The ticking, the creaking.

[Tom]

It started as 'tick tickticktick tick tickticktick' when I put pressure on the pedals, I noticed it climbing and I suppose it happened when I was zipping along but wind noise would have drowned it out.

Now, a couple of weeks and about 400 miles later it's a lot of creaking under load. I greased the Speedplay pedals, cleaned the cleats and pedals of a lot of grime, no change.

I notice my rings seem to move left and right as well as around and around. Without taking the cranks off, I can't get any play in them no matter how hard I try. I'm wondering if the Chorus BB is giving up, or is the chain creaking against the rings? It's a fairly new chain, original rings. The bike has about it's first 10,000 miles on it and it gets ridden in rain if it's raining out.

I guess its time to call the shop. Any ideas, or should I just have them order a Phil Wood and be done with it?

[rnhood]

Did you take the pedals off and put them back on? I was getting some ticking from mine a while back and this cured it.

[professor_b]

sounds like a bad BB to me...but I'm not a bike mechanic, just a guy that's replaced a ruined BB or two in his day.

[victoryfactory]

Tom;

I would bet my Legend (not really) that the problem is not the BB or pedals.
These ticking sounds usually can be traced to:
saddle
bars/stem
Front deraileur
bottle cage
wheels, check that the quick releases are tight, pull on the wheels
side to side.
head-ons or other places where cables meet the frame.

The best way to test is to tug pretty hard on all the above mentioned parts
until you hear the tick. lean on the frame from every angle and pull.
You will find it.

Victory Factory, who feels your pain.

[Bruce H.]

I had a click. It was present whether peddling or not. Steady one click per rotation. Turns out it was a loose spoke. Tightened up the spokes and trued the wheel and now it is gone
Bruce H :)

[theoldman]

The rings should not go left/right, but you knew that. I would take into the shop. It may be something simple, or it could be the BB. I had the same problem last year, pulled the cranks and re-installed, the problem was solved. But I think I got lucky.

Is your BB still under warranty?

[Needs Help]

...

[Kevan]

Captain Hook have the same problem?

It had something to do with a croc...

Which I suppose this posting is too. :D

[jfelice]

Tom,

Not a professional mechanic myself, but myself and a few others I ride with experienced a similiar issue.

If by any chance you are riding Ksyriums (or any other higher end Mavic road wheel) the front hub/quick release is most likely the culprit. Lube it up and you should be good to go.

jeff

ps - many times sounds like this seem to be coming from the bb, but tubes (especially aluminum) reverberate the sound from the front end through the bike

[djg21]

Tom:

Sounds like you've been out riding in the rain, which has been unavoidable up here in the Capital District lately. My guess is that some water and contaminants seeped in between the BB shell and the outside of the BB cartridge. Once the water dried out, you were left with a bunch of dirt and corrosion on the outside of the BB cartridge. This causes the creaking when you are climbing or pedaling out of the saddle.

Uninstall the BB, and clean the outside of the cartridge and the inside of the BB shell of your frame with scotchguard. Once everything is clean, reinstall the BB after coating the inside of the BB shell and the threads with antiseize compound. Forget paying stupid prices for "Titanium Anti-seize." Instead, go to an auto parts shop and purchase a big bottle of regular, old antiseize (it's the same stuff) for about $10.

This is not uncommon with Ti frames. It's worth having a set of BB tools for this reason.

Good luck!

[Orin]

When my bike was creaking under load, it was due to cracks in the rear rim, an Open Pro of 2000 or so vintage.

Orin.

[Tom]

I removed my front wheel, cleaned the dropouts and hub, applied a tiny bit of Triflow and rubbed the last discoloration off. No more noise! My ride this morning is pretty flat but punctuated by little steep rollers and one short but steep climb. I sprinted the rollers, mashed the pedals as hard as I could and for good measure reefed on the bars and exaggerated throwing the bike back and forth. Sad to say it, but the sprints did not involve any wind noise. The good thing was no creaking from the bike!

I still am going to pull the cranks and clean up the issue with the rings, but at least things are running quiet again. That noise was starting to get on my nerves when I was huffing up over some of the hills west of town.

[Marron]

I would suggest checking this area as well. Twice I have traced mysterious clicks that I swore were coming from the BB or pedals to the crown race. In both instances it involved the crown race on Ouzo Pros.

[victoryfactory]

Uh..
Thank you, thank you vera much...

VF has left the building