Please help me find...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

[Closed] Please help me find this creak/click on my bike.

24 Posts
14 Users
0 Reactions
63 Views
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

I've run out of ideas!

If I lock the back brake and have the pedals at 2 O'clock and push down, I can make it click, it clicks again as I release the pressure.

It's not the front end as I can reproduce this with the front end off the ground so it's not headset/stem/forks/bars/front wheel

Took the seat post out so it's not saddle/post/QR

Took the cassette off to check the alloy freehub body isn't cracked. Cleaned and tightened the rear QR. Removed, cleaned and refitted the rear dropouts (both sides). Cleaned, greased and re-torqued the rear mech.
Swapped pedals over, still clicks
had the bottom bracket out (XT HTII), cleaned up, bearings still smooth, regreased and refitted.

Really have run out of ideas before I start checking the frame for cracks.

Any bright ideas? It's an alloy hart-tail by the way so no suspension bits to consider.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 2:58 pm
Posts: 251
Full Member
 

is it your knees?


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 2:59 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Thought of that but it clicks if I push on the pedal with my foot or if I grad the cranks with my hands.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:04 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Could it be anything to do with the brake pads in the caliper moving and springing back into place or defo the pedal area?


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:06 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Look under the downtube headtube junction; I had a clicky frame that was cracked there.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:06 pm
Posts: 17187
Full Member
 

a wee bit of play in both pedals ?


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:07 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

It does this while riding as well so I don't think it's the brakes. Wheel spins without any catching. I've swapped the pedals and grabbed the cranks so I'm happy it's not the pedals.

Had the front of the bike in the air and it still does it so if it is a crack, I'm guessing it's the seat-tube or behind.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:09 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Chainring bolts? Always worth a try...


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:15 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Should have mentioned them. All re-torqued. One of the 8 was a little loose but sorting that out made no difference.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:26 pm
Posts: 8177
Free Member
 

Checked spoke tension?


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:28 pm
Posts: 17106
Full Member
 

My mystery creak was that my rear qr wasn't tight enough. No one ever checks that.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:30 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Yep, checked spoke tension and rear QR was first on the hit list as it's an easy fix.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 3:40 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

There really isn't anything else is there?


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 4:31 pm
Posts: 251
Full Member
 

I had an annoying creak on my Giant NRS - I changed the BB and it stopped it.

It felt *slightly* rough but spun smoothly - guess there was a damaged bearign or something.

Do you have another bike you can swap parts with to try and pinpoint it further?


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 4:33 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Yeah, I can. I was looking for Devine inspiration before I end up with two bikes in pieces. Ce la ve (sp?)


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 5:06 pm
Posts: 1005
Free Member
 

I have EXACTLY the same problem on my 29er Scandal.

Done everything,new BB,chainrings,seatpost,everything.

It's like theres some frame twist that making it 🙁


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 5:09 pm
Posts: 3
Free Member
 

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 5:13 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

It is a Pace frame so one of the first things I checked for was a cracked seat-tube.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 5:17 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

do you have floating rotors?


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 5:17 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

I do have floating rotors. They ping when hot but they're not responsible for this.

They certainly don't rattle. 😉


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 5:19 pm
Posts: 119
Free Member
 

A bit of a pain but it is worth swapping out the bb.
And lifting the bars off the ground will only
Rule out the front end if you don't hold
The bars while pressing the cranks


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 5:39 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

The brake lever was tied off, I sat on the back wheel and then pressed the cranks. Front end was totally isolated.

Think I am going to have to swap bits out. Last click like this was the bottom bracket but I could feel that one in the bearings with the cranks off. This one still feels perfect.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 5:56 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I've got a click on my Ibis too, very annoying!....sounds drive-train ish but not found it yet. I feel your pain!!


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 7:34 pm
Posts: 276
Free Member
 

I had a click and couldn't work it out.. Have now though. My race face cranks splined bit has been eaten away by the tightening bolt. Not a great load bearing surface and no doubt crucified by my heavy handed approach to doing things up too tight. It now creaks and clicks randomly. Got a new crank on the way 🙁

Is the seat tube greased? Is the creak or click at a certain point on the pedal revolution? Have you tried taking the front derallieur off to rule out the BB flexing and the chain rubbing? Any stiff links on the chain?

Think that's all I can think off.

Best off luck with it!


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 7:57 pm
Posts: 21461
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Cheers but there's no rub on the front mech and the chain is free and smooth. I can replicate the click while stationary.


 
Posted : 12/09/2012 8:02 pm

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!