going crazy, one tick at a time

[Matthew]

Just built up my 2002 concours using a new dura ace 7800 group. The group works great but after about 120 miles it has developed a very annoying "tick" sound with almost every pedal stroke. I think it is coming from the BB but am not 100% sure. It does not make any noise unless I am pedaling and it does it in the little and big ring, while climbing or seated, soft pedaling and out of the saddle. Now it does not do it all the time, almost making the problem more maddening. When it is quiet, it is incredibly so, almost no nosie at all. I have replaced my cleats, saddle, and had the BB out and reinstalled with waterproof grease and even a little plumbers tape with no success. I have snugged up my skewers, checked the chainring bolts and lubed the seatpost and the post clamp. Still no luck. What do you advise for lubing the threads of the BB during installation? Should I try anti-seize instead of grease. Is there a ti specific product that works better. Thanks for any input, Matthew.

[David Kirk]

As plum crazy as this will sound humor me and try it anyway -

Remove the front derailleur and clean the inside of the clamp (the surface that touches the seat tube) well and then sand it will some sand paper. Now put a light coating of grease on this surface and re-install.

BTW - what kind of front der. is it?

dave

[CNY rider]

Just built up my 2002 concours using a new dura ace 7800 group. The group works great but after about 120 miles it has developed a very annoying "tick" sound with almost every pedal stroke. I think it is coming from the BB but am not 100% sure. It does not make any noise unless I am pedaling and it does it in the little and big ring, while climbing or seated, soft pedaling and out of the saddle. Now it does not do it all the time, almost making the problem more maddening. When it is quiet, it is incredibly so, almost no nosie at all. I have replaced my cleats, saddle, and had the BB out and reinstalled with waterproof grease and even a little plumbers tape with no success. I have snugged up my skewers, checked the chainring bolts and lubed the seatpost and the post clamp. Still no luck. What do you advise for lubing the threads of the BB during installation? Should I try anti-seize instead of grease. Is there a ti specific product that works better. Thanks for any input, Matthew.

I think it's a ti thing because I have had a couple of Ti Serottas do this off and on for years.
Can't say I have tried what DK is suggesting but I have tried just about everything else possible, and ultimately the tick would come back again.
The good news is that if it were something dangerous I'd be dead already, and yet I'm still here.

[bironi]

As plum crazy as this will sound humor me and try it anyway -

Remove the front derailleur and clean the inside of the clamp (the surface that touches the seat tube) well and then sand it will some sand paper. Now put a light coating of grease on this surface and re-install.

BTW - what kind of front der. is it?

dave

Boy, I'd never have suspected that location. Any explanation?

[MattTuck]

I think it is coming from the BB but am not 100% sure.


The bicycle is a curious acoustic specimen... to the rider, virtually every sound on the bike seems to emanate from the bottom bracket.

[Matthew]

The front deralliuer is a dura ace with a separate clamp. I had chorus on the bike previously with that derailluer being the clamp style but one entire unit if that makes sense. Had no issues with that setup except for the seat clamp doing it occasionally. Would hate to remove the derailleur unless I absolutely have to because I finally got it dialed in perfectly. Thanks for the help. Matthew

[avalonracing]

Would hate to remove the derailleur unless I absolutely have to because I finally got it dialed in perfectly. Thanks for the help. Matthew

Sounds like you have to.

[David Kirk]

Boy, I'd never have suspected that location. Any explanation?

I found many years ago that noise from this area was very common on Ti bikes with shimano front der. clamps. It turns out that the seat tube likes to flex into a sideways arc and the clamp doesn't. The shimano clamps are tall and stiff and the anodized aluminum is sticky to the Ti so it develops a click when the tube moves relative to the clamp.

All noise comes from one part moving relative to another. It's just a matter of finding that movement and treating it so it can't move or so that when it does move it slides easily instead of holding on and then letting go. The sanding of the clamp gets rid of the grabby surface and the grease aides in that as well.

dave

[David Kirk]

The front deralliuer is a dura ace with a separate clamp. I had chorus on the bike previously with that derailluer being the clamp style but one entire unit if that makes sense. Had no issues with that setup except for the seat clamp doing it occasionally. Would hate to remove the derailleur unless I absolutely have to because I finally got it dialed in perfectly. Thanks for the help. Matthew

Trace the clamp with a fin point sharpie and stick it back in the same exact spot.

dave

[slowandsteady]

I had the exact same problem and it drove me nuts...finally rode a friends bike and found out it was............................................... .................................................. ......................something inside my cleats! a little piece of loose debris under INSIDE the opening where the cleat is attached!

[avalonracing]

I found many years ago that noise from this area was very common on Ti bikes with shimano front der. clamps. It turns out that the seat tube likes to flex into a sideways arc and the clamp doesn't. The shimano clamps are tall and stiff and the anodized aluminum is sticky to the Ti so it develops a click when the tube moves relative to the clamp.

All noise comes from one part moving relative to another. It's just a matter of finding that movement and treating it so it can't move or so that when it does move it slides easily instead of holding on and then letting go. The sanding of the clamp gets rid of the grabby surface and the grease aides in that as well.

dave

Dave, I'm not the OP but I sometimes get a hard to find click on my Ti bikes too. The sandpaper trick isn't something that I've tried... Yet. But I will when I do my next overhaul (within the month).
Thanks for the tip.

[caleb]

A simple as it might sound, make sure the cable end that sticks out of your front derailleur isn't hitting your crank arm. Sometimes the little noises are simple things.

[Matthew]

My bike is painted on the seat tube. Will this matter in regards to the clamp making noise? Thanks.

[David Kirk]

My bike is painted on the seat tube. Will this matter in regards to the clamp making noise? Thanks.


The paint should make it less likely but will not stop it from happening.

Dave

[rwsaunders]

Thanks Dave. I've never had the ticking issue with my Legend, but now I'm sure that I'll hear it tomorrow. :cool:

[regularguy412]

I had an intermittent click that drove me nuts for six months. I finally took the chainrings off, cleaned everything, put anti-seize on the chainring bolts and retorqued. That finally fixed it.

Mike in AR:beer:

[lemonlaug]

I had an intermittent click that drove me nuts for six months. I finally took the chainrings off, cleaned everything, put anti-seize on the chainring bolts and retorqued. That finally fixed it.



I had a click on a Merlin that was also driving me nuts. I took out the cranks bottom bracket etc. clean and torqued and didn't fix it.

My quick release was just a *little* loose and the wheel was moving just slightly in the dropouts. DOH! I never actually deduced the problem, but before too long of course I had to take my wheel off and I new as soon as I touched the lever that that was it.

[Ken Robb]

All of these little noises go away with time. Once I got into my sixties all my bikes quieted down completely. :rolleyes:

[cmg]

If it makes the noise but only when pedaling but not all the time. Look at the cassette at the rear hub. The rear derailluer may not be adjusted properly, some slack in the shifting cable may have developed from use. set the bike in a stand and go through the gears one by one, making sure the entire chain has had a chance to run through each cog. it maybe a stiff chain link too. on my bikes it's the smaller ones i have problems with. usually one tooth is too far over, mark it and either bend it or take a file to it. or place a 1mm spacer on either side of it. experiement.

at times creaking has been the seat post in the frame or no grease at the clamp at the saddle or the BB where the frame hasn't been faced, a bend in the crank chainring. yep it's annoying.

[fourflys]

maybe it's me, but I think I'd try what Dave Kirk says and go from there.... He might have a little experiance in this arena... ;)

[gman]

Solutions to annoying ticks and clicks over the years - many of which seem to come from the BB area:

BB cups - remove, grease and torque
Crank bolts - remove, grease and torque
Chainring bolts - remove grease and re-install
Pedals - remove, greas and re-install
Headset cups - remove clean headtube with scotchbrite, grease and reinstall
Bar/stem interface - remove, clean and use the friction paste, and torque
Spoke crossover points on rear - typically non-drive side - a drop of lube quiets the click.

There are others, but these are ones that have helped me to quiet the gremlins over the years.

[bpatterson]

I've had this happen A simple as it might sound, make sure the cable end that sticks out of your front derailleur isn't hitting your crank arm. Sometimes the little noises are simple things.

[Matthew]

I took Dave's advice and pulled the front derailleur off and sanded the inside face of the clamp and applied a little layer of grease and like magic the sound is gone. Now I did notice that once in a while when out of the saddle I heard a faint tick sound but it was completely eliminated when seated. Much better than before. Put 53 miles on it this morning and actually thought about how nice it is just to ride and not hear an annoying tick with every pedal stroke. I also tightened my rear skewer a touch but I am not sure if that helped though. I have Neuvation wheels and am not thrilled with the skewers, do any of you have any skewer suggestions? I am thinking Salsa but would also consider Dura ace skewers. Thanks for all the help. I love this forum!!!!Matthew.

[David Kirk]

I took Dave's advice and pulled the front derailleur off and sanded the inside face of the clamp and applied a little layer of grease and like magic the sound is gone. Now I did notice that once in a while when out of the saddle I heard a faint tick sound but it was completely eliminated when seated. Much better than before. Put 53 miles on it this morning and actually thought about how nice it is just to ride and not hear an annoying tick with every pedal stroke. I also tightened my rear skewer a touch but I am not sure if that helped though. I have Neuvation wheels and am not thrilled with the skewers, do any of you have any skewer suggestions? I am thinking Salsa but would also consider Dura ace skewers. Thanks for all the help. I love this forum!!!!Matthew.

Do I win any valuable prizes?

Congrats on the quiet bike.


dave

[caleb]

do any of you have any skewer suggestions?

Campy, Mavic, and Salsa are all good. I'd rank them in that order.

[Ken Robb]

Campy, Mavic, and Salsa are all good. I'd rank them in that order.

nothing wrong w/Shimano either.

[William]

DA and Campy...in that order. Everything else I've been able to move.

Imo of course. :)




William