Ticking noise while climbing.

StevieGriff

Can't find a ticking noise my KTM Hardtail makes while climbing, noise it never there on the flats, usually just when up out of the saddle or while tucking into a hard climb on the saddle. Can't make the bike produce the noise on a workstand or when on a turbo. Really starting to annoy the hell out of me.
Any ideas?

TheBlaaMan

When you're pushing along on a climb, you are causing flex in the wheels, its possible/likely to be the rims touching off the brake blocks. Try releasing the blocks (if they can be) to move them away from the rim and try again......

com1

Maybe check the pedals... Or a loose spoke or a bottom bracket or the steerer though I would check the pedals first

omri

Was BB in my case - just tighten it real good and should be fine - if that's the problem.

StevieGriff

omri wrote: »

Was BB in my case - just tighten it real good and should be fine - if that's the problem.

Hmmm, was hoping that wouldn't be the answer. I know its not the pedals or brakes or anything apart from the BB that I can handle/fix. Time to learn about BB's the hard way me thinks...:(
Thanks lads & ladies.

sham58107

Maybe BB, but did you check the chain for kinks or tight links,just a thought

seamus

It could be any one of a million things. Climbing is when you're putting the most stress on a lot of joins, everything from the headset, to the stem clamp (at both ends), to the hubs, the spokes, the pedals, the BB, the seat post clamp, the saddle, the chain, the rear mech, the front mech (hitting the chain), the chainring bolts.

A slightly under (or over) tightened bolt can cause this, likewise having a miniscule bit too little lubricant on some bolt. Even something as small as a 0.01mm flex in the frame while climbing could theoretically cause one of your bottle cage bolts to click. That's how irritating these problems are.

If it started happening suddenly, it occurs at a very specific point in the pedal revolution and it's getting progressively worse, then it's probably your BB. If it seems kind of random, then you're better off learning to live with it than driving yourself nuts trying to track it down. If it is your BB, then it might be time to look at replacing it, though in my experience you can easily get another 1,000km out of a BB after it's started clicking/creaking.

granda

as i learned recently it could be a quick release skewer is slightly worn thus rubbing (if you have these) or one of a thousand other things

davey101

I had the same issue for a while and I checked/lubed/tightened every part on the bike, I was convinced it was the bottom bracket but i had only replaced it a few months earlier. I eventually gave in and bought a new one and low and behold the ticking noise was gone. As it happens the BB i put in was a cheap deore type one, never again I'd say I only got about 3 months out of it. If you use your big ring a lot or mash big gears your better off getting a decent BB.

diomed

http://jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

From that site this is a candidate

When you apply pressure to the handlebars you keep getting an annoying tick.
Reader Cole Griesemer suggests, "This has happened with every threadless headset I've ever encountered, and is a consequence of the bearing adjusting mechanism (the parts above the frame's head tube) not being sufficiently greased (often not greased at all). Solution: Pull apart the headset and apply grease liberally to all surfaces. Reassemble and bask in the absence of noise.
Thanks Cole!

mamax

When your climbing your prob using the large sprocket at the back and the rear derailleur could be tipping a spoke on each revolution of the wheel
Change gears and check it out with the bike on a stand
A tiny adjustment will sort it if that's what's up
Another reason is lack of grease on pedal threads

omri

For me it was BB - so imagine sprints from green light - ticking like f*** - so embarrassing . Doing climbs, more ticking. Going hard, same story. It didn't tick when I just pulled the cranks with the leg with no force applied. But have to say for a moment I thought it was coming from the rear wheel. Turns out you can tighten the BB more than I thought was the limit - and clicking went away. I felt no longer embarrassed. I felt proud. I felt IAM CYCLING..

disco1

Usually your bb,,, and more times than not tightening does not fix it,, better off to replace it ,,,

disco1

Usually your bb,,, and more times than not tightening does not fix it,, better off to replace it ,,,

Cee-Jay-Cee

Had a similar noise on my road bike. Turned out to be one of the pedals, took them off, cleaned them and refitted them and noise gone.

dermur

If it's a ticking noise as opposed to a creaking noise, it may well be wheel flex particularly if you've got a magnet on your spoke. That happened to me anyway. If I put any effort at all, it was enough to flex the wheel and knock the magnet off the sensor mounted on the fork.

Is the tick once per wheel revolution or once per pedal revolution?

No Pants

I thought I had something similar going on a couple of years ago. Tightening the rear QR skewer solved it.

StevieGriff

Update:
The tick happens when the right crank is at the 2 o'clock position and is even started to happen on flat ground now.

-Not the pedals, spokes, brakes, stem, steerer, the mech's and bolts are all fine and torqued correctly.

Looking like it's definitely the BB. I was thinking of leaving it till it gives up but I almost went insane on a long climb today. Was the only thing I could hear. :mad:

granda

clean round the quick release and dropouts and maybe even change it, had exactly the same problem this week and it was the quick release and a new one and clean dropouts and problem solved

s8n

Probably the chain

dermur

StevieGriff wrote: »

Looking like it's definitely the BB. I was thinking of leaving it till it gives up but I almost went insane on a long climb today. Was the only thing I could hear. :mad:

Starting to sound like it might be BB alright. Crank arms tightened too?

hesker

I had a clicking noise that I swore 100% was BB. I took BB out 3 times for regreasing and tightening. Made no difference.

It could be any number of things. In my case it was a loose bolt where derailleur hanger attaches to the seatstay.

This link might help....

http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

s8n

Have you oiled the chain ?