JochenRindt

My bike is making a clicking noise when pedaling. It is more pronounced when I'm pedaling hard- climbing a hill for instance. I've just had the bottom bracket replaced, and the clicking noise was there prior to this. The mechanic at my lbs advised me to check the chain ring bolts. I did and they were all tight. I've also checked the pedals and they were tight. I've also tightened the seat. Has anyone got any ideas on what could be causing this clicking? Could it be something else on the pedal, like the bearings? I feel like the noise is coming from the left.

maddog34

Install a different set of pedals... see if the click goes away.

clipless? it may be the mechanism...

What is the crankset?

i've used a hard plastic tube like a stethoscope to isolate odd noises many times on all kinds of machines... a bit tricky on a bicycle, but worth a try.
got an indoor trainer setup? that would allow an assistant to listen for you...

Seat posts/rails can be a source of such evil noises....

worst case? a frame joint might be coming apart... it happens... my nephew's Univega Alpina had a weird "click" for over a year until i finally rode alongside him and SAW the Rear NDS dropout move....

does the click change or end when you change gears? i've seen a bent chainring tooth make a "Click" as the chain settled onto it...
a stiff link can do similar. that's usually at the derailleur, and not in rhythm with each pedal stroke.........

"left side"... i'd swap pedals first.
almost any pedal set will do.... and inspect every frame joint on the left side too........ check the axle too... a "too long" axle stub on a QR wheel can drive ya nuts before it's realized....

JochenRindt

I ride toe clips with straps. The bike is a 2002 LeMond Alp d'Huez with a 105 crank. I'm going to try swapping out the pedals to see if that works. Any idea on how many miles the bearing in pedals typically last?

shelbyfv

Again? What fixed it last year?Clicking Noise

zandoval 

I chased a clicking nose for over a year. Bottom bracket, rings, pedals, crank, wheels, seat, seat post, checked and never found it. Just by chance I switched out my rear wheel due to a flat... No Click!

So I finally had my culprit. It turned out to be the third cog on my Shimano MFTZ freewheel.

Kontact

Cassette not tight enough, QR not tight enough, click in stem, click in brake lever, burr on chainring tooth, crack in frame.

In the saddle or out? Hands on top or on hoods? Are your QR springs oriented the right way?

JochenRindt

Nothing fixed it last year. I thought it was possibly the bottom bracket that was the problem, so I had that replaced a few weeks ago (there was play in the bearings when I rocked the crank arms). New bb did not eliminate the clicking noise. I have checked all the weld joints and have seen no cracks. Saddle has been tightened, as have the chainring bolts.

JochenRindt

In the saddle, riding on top of the hoods. I'm going to swap pedals. If that doesnt work, then i will take the rear wheel to the shop to make sure the cassette is tight.

Kontact

If you get your butt off the saddle and hold the tops, you'll rule out four components.

andrewclaus

Ditto the advice to check while out of the saddle. The last mystery click I had, everything was tight but not assembled correctly. The seat post was installed with a shim, but the slot on the shim didn't line up with the slot on the seat post. When I aligned those slots, the click went away. Another time, the saddle clamp was tight, but full of fine gravel dust. I cleaned and lubed that and the click went away. It's amazing how those noises telegraphed into the bottom bracket.

_ForceD_

Only when you’re peddling??? Is your foot hitting the front derailleur cable that may be bent out, and it’s clicking off the frame ?

Dan

KerryIrons

Clicks tied to your pedaling can come from

- BB (grease all threads in contact with the frame and BB, all metal to metal contact surfaces, and torque to the recommended settings, which can be quite high), the faces of tapered BB axles if they have a little corrosion

- bolt holding the BB cable guide onto the frame (grease threads and make sure the bolt is not touching the BB shell inside the frame)

- BB cable guide (grease threads and tighten)

- crank bolts (grease threads and washers)

- chain ring bolts (take them all out and grease the threads, the faces where they contact the CRs, and the CRs where they contact the crank spider arms)

- a dirty chain, inadequately lubed chain, stiff link in a chain or a burr on one of the "break off" special links used to assemble the chain

- front derailleur clamp (clean and put a light film of grease on the inside of the clamp where it touches the seat tube)

- front derailleur cage hitting crank arm

- the pedals (grease the threads and the shoulders of the axle where it butts against the crank arm, get some wax, silicone etc. on the cleats, check for play in the bearings, squirt some lube into the guts of the pedal machinery if possible)

- shoes/cleats - loose cleat nut rattling around in the shoe sole, shoe/cleat interface, cleat bolts, cleats touching pedals (wax lube, silicone, or furniture polish)

- seat post and saddle (grease the post, seat post clamp, seat post bolts, saddle rails, and add some oil to where the rails go into the saddle body)

- bars and stem (grease the stem where it clamps to steerer or goes into the steerer if quill type, top cap, stem bolts at both ends, h'bar bolt if quill stem, and h'bar where it goes through the stem)

- grease/tighten QRs and where the hub axle contacts the frame

- tighten cassette lock ring, grease cassette hub body and cassette spacers

- grease steerer tube spacers (if threadless)

- replaceable derailleur hangers (remove, clean, grease all parts and threads, reassemble)

- any other bolt (bottle cages, derailleur clamps, derailleur bolts, shift cable casing stops, etc.)

- cables hitting the frame (cable donuts), or shifting in their end ferrules (lube contact points).

Wheels can make noises when pedaling or coasting (check for spoke tension, particularly on the rear non drive side, put a drop of lube where each pair of spokes cross and where each spoke enters the rim and the hub flange, check for loose metal bits or spoke nipples in the body of the rim and cracks in the rim at spoke holes.).

Iride01 

I just had this one a couple of weeks ago. Just a regular click each complete wheel revolution whether I was pedaling or not and most any speed. And it was about 3 maybe 4 rides before I finally decided to look for it.

Suspecting it was the spoke crossings on the rear wheel I squeezed each pair to see if any pair were unusually loose or even tight. None were, but many had a gritty feeling when squeezed enough to move them where they crossed. I felt it might just be sweat and or drink that drips down on them when I ride and some road grit that gets stuck in there too. So I took a damp wash rag and forced it between the spoke crossings clean them. No noise or gritty feeling afterward.

Maybe it wasn't the sweat or drink spillage getting on them, but for the last few rides since doing this, they are again quiet. I suspect I probably could have put a drop of lubricant on them too without cleaning them. But I didn't.

masonv45

I had a click when pedaling also. Thought I fixed it with lubing the pedal mount bolts. Not the problem.

Took the bike apart for deep clean before summer riding - rear cassette was loose - like really loose. Cleaned it up really well, re-assembled ... and no click!

urbanknight

You said you tightened the saddle, but how about the seatpost? That was the culprit on my bike on two occasions.

JochenRindt

Thank you to everyone for all the advice and suggestions. I found the source of the clicking noise: the seat post collar needed a bit of tightening. I took the bike on a 34 mile ride today and no more clicking noise!