24 for the solution. I hope... ]

[David Kirk]

Do you get the noise when both standing and seated?

dave

[djg21]

What is the frame made out of? Things I'd check if not the pedal or chain include the seatpost and the front derailleur clamp.

[drewskey]

Do you get the noise when both standing and seated?

dave

I have had this noise before. Turns out it was the seat post and occurred whenever I was sitting.

[icepick_trotsky]

My money is on the seatpost

[Pierre]

if it happens with every revolution then likely not chain. Is the derailleur cable bent outwards maybe (making contact with shoe or something)? Have you tightened each of the bolts on your cleats? Is the FD making contact with a the chainright possibly (I.e. it is adjusted too low on the seat tube)? When looking down at rings while pedaling are they nice and true?

[bigman]

Check your skewers.

[Keith A]

I recently had a similar sound, but I tracked this down to one of my pedals...but you say that you have already removed those and lubed them. What type of bottom bracket is this?

[oldpotatoe]

Ride without cycling shoes
Swap pedals
Swap rear wheel
Check seatpost/saddle

Then look at BB

[notsew]

Is the derailleur cable bent outwards maybe (making contact with shoe or something)?

I've got my money on this one.

[thwart]

Definitely sounds like it's emanating from the crank/bottom bracket area.

Yeah, but click/creaks are notoriously tricky to localize accurately.

Quick release tight... ?

If not the source, consider lightly greasing interface between inside face of dropout and rear wheel, on both sides.

The above is assuming that the sound is present both seated and out of the saddle...

[Ralph]

Check your skewers.

I had an impossible to track down noise recently on a CAAD 10...and it was the rear Zonda skewer (that skewer is used on a lot of different wheels....some non Campy). Tightening it down didn't solve issue. Only found it after I swapped rear wheels with different skewer. Then put that skewer on first wheel. Noise gone. A Record skewer fixed it. (BTW....the noisy skewer is quiet on a steel frame where I use it now)

[BobO]

Check that the cleat screws are tight on your right foot.

[josephr]

only suggestion to add is a possible bent chain-ring tooth or two...

[thwart]

(BTW....the noisy skewer is quiet on a steel frame where I use it now)

Yep. In my (admittedly limited) experience, the nastiest noises to track down are in titanium or aluminum frames. There's a reason for that, but I'm not smart enough to know what it is...

[ultraman6970]

Which drivetrain brand?

If campagnolo UT well could be the wavy washer that needs to be replaced, or one of the cups needs to have more grease in the threads.

Could be the seatpost or even the saddle clamp.

Front quick release.

Cleats.

[bbeck66]

I loathe bike noises. Can add anything. Good luck.

[estilley]

Remove, clean, re-grease, re-tighten everything. Starting with the easy stuff of course!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bjf]

I've got my money on this one.

Me, too. I had this happen recently, but only when the FD was trimmed in one position, not the other.

[Tony]

This site may be of some help
http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

[ripvanrando]

loose saddle rail

[weisan]

>>This noise just started 2 or 3 rides ago. It's a clicking/creaking sound whenever the drive-side crankarm is in the forward position, say between 2:00-4:00.

Is it coming from your right knee cap? :D

Chain rubbing or touching FD ever so slightly under pressure.

[aingeru]

tighten your chainrings

[Bob Ross]

For the tl;dr crowd: It seems like liberally greasing the seatpost, front and rear skewers, outside of front and rear dropouts, and then squirting a crap-ton of teflon chainlube onto the insertion points of the saddle rails, has eliminated the problem. At least this morning's ~10 mile commute was silent, though tbh I didn't really put the bike through its paces to try & recreate the noise. But thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions.


Do you get the noise when both standing and seated?

Crikey, I can't believe it didn't occur to me to pay attention to that while I was riding! :::facepalm:::


What is the frame made out of?

Steel


I have had this noise before. Turns out it was the seat post and occurred whenever I was sitting.

Yeah, definitely wish I'd been paying attention to whether I was sitting or standing when I was hearing the problem. In hindsight I wish I'd spent more time troubleshooting, only greasing one item at a time, so that I could find out which (seatpost, skewers, dropouts, or saddle rails) was the real culprit.


My money is on the seatpost
Check your skewers.

You guys win! (I hope...might be premature for me to celebrate)


consider lightly greasing interface between inside face of dropout and rear wheel, on both sides.

Huh, wish I'd paid closer attention to your suggestion; I greased the outside of the dropouts. Next time I'll remember!


Is the derailleur cable bent outwards maybe (making contact with shoe or something)?
I've got my money on this one.

Nope, now you gotta give your money to icepick_trotsky :) I've actually heard that problem enough times to recognize it.


Is it coming from your right knee cap? :D

You laugh...but I actually spent several months over the past year diagnosing that noise! Would have sworn it was a loose cleat or cleat/pedal interface. But nope, my right knee definitely makes a loud noise. More of a high-pitched "pop" than a "click", and it happens slightly less regularly than this week's noise issue.

Anyhow, thanks again for all the suggestions. I sincerely hope I don't have to return to this thread in a couple days to say "Oops, that wasn't the fix."

[ripvanrando]

For the tl;dr crowd: It seems like liberally greasing the seatpost, front and rear skewers, outside of front and rear dropouts, and then squirting a crap-ton of teflon chainlube onto the insertion points of the saddle rails, has eliminated the problem. At least this morning's ~10 mile commute was silent, though tbh I didn't really put the bike through its paces to try & recreate the noise. But thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions.




Crikey, I can't believe it didn't occur to me to pay attention to that while I was riding! :::facepalm:::




Steel




Yeah, definitely wish I'd been paying attention to whether I was sitting or standing when I was hearing the problem. In hindsight I wish I'd spent more time troubleshooting, only greasing one item at a time, so that I could find out which (seatpost, skewers, dropouts, or saddle rails) was the real culprit.





You guys win! (I hope...might be premature for me to celebrate)




Huh, wish I'd paid closer attention to your suggestion; I greased the outside of the dropouts. Next time I'll remember!





Nope, now you gotta give your money to icepick_trotsky :) I've actually heard that problem enough times to recognize it.




You laugh...but I actually spent several months over the past year diagnosing that noise! Would have sworn it was a loose cleat or cleat/pedal interface. But nope, my right knee definitely makes a loud noise. More of a high-pitched "pop" than a "click", and it happens slightly less regularly than this week's noise issue.

Anyhow, thanks again for all the suggestions. I sincerely hope I don't have to return to this thread in a couple days to say "Oops, that wasn't the fix."

You're welcome

Check the rail ain't cracked.

Been there.