roadsnakes

I just started getting a slight "clunk" when pedaling up hill or in a higher gear. When I raise the bike and pedal everything is fine. Only hear the clunk when pedaling up hill. I can feel a slight vibration in right pedal when I hear the clunk.
At first I thought the chain was dirty and two links were binding. That`s not the case.
I`m not real knowledgeable when it comes to bike mechanics, and I hate to take it to a shop if it`s not necessary.

Andrew R Stewart 

First thing I think of is a loose BB cup or cartridge unit. But we can't do more than guess. That shop you wish to avoid might be able to assess far better than we, or you, can. With information decisions as to what to do and by whom can follow. Andy

soyabean

That's exactly why you should "take it to a shop".

Ask them to use a chain checker. That they will do for free if you choose not to have them repair the bike.

But if you do have them take care of it, I guarantee after you pay for the repair, the LBS will be happy. And of course, so will you

roadsnakes

I just picked it up from the LBS three weeks ago. Had a new rear wheel installed, new tires, new brakes, bar ends, and a couple of other things. I thought they might have check the chain, but probably not.
Just hate to get another bill.

I checked the lower crank. It seems smooth and solid. The right pedal seems fine. Like I said , when I have the bike raised and pedal it`s fine. Riding on a level surface in low gear , it`s fine. As soon as I go up hill or ride in a higher gear, I feel the clunk.
I cleaned and oiled the chain hoping a link was binding, but nope. So, a worn chain would cause a clunk under stress?

SurferRosa

What kind of bike? What kind of pedals? What kind of bottom bracket? How about a pic?

Do you have a spare set of pedals you can try?

Iride01 

Do you feel the clunk or hear the clunk? If you feel it more than you hear it, I'd be more inclined to say it's your pedal. Swap them for others from another bike to see.

If you both hear and feel it when it clunks, I might think it a drivetrain issue. Possibly the BB, but I'd check your chain and cogs first to make certain that wear isn't about to start making your chain skip. A poorly adjusted DR or bent hangar might, and it's only a might, make your chain briefly try to shift to another cog but fall back on the proper cog with a clunk.

soyabean

Even more reason to go back to the LBS.

They might just fix it for free.

roadsnakes

'

Took it back to the LBS.
They replaced the bottom crank.

soyabean

Exactly my first reply to you.

See how happy you are now?

roadsnakes

I think the LBS is a little more happier than me. LOL

soyabean

Be lucky you had someone take care of it.

The bottom bracket is one of the tougher things to swap.

Bottom brackets are also one of those things you don't really know what's wrong with them until you open it up. I've seen the crown holding the bearings together totally explode and everything is just grinding to the mercy of what little lube was left.

You need a lot of specialty tooks, like a pedal puller and then splined tools to get out the bearing cup or cartridge.

Best case scanerio the tools work because the components haven't seized, in which case you have to torch it out.

So don't feel bad ever about paying your friendly LBS to do all of that

dedhed

Tough is kind of a strong word, but some are more challenging than others, especially when abused.

soyabean

It ain't a cheater bar unless it's at least 6 feet long

squirtdad

very few new bikes come with the cup and cone bottom bracket anymore

squirtdad

not sure what you are saying? pedal puller makes no sense, do you mean crank removal tool? which may or may not be relevant depencing on the crankset. torching out? I have worked on bottom brackets for 50 years plus and have never had to "torch out" . this is IMHO not a helpful or accurate post

Iride01 

I've never had a BB that was hard to remove. I know they must be out there, but for what ever reason, Knock wood, never had a difficult BB, stuck seat post, stuck quill stem or stuck anything on a bicycle in my 58 years of dealing with my own bike issues.

The thing about BB's that annoys me is that when I've replaced them, I've always moved to a better crank too. And the tool I use for the BB removal isn't the tool I need to put in the new BB for the new crank.

soyabean

That really depends how many bikes one has worked on. A few dozen personal bikes that are well taken care of isn't a good experience pool. Yet do a few hundred of them in a shop, from clients' bikes that are parked year round outdoors in rain, and surely encounter a worst case scenario.

What dedhed posted up there is still easy street. Assuming the cheater bar worked, that still gives a victory.

But sometimes even a few hundred ft-lbs of torque of a cheater bar or impact won't open a bottom bracket.

If one side can be opened, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The remaining stubborn one can be fastened to a tool for greater torque, or cut out, or heated with mapp gas torch from the inside, which is great because it causes little or no charring to the frame paint.

If neither side can be opened, this is worst case scenario. Now the client gets a phone call if they want to proceed. Now I am heating up that seized sucker from the outside desperately fast enough not to burn the paint too much.

On the very rare occasion for aluminum, it becomes a lost cause when the combination of too much heat and torque/impact and metal fatigue fractures the bottom bracket at the frame.

Fun.

soyabean

what is relavance?