# Click click only when pedaling hard



## brownnugen (Jul 21, 2007)

Hi, I'm pretty new to biking, so please excuse me if I don't use all the correct terms. I recently bought a used 2005 Allez and recently discovered that if I put a lot of torque on the pedals (taking off on a sprint or pedaling slow and hard up a hill), I will get a click clicking type of sound. It sounds like it is coming from beneath the frame of the bike (underneath where the water bottle cage is bolted on).

I brought it to my LBS and they suspect it may have something to do with the bottom bracket, but wanted to wait for another guy to come in tomorrow to check it out and/or confirm. 

Does this sound like a bottom bracket type issue?


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## MisterMike (Aug 12, 2004)

Could be. Often a bottom bracket will click under heavy pedaling. Pedals can as well. Depending on the style of crank (like newer 2 piece Shimano and FSA ) it could be the crank arm as well.

Simplest is to make sure the pedal threads are well greased where they screw into the crank arms. If it still clicks then start to investigate the crank and bottom bracket.


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## brownnugen (Jul 21, 2007)

I just installed my speedplay X2's a couple of weeks ago and did use grease when screwed into the crank arms. The crank on the bike is what came stock on the bike (Specialized Comp, five arm, polished)


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## Export A (Mar 18, 2007)

whenever I get a pedaling click I pedal with one foot to try and isolate the noise. Left foot ,left pedal,,left crank , than BB. Right foot right pedal , right crank , rings, BB.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

might not be BB--could be pedals...take em off, clean and grease the spindles well and reattach.


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## neil0502 (Feb 11, 2005)

Might I suggest using these two links to help you in your diagnosis....

http://sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html

AND

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=123


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## Gall (Feb 6, 2004)

*I had a click click....*

Hello,

I checked the BB and the pedals. I then changed the rear wheel and the click click was gone. 

Now if I can only figure out whats clicking on/in the rear wheel.

Take care all,

Gall


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## HSalas (Sep 23, 2005)

Check any spoke crossings in the rear wheel - as you pedal out of the saddle, you can put enough sideways force on the wheel to make the spokes flex and rub a bit against each other. A drop of lube may quiet things out.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Standard click guidance*

It is fairly common to have clicking noises, but ticks and clicks are very hard to eliminate sometimes. What seems like it is tied to the pedals may be coming from the seat post, etc. Sometimes things like temperature and humidity can affect noises as well. Also, things like the front derailleur cage just hitting the crank or the front derailleur cable sticking out and hitting your shoe can seem like they are clicks but really aren't. 

Clicks tied to your pedaling can come from the BB (grease all threads in contact with the frame and BB, and torque it to the recommended settings, which can be quite high), crank bolts (grease threads and washers), the 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 stiff link in a chain or a burr on one of the "break off" special links used to assemble the chain, the pedals (grease the threads, get some wax etc. on the cleats, grease the bolts into your shoes, squirt some lube into the guts of the pedal machinery if possible), the chain (clean and lube), shoes/cleats (loose cleat nut rattling around in the shoe sole, shoe/cleat interface), cleat bolts, cleats touching pedals, seat post and saddle (grease the post, seat post bolts, saddle rails, and add some oil to where the rails go into the saddle body), bars and stem (grease the stem, stem bolts at both ends, h'bar bolt if quill stem, and h'bar where it goes through the stem, grease/tighten QRs, tighten cassette lock ring, 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.).

Clicks that happen when you coast can come from the computer wheel magnet hitting the pickup, the nuts on threaded Presta valve stems (throw the nut away), reed switches in computer pickups, and your wheels (check for spoke tension, particularly on the rear non drive side, put a drop of lube where each pair of spokes cross, check for loose metal bits or spoke nipples in the body of the rim. 

Needless to say, you want to try these things in what seems like the most likely place the noise is coming from, but there are plenty of stories about "I was sure the noise was in the handlebars but it went away when I tightened up the spokes in the rear wheel," so keep trying different things until you have success.


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## GH-Mike (Jan 20, 2007)

Kerry's post is his standard reply to such questions and I can't recommend it enough. I have a similar click coming from a new bike. I know all the things Kerry has suggested but I am currently using his suggestions as a checklist of sorts to track this bugger down. These things can be supper tricky to locate and fix. Be patient, keep an open mind, and reread Kerry's post. BTW - I think I have narrowed mine down to rear wheel - Swore it was the BB.


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## brownnugen (Jul 21, 2007)

Well, I dropped it off at my LBS because I really didn't have the experience or time to try to figure it out and wanted to make sure it wasn't a safety issue. The mechanic said that after taking the bottom bracket apart, it was dry and after greasing everything up and putting it back together. I got it back today and $26 later, the clicking is gone. 

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

There should be a forum specifically for clicking, ticking, and other noises. A friend of mine had a click. He replaced almost everything!! it still clicked!!! then he faced the bb, made sure the threads were perfect and bingo!!! Hot naked ****s for everyone!!!! No click!!!


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## DM-SC (Jul 18, 2007)

jhamlin38 said:


> There should be a forum specifically for clicking, ticking, and other noises.


I'll second that! :idea:


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## quaffimodo (Jun 9, 2006)

I had an "untraceable" click that turned out to be caused by a cracked head tube. Depending on what sort of rims you're running, a bad seam could be the culprit as well.


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

*Front Der*

If your front der. isn't adjusted correctly, frame flex will allow your crank to touch the front der.


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## Balderick (Jul 11, 2006)

Grease the fork dropouts, where the axle touches. LBS gave me that hint years ago with a Giant I owned, but they said it was a trick told to them by a Trek distributor. Worked for me.


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