# Clicking sound - but only when weight bearing? cant figure it out..



## pooneej (Jul 19, 2009)

I havent had a chance to swap out wheels but it has to be something on them right? if I coast I can hear it. doesnt matter if its under load(accelerating) or not. but on a bike stand (bike carrier) front and rear wheel have no click noise if spun.

a little 'clicking' sound - just annoying enough to bother. 
someone suggested a loose spoke but they seem ok. anything else I can check out/? the wheels are zipp 303s and probably have maybe 250miles on them . they're from 2005 as well - bike sat a bit


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Is there a little play in the hub bearings? Sounds like that's a likely cause.


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## pooneej (Jul 19, 2009)

no play back there or even up on front hub. tight 

so when I get a chance I'll swap for different wheelset.


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## SwiftSolo (Jun 7, 2008)

Are you riding tubulars? If the valve stem is a little loose it will click once for each revolution on tubulars (a little clear silicone sealer will solve that problem if it is)


pooneej said:


> I havent had a chance to swap out wheels but it has to be something on them right? if I coast I can hear it. doesnt matter if its under load(accelerating) or not. but on a bike stand (bike carrier) front and rear wheel have no click noise if spun.
> 
> a little 'clicking' sound - just annoying enough to bother.
> someone suggested a loose spoke but they seem ok. anything else I can check out/? the wheels are zipp 303s and probably have maybe 250miles on them . they're from 2005 as well - bike sat a bit


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## 4Crawler (Jul 13, 2011)

I've spent the last year chasing a sort of clicking sound on my bike. Only happened with drive side pedal between 4 and 8 o-clock and weighted, coasting or pedaling but not standing uphill. Was a once per wheel rev sound from the rear. 

Finally pulled the wheel and spun the axle shaft and it felt a tiny bit gritty with no spin at all (Stans 3.30 hubs, ~2 years old, maybe 2500 miles w/ a lot of dirt and gravel riding). 

So picked up some new bearings for the rear hub, swapped them for the old ones and noise is gone. The old bearings felt just like new ones spinning them loose by hand. But in the hub, no gritty feel and no noise. I do need to open up the old bearings, clean the out and see how they look inside. I felt no play on the axle shaft before or after.


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

Turn up the music, problem solved.


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## pooneej (Jul 19, 2009)

I am on tubulars - this is interesting and will check this out. thanks



SwiftSolo said:


> Are you riding tubulars? If the valve stem is a little loose it will click once for each revolution on tubulars (a little clear silicone sealer will solve that problem if it is)


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

SwiftSolo said:


> Are you riding tubulars? If the valve stem is a little loose it will click once for each revolution on tubulars (a little clear silicone sealer will solve that problem if it is)


Or a piece of electrical tape which is what I put on pretty much every carbon tubular wheel I mount a tire on.


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## SwiftSolo (Jun 7, 2008)

I always forget until after I've mounted the tire. It's a pain to try to deal with it afterwards--thus the clear silicone tub sealer.


cxwrench said:


> Or a piece of electrical tape which is what I put on pretty much every carbon tubular wheel I mount a tire on.


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## The B (Feb 2, 2014)

I just stab about 1.5" piece of electrical tape with the vale stem and wrap over the rim. Hell of a lot easier than trying to stuff tape down between the stem and hole after you're already glued up. If your rims are black, you can't even see it.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

SwiftSolo said:


> I always forget until after I've mounted the tire. It's a pain to try to deal with it afterwards--thus the clear silicone tub sealer.


I don't wrap it around the stem, I pull it over the stem (poking a hole in it) and stick it to the rim on either side of the valve.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

pooneej said:


> I havent had a chance to swap out wheels but it has to be something on them right? if I coast I can hear it. doesnt matter if its under load(accelerating) or not. but on a bike stand (bike carrier) front and rear wheel have no click noise if spun.
> 
> a little 'clicking' sound - just annoying enough to bother.
> someone suggested a loose spoke but they seem ok. anything else I can check out/?


Consider spokes rubbing over each other as the wheels flex. Put a drop of lube at each spoke cross point.


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## pooneej (Jul 19, 2009)

It was the valve stem !!! - - - thanks to you guys who suggested this one

I would have never even suspected. I ride zipp 303s' and put on a valve extender, so the little play that it had created this nuisance !

I rigged it and just used some hot glue. not the prettiest if look at it closely, but it did the trick and no click on today's ride  

thanks!!!!!!!!


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