RH Clark

I changed the rear cassette and put a new chain on my 3X10 Long Haul Trucker. I did not use a torque wrench, but I am mechanically experienced, and didn't put a farmer's tightening on it. Ever since I have an occasional ticking sound. It sounds like it is coming from the crank area, but I am uncertain. It's not a ting of a spoke but more like the sound of a couple pebbles hitting the frame. It seems to only happen when peddling and is quite random. Just a couple little ticks that may occur again within a couple hundred yards or in the next 5 minuets. Seems to always be two little tings. I can't get the noise to repeat itself on the bike repair stand or when just coasting even shifting my weight back and forth.

Andrew R Stewart 

Can you get the rear cogs to move relative to each other? I would test with a chain whip on each cog and in both directions. If not then I would speculate that the cassette lock ring is tight enough.

I, also, sometimes have a "random" tick that I have had on a number of bikes and chain/cog replacements. I have come to think it is the connecting link ever so slightly contacting a rear cog tooth on an adjacent cog. Between the natural waviness of a chain (sight down its length and see the subtle "S" shape), that link being slightly wider than the others and that I like to run my SIS cable "tension" adjustment slightly on the tight side (makes for faster down shifting, I don't care anywhere near as much about up shifting pace) when the right combo of the contributors happen a tick is heard. Andy

Added- But there are a number of other possible causes of clicks and ticks that involve the rest of the gear system that are more commonly mentioned. Loose ring bolts, loose are on BB axle, loose BB in shell, worn BB bearings, and then we move onto the pedal ones... don't forget about possible wheel/spoke or hub/bearing concerns too.

This topic "ticks, where from?" might be the second most common one asked here (second to chain lube). I expect many to chime in with their opinions. Andy

Bill Kapaun

You should torque about 30 ft-lbs. Pretty firm.

Often, you may have to give the barrel adjuster a click or 2 to match the new cassette. There is a bit of manf. tolerances.

grumpus

Broken frame? Particularly check the chainstay bridge, and seat tube to bbkt area. But it could just be a shoelace hitting something, or the front mech cable.

phughes

Shoelace hitting the crank? Don't laugh, it's happened.

Check the tightness of the chainwheels on your crank. That has made the noise you describe on my LHT in the past. Pedals okay?

FBinNY 

The pattern you describe of the ticks coming in pairs makes me wonder if it might be related to the shift gates. These are the cut down teeth at (usually) two opposite sides of the outer chainring. They allow easier shifting by letting the FD push the chain sideways to start the process. However, when the chain is feeding from an angle, ie. the from the outermost cassette sprocket, the chain begins to deflect as it spans the gate, and bumps against the first full tooth upon engaging.

So, experiment, listen to your bike and see if you only hear the noise on the outer chainring, and then if it's most pronounced with the chain coming from the outer few rear sprockets.

Other than that, plenty of possibilities as noted above, including loose crank arm on the spindle (depends on the type of crank), loose chainring bolts, not sufficiently tightened cassette, loose rivets within the cassette (if it has them), pedal mount to the arms, and so on.....

RH Clark

I've checked the pedals. I haven't checked the crank that much other than it seems fine on the stand. I tie laces with extra knots since a lace wrapped around a crank with me once. I've taken it to a very smooth track and rode laps. It ticks every now and again with no seeming reason. Sometimes it ticks again within 30 seconds and sometimes it might be minuets between ticks. It doesn't seem to matter what gear it's in or how hard you are pushing. It doesn't tick when coasting. There is no rhythm to it even keeping a steady pace on the smooth track testing it.

Bill Kapaun

Stay in the same gear for an extended period at the same cadence, then time the intervals to prove/disprove some harmonic condition with 1 or 2 specific chain link(s).
Edit- Or maybe your chain is too tight and an out of round chain ring & out of round cog....
Did the new cassette have a larger "biggest" cog and you didn't add length to the chain?
Elliptical chain ring?

Andrew R Stewart 

These types of noises are generally only present when the causing part(s) is under load. So searching with the bike on a repair stand only confirms a state that isn't going on when riding. Not a wrong thing to do because double checking all those little possibilities that could show while on a stand is the right first step. But going beyond that simple start needs loading and forces not seen when on a stand. Andy

wheelreason

Nothing is impossible, but very unlikely that a too tight cassette is the issue.

Iride01 

Check your chain ring bolts. If you have disc brakes, your rotor lock ring or bolts.

kcjc

No, yes, and maybe, but mostly unlikely. There are too many potential variables, and it could be just a coincidence. You could eliminate that possibility by using a different wheel, reinstalling the cassette to the manufacturer's specs, or both. Besides those listed above, check your seat and seat post, your shoes, pedals, and cleats, and note how you shift your weight. Check every part of the bike and you. My last mystery was loose chainring bolts.

phughes

Check the tightness of the chain rings. That is what caused mine. Also don't discount the spokes for a possible noise source.

masi61

Is the brand or model of new cassette different from the old one? How are your freehub body splines looking? Are there any "snakebikes" on the splines? I know I have read that greasing the splines is optional but I like to work some nice grease from a micro grease gun into the spline joints.

RH Clark

I just slightly tightened all the chain ring bolts. They weren't what I would call loose but not quite to where I thought they should be. I might need a torque wrench but I'm 55 years old and have repaired automobiles, and worked with all kinds of tools, even small precision parts and feel that I have a good sense about mechanical things. I do use a torque wrench on anything carbon or where mechanically it really matters. When the rain stops, I'll try it out again.

Everything with the wheel and spline when I changed the cassette looked new. I did put some marine grease in the threads. I didn't cake it on the spline area. I suspect this was a first cassette change from factory. It's a 2012 with 26" wheels and cantilevers. I bought it second owner who only rode it once. First guy wanted to tour but got sick somehow and never rode it at all. I wiped the grease from around the headset where it squirted out at assembly.

Bill Kapaun

IIRC, a spark plug in an old cast iron head was around 30 ft-lbs?

Billlyy

Adjust the front derailer, had the same intermittent click
2x8 gearing

RH Clark

Wasn't the chain rings. I use friction bar end shifters and it's not the derailleur. I'll let you kind folks know when I get it sorted out.

FBinNY 

The key to solving this is frequency.

If the clicking is rhythmic and synchronous to cadence, it's likely not the hub, so focus on cranks, pedals and BB.

If its totally random or synchronous to wheel rpm, its hub/cassette.

There's also the possibility of crank synchronous pattern coming from the rear via the changing chain tension. So, a hub moving in the dropout, broken axle, poor connection of freewheel body to hub, etc. In short, anything that might move when pulled forward by the chain.

You might use a digital recorder or cell phone to help isolate the general area. Tape to chain or seat stay with mike pointed to hub and ride. Leaving the input volume the same, repeat nesr the cranks. Listen and compare volumes to narrow the possibilities accordingly.

JohnDThompson 

Does it only happen under load? I've had ticking noises under load from the bearings in the ratchet mechanism. Squirt a little lube in there, and see if it quiets down.

RH Clark

It's only under load and completely random as best as I've been able to tell. It started happening a couple months ago and I was only barely riding because of a surgery. I put that bike away and have been riding others. I just took it out again and started trying to isolate the noise. Weather has been steady rain for several days. I have been tweaking on it through and do appreciate all the help. I just haven't been able to ride and check some things for several days.

Kontact

Regardless of whether it is the cause or not, tighten your cassette. It doesn't sound correctly torqued down, which is firmer than most people think.