# Clicking/knocking noise while pedaling?



## eric.radhik (Jun 5, 2013)

I wanted to ask before I take to an LBS or is it important at all...

I have a Cervelo 2012 R3. I recently replaced the FSA cranks (default) with some Rotor 3D+. I am getting a dull click everytime my left foot is at the 7pm position. (Looking from my left side and the rotation of my left foot while pedaling.)

Now this has happened before with the FSA cranks and all the old LBS said is that they put "extra grease" in the crankset. The sound itself is not extremely loud but IM curious if its something that i need to fix immediately or is it something I can wait till the next tuneup?

I can guarantee it is not a part of the tire or something else loose... and I can repeat the sound while on a trainer... (I understand that "you would have to see/hear" the problem but Im trying to explain it the best I can.)

Anyone has any experience on what this can possibly be?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Do you hear the noise in both chainrings? If it only happens in the small ring check to see if the front derailleur cable sticking out after the anchor bolt is hitting the back of the drive side crank arm as it goes by. Or if it's only in the big ring, small chance it could be the derailleur cage itself...usually if it's this far out the chain will throw.


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## eric.radhik (Jun 5, 2013)

Yes. Big or small. 

It does not happen when I am using my hand to pedal (while I am off the bike) and I do hear it intermittently when I am on the bike applying pressure while normal pedaling. But, I only hear it while I am on the bike while pedaling whether it be on the road or a trainer.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

eric.radhik said:


> I wanted to ask before I take to an LBS or is it important at all...
> 
> I have a Cervelo 2012 R3. I recently replaced the FSA cranks (default) with some Rotor 3D+. I am getting a dull click everytime my left foot is at the 7pm position. (Looking from my left side and the rotation of my left foot while pedaling.)
> 
> ...


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, loose bottle cage bolts, or the front derailleur cable sticking out and hitting your shoe can seem like they are clicks but really aren't. Another thing to consider is that the frame and components are flexing from pedaling forces, and so you can get a click or creak sound where you think it couldn’t be – for example the seat post & clamp can make noise even when you are standing and pedaling due the frame flexing. Here’s a link if you don’t like reading the rest of this post: Bicycle Touring Tips, Lessons Learned, and Tricks of the Trade

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)
- 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)
- 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 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.).


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

I had the same problem (same bike, ironically) and checked everything, down to replacing the bottom bracket, and the noise still didn't go away. Finally read a post here a few weeks ago where the poster worked it down to a loose chainring bolt. A few turns with an allen key and the noise was gone forever... or at least for the past two weeks anyway.

PS - what's the difference between the "7pm" position and the "7am" position?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

RJP Diver said:


> I had the same problem (same bike, ironically) and checked everything, down to replacing the bottom bracket, and the noise still didn't go away. Finally read a post here a few weeks ago where the poster worked it down to a loose chainring bolt. A few turns with an allen key and the noise was gone forever... or at least for the past two weeks anyway.
> 
> PS - what's the difference between the "7pm" position and the "7am" position?


At 7pm the sun is shining from the drive side, 7am from the non-drive side.


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## eric.radhik (Jun 5, 2013)

RJP Diver said:


> I had the same problem (same bike, ironically) and checked everything, down to replacing the bottom bracket, and the noise still didn't go away. Finally read a post here a few weeks ago where the poster worked it down to a loose chainring bolt. A few turns with an allen key and the noise was gone forever... or at least for the past two weeks anyway.


Unfortunately, when I replaced the crank with Rotor... I did also replace the chain rings with the Q Rings too. So, I would guess that they tightened those up. But, I can check!



RJP Diver said:


> PS - what's the difference between the "7pm" position and the "7am" position?


Lol... I like PM more because I am off of work versus 7am means I have to go to work. ;p


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

cxwrench said:


> At 7pm the sun is shining from the drive side, 7am from the non-drive side.


Suppose the OP is from the other hemisphere? I'm so confused...


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## Rollingeezer (Oct 20, 2012)

I had a similar click, and it turned out to be a pedal coming loose.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

I had a similar click, right side pedal bottom of stroke (5 o'clock) and took it to the shop. they repacked the bottom bracket / crank and reassembled - solved.


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