# Annoying click from drivetrain



## primalcarl (Oct 21, 2006)

An annoying click has developed somewhere in my drivetrain. The cranks are DA 7800, new 7800 rear mech and also new DA 10 speed chain and Ultegra cassette on a Spinergy Xaero wheel.

The click doesn't require that much pressure on the pedals to happen, I can do it by hand. The strange thing is it only happens in the highest 2 gears on the cassette, and doesn't matter which chain ring I'm using.

I've regreased the bottom bracket threads, and tightened the cassette but it's still there. Could the problem be coming from the freehub? It's driving me mad and I'm so tempted to splash out on some new wheels and this is giving me the excuse


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## Cory (Jan 29, 2004)

primalcarl said:


> An annoying click has developed somewhere in my drivetrain. The cranks are DA 7800, new 7800 rear mech and also new DA 10 speed chain and Ultegra cassette on a Spinergy Xaero wheel.
> 
> The click doesn't require that much pressure on the pedals to happen, I can do it by hand. The strange thing is it only happens in the highest 2 gears on the cassette, and doesn't matter which chain ring I'm using.
> 
> I've regreased the bottom bracket threads, and tightened the cassette but it's still there. Could the problem be coming from the freehub? It's driving me mad and I'm so tempted to splash out on some new wheels and this is giving me the excuse


Noises can telegraph all around a drivetrain, and even from other parts of the bike. I spent half an hour one time chasing a "driveline" noise that turned out to be a loose seatbolt clamp, and another that was the tip of my shoelace hitting the crankarm, but only after the knot in the lace worked loose. Check the chainring bolts, the crankarm fixing bolts, the pedals and your shoelace....


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## Doggity (Mar 10, 2006)

I had a similar annoying prob with my SS Redline Monocog. In my case, it was that the chainring had ovalized-replacing it with a new Surly stainless steel one fixed it. Doubt that all three of your chainrings have ovalized, but it is very possible that your chainring bolts need tightening. Grease 'em and tighten 'em.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Click sleuth*

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), 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), your 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), your 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, steerer tube spacers if threadless), replaceable derailleur hangers (remove, clean, grease all parts and threads, reassemble), the nuts on threaded Presta valve stems (throw the nut away), reed switches in computer pickups, the front derailleur cable hitting the crank, 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, grease/tighten QRs, tighten cassette lock ring, 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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## Stogaguy (Feb 11, 2006)

*Attention Moderator: Sticky post please...*

Posts with question regarding squeaks, ticks, and clicks are very common. While, Kerry seems good enough to post his excellent check list of possible solutions in response ever time, I suggest that his check list be made a sticky post at the top of this forum. This would save everyone involved some time and trouble.


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## Henry Porter (Jul 25, 2006)

Stogaguy said:


> Posts with question regarding squeaks, ticks, and clicks are very common. While, Kerry seems good enough to post his excellent check list of possible solutions in response ever time, I suggest that his check list be made a sticky post at the top of this forum. This would save every one involved some time and trouble.


Agreed.


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## primalcarl (Oct 21, 2006)

This click comes when I'm not even riding the bike as well, if I hold the seat tube and push down hard on the pedal I can make it happen. Really loud and frequent now, almost like a clunking sound. Don't think I can ride the bike until it's sorted so will haver to investigate


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## woodys737 (Dec 31, 2005)

Spin the wheel by hand to isolate either the BB/pedals or the rear hub bearings. Anyway, my rear hub (bearings) ceased up today. Before they did you could probably hear the clicking sound a block away. Interestingly, the click went away for some time then started up, faded, then a slow cease occured over a period of approx 5 seconds.


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## FTR (Sep 20, 2006)

Check that the retention springs in your QR are not trapped by the drop out.
I had this problem and chased the noise for days.


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## Eddywanabe (Feb 23, 2005)

:idea: Nobody has suggested that you may have a tight chain link, as you mentioned it only happens while on the two highest cogs (smallest) requiring the chain links to bend at a greater degree, at which point the tight link sticks. Also, if the D.A. chain was installed using one of the pins that is snapped off after installation, make sure a sharp burr is not left behind, ticking on the oppossing cogs.:mad2:


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