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I have an intermittent clicking coming from drivetrain. It only happens when I pedal. I've swapped every part over apart now and think I've narrowed it down to the rear mech. It's a 40x 11-36 Shimano mix of SLX shifter, Deore rear mech and XT cassette. The chain and cassette are about to be replaced but the mech shifts nicely. Is it worth trying replacing the jockey wheels or should I just stick a new rear mech on?
I've been working on diagnosing this click now for several months so I just fixed now!
Sounds like a couple of possibilities, I'm making an assumption that you've not checked these as you've not mentioned them.
The mech is out of alignment and needs re-indexing. There is usually a collar on the shifter, mech or both. Have a look at the alignment and adujust it until the clicking stops.
You say you're about to change the cassette and chain. Is this due to wear? How long since the last cassette and chain change? As the chain wears it can jump, this is worse if the cassette is due a change.
I'm happy with alignment. But wear could be the issue. The chain is well past 0.75 now and cassette has done at least three chains (lost count). I think I'll try the cassette and chain first and see if that cures it. While I've tried swapping individual parts I've not tried swapping multiple parts together - good shout!
Have you tried it with the clutch turned off?
I was just going to ask have you checked the clutch?
They normally just wear out and stop working, but they can seize causing seemingly random noises.
No clutch so it's not that. But worth knowing for the MTBs
Is the chain threaded correctly around the tab between the jockey wheels, it's noisy if not.
Or is something catching the end of the cable, front mech cable and crank arm is the one that usually gets me on the road bike.
Is the chain threaded correctly around the tab between the jockey wheels, it’s noisy if not.
My first thought, probably because of the number of times I've done it.
I had a similar clicking problem that turned out to the the axle. Nipped up a quarter turn fixed it.
what is the click periodic with?
Difficult to think how a mech could cause it (equally tho an axle is too).
Chain routing is correct - that doesn't click it's a constant grind.
I get an intermittent click which I narrowed down to the rear mech swapping every other part out. I haven't got a spare rear mech at the moment to check.
Now waiting for Merlin delivery.
I had a click, drove me mad, after advice on here I checked mech alignment, once corrected super smooth. Another bike, sounded a bit rough, took off jockey wheels, cleaned properly, greased up and put back in opposite direction, maybe a placebo, but super smooth again.
Each adjustment I also hot rewaxed chain, so could be that too.
Another click I traced to loose chainring bolts.
Maybe a stiff link in the chain?