Clicking noise from the BB

07Lapierre

Yeah I know...it's not the BB right?

So I have this clicking noise which is in rhythm with my cadence. (One click per revolution)

I swapped out the wheels to see if it was the wheel bearings...no difference.
I put on a new set of pedals...no difference.
I tried using different shoes/cleats...no difference.
Next I tried cycling out of the saddle.. no difference.
Then I unclipped my right foot and pedalled with left foot only..no difference.

I unclipped my left foot and BINGO! No clicking!

so my guess is...it's the BB bearing on the left side? Am I right?

ted1

07Lapierre wrote: »

Yeah I know...it's not the BB right?

So I have this clicking noise which is in rhythm with my cadence. (One click per revolution)

I swapped out the wheels to see if it was the wheel bearings...no difference.
I put on a new set of pedals...no difference.
I tried using different shoes/cleats...no difference.
Next I tried cycling out of the saddle.. no difference.
Then I unclipped my right foot and pedalled with left foot only..no difference.

I unclipped my left foot and BINGO! No clicking!

so my guess is...it's the BB bearing on the left side? Am I right?

Is their any play in the crank arm?

nilhg

Try greasing the wheel dropouts, I had very similar to you, that's what fixed it, but not until it had nearly driven me mad...

Edit: also check tightness of chainring bolts if the above doesn't work.

07Lapierre

Not that I can tell. I Put the bike in a stand, took the chain off the chainset and spun it. It seems real smooth too.

07Lapierre

nilhg wrote: »

Try greasing the wheel dropouts, I had very similar to you, that's what fixed it, but not until it had nearly driven me mad...

Edit: also check tightness of chainring bolts if the above doesn't work.

Chainring bolts..good one, I'll check them tomorrow.

cletus

07Lapierre wrote: »

Not that I can tell. I Put the bike in a stand, took the chain off the chainset and spun it. It seems real smooth too.

You mightn't see any play with no weight on the crank arm

ted1

cletus wrote: »

You mightn't see any play with no weight on the crank arm

Yep hold a pedal in each hand and give them a good wiggle.

magicbastarder

Would loose chainring bolts be more likely to complain when pedaling with right foot only? He mentioned the converse - clicking pedaling with left foot but none with right.

cletus

magicbastarder wrote: »

Would loose chainring bolts be more likely to complain when pedaling with right foot only? He mentioned the converse - clicking pedaling with left foot but none with right.

Fūcking noises, though innit?

cyclocross!

Plus 1 on the chain ring bolts. Once a year I remove them clean and grease between the chain rings and put it all back together tight. This can especially be a problem if bike been ridden over winter or in the wet.

cyclocross!

07Lapierre wrote: »

Chainring bolts..good one, I'll check them tomorrow.

Make sure to fully remove and clean and grease between the chain rings too.

07Lapierre

ted1 wrote: »

Yep hold a pedal in each hand and give them a good wiggle.

I did this and they are solid. no slack.

07Lapierre

cyclocross! wrote: »

Plus 1 on the chain ring bolts. Once a year I remove them clean and grease between the chain rings and put it all back together tight. This can especially be a problem if bike been ridden over winter or in the wet.

Bike is ridden in summer only.

Charlie69

Problem with bearings in the left pedal maybe?

MojoMaker

Is it a good old Press Fit BB? Only squeaks when under load? Goes quiet when the pedal load is removed?

Sounds familiar! Easily sorted though, just a pain in the ass.

Gerry T

Clothes peg with cardboard on the back wheel maybe ?

TheBlaaMan

MojoMaker wrote: »

Is it a good old Press Fit BB? Only squeaks when under load? Goes quiet when the pedal load is removed?

Sounds familiar! Easily sorted though, just a pain in the ass.

I'd agree. Unloading one pedal will completely change the stresses on the entire chainset so it of itself is a red herring and doesnt exclude parts other than the pedal.

Gidea

ted1 wrote: »

Is their any play in the crank arm?

Good shout this, i had creaking noise every once in a while and the crank arm all of a sudden started to really feel loose. Took it in to the LBS and showed me the decent sized hairline crack down the drive side.

Not easily spotted when theres no weight on the pedal! Ultegra aswell so wasnt cheap to fix

hesker

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

I'd agree. Unloading one pedal will completely change the stresses on the entire chainset so it of itself is a red herring and doesnt exclude parts other than the pedal.

^^^^^^This is key. When it comes to noises they can come from lots of different places and most will sound like bb.

Check if you have under tightened or over tightened anything recently.

My favourite is the rear wheel quick release. If I over tighten it a bit too much then I get a creak that sounds like BB.

Eamonnator

Could it possibly be a loose spoke?

Edit.
Sorry I'm an idiot. Didn't read post properly.

07Lapierre

Charlie69 wrote: »

Problem with bearings in the left pedal maybe?

No because i swapped the pedals from another bike that has no issues.

07Lapierre

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MojoMaker wrote: »

Is it a good old Press Fit BB? Only squeaks when under load? Goes quiet when the pedal load is removed?

Sounds familiar! Easily sorted though, just a pain in the ass.

Yeah i think it is. Frame is a Bianchi Oltre XR4

Large bottle small glass

07Lapierre wrote: »

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Yeah i think it is. Frame is a Bianchi Oltre XR4

Put in a proper threaded bb and don't be messing with press fit

https://wheelsmfg.com/bottom-brackets.html

07Lapierre

So I removed the chainset this evening and removed the chainring bolts. They were TIGHT! So I put some grease on each and refitted as tight as I could.

When I examined the BB bearings, the driveside bearing was like new, whereas the non-drive side had surface rust on the outside. Both ran very smoothly when spun by hand.

I inspected each cup and both are in good shape, so o gave each a clean and applied some grease to both. I put some grease on the bearings and refitted.

I'lltake it out on my daily spin tomorrow and see if it's any better. Knowing my luck I'll have more noise!

Drive side:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/35ny0c3l8skm2vy/Photo%2023-04-2020%2C%2020%2024%2017.jpg?dl=0

Non drive side:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rprbkacw6xahg2t/Photo%2023-04-2020%2C%2020%2024%2030.jpg?dl=0

Plastik

So you've Campag BB86 cups pressed into the frame to take those ultra torque cranks? The issue could be either the bearings or the cups. Process of elimination. I've had ut bearings feel ok to hand but replacement cured noise. With a clicking I'd probably go with changing the bearings first, if it was creaking I'd look at the BB cups and make sure whoever changes them for you uses loctitie 7649 & 641 when fitting.

07Lapierre

Plastik wrote: »

So you've Campag BB86 cups pressed into the frame to take those ultra torque cranks? The issue could be either the bearings or the cups. Process of elimination. I've had ut bearings feel ok to hand but replacement cured noise. With a clicking I'd probably go with changing the bearings first, if it was creaking I'd look at the BB cups and make sure whoever changes them for you uses loctitie 7649 & 641 when fitting.

BB86? I'll take your word for it, that that is what I have. Im not familiar with the different types of BB's.

But your right, think I'll order new bearings (no harm to have spares) and change them at some point. We'll see what it's like tomorrow after I take it out for a spin. Putting grease on the bearings won't do any harm..might even solve the problem. ( well maybe)

magicbastarder

how many km on the BB?

07Lapierre

magicbastarder wrote: »

how many km on the BB?

Chainset dares back to 2011, but the frame is two years old.. so the BB cups are very new, but not sure about the bearings. To me they look as I would expect two year old bearings to look, but I’ll have to check with the bike shop that did the bike build to confirm.

koutoubia

I have the same creaking/clicking on my Ultra Torque. Have just swapped over the bearings and will see tommorow if its the cure.
Press Fit as well.
Bearings I took off seemed good.If it persists I will go down the route of converting from PF to screw in.

07Lapierre

Just back from my daily spin. A bit of grease on the outside of the bearings and on the inside of the BB cups did the job! Only noise now is my puffing and panting!

07Lapierre

koutoubia wrote: »

I have the same creaking/clicking on my Ultra Torque. Have just swapped over the bearings and will see tommorow if its the cure.
Press Fit as well.
Bearings I took off seemed good.If it persists I will go down the route of converting from PF to screw in.

Try grease first ..

07Lapierre

koutoubia wrote: »

I have the same creaking/clicking on my Ultra Torque. Have just swapped over the bearings and will see tommorow if its the cure.
Press Fit as well.
Bearings I took off seemed good.If it persists I will go down the route of converting from PF to screw in.

Well koutoubia, how did you get on? Problem solved?

Also, how did you remove the bearings? Do you have a bearing pullers,or did you DIY it?

koutoubia

No .
Creaking/clicking still there.
Am gonna ask LBS if they fancy removing the press fit cups and I will get an adaptor.

Yeah I have the park tool UT specific puller.
If you ever need it you know ,roughly, where I am.

I would be of the opinion that grease only silences the creak but doesnt solve the underlying issue!

07Lapierre

koutoubia wrote: »

No .
Creaking/clicking still there.
Am gonna ask LBS if they fancy removing the press fit cups and I will get an adaptor.

Yeah I have the park tool UT specific puller.
If you ever need it you know ,roughly, where I am.

I would be of the opinion that grease only silences the creak but doesnt solve the underlying issue!

That's a bit of a bummer alright. After getting a new BB,i really hope you've confirmed that the noise is not the pedals!

koutoubia

07Lapierre wrote: »

That's a bit of a bummer alright. After getting a new BB,i really hope you've confirmed that the noise is not the pedals!

Ah I had changed the bearings in the pedals not too long ago and from previous experience I make sure there is plenty of grease on the threads.
Anyway just to be sure I swapped pedals today and sure enough the horrible creak had not dissapeared.
Time to order the adaptor thing!