Annoying click - Helpful suggestions please

[PK99]

On MrsPK's bike.
Enigma Titanium Road Bike
Hydraulic disc brakes
105 double chainset.

Rear wheel (I've checked riding alongside)
Regular "tic-tic" sound
Varies with bike speed
Present what freewheeling or pedaling
NOT present when spinning wheel in bike stand (either pedaling or spinning by hand)
Seems to be from the cassette area

Nothing embedded in the tire
No loose/broken spokes
Wheel true
Nothing lodged in brake caliper

Errm. We are stuck!

Any suggestions?

 

[classic33]

Have you tried applying the brake whilst it's in the stand. Introduce some resistance, see if you get the clicking.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Cut the red wire...it's always the red wire that isolates the timer.

 

[Broadside]

On MrsPK's bike.
Enigma Titanium Road Bike
Hydraulic disc brakes
105 double chainset.

Rear wheel (I've checked riding alongside)
Regular "tic-tic" sound
Varies with bike speed
Present what freewheeling or pedaling
NOT present when spinning wheel in bike stand (either pedaling or spinning by hand)
Seems to be from the cassette area

Nothing embedded in the tire
No loose/broken spokes
Wheel true
Nothing lodged in brake caliper

Errm. We are stuck!

Any suggestions?

I’ve had a similar problem on a bike exactly as you describe. It turned out to be the presta valve clicking on the rim as the valve got to the bottom on each wheel rotation.

If it is this you can cut a piece of electrical tape and put a tiny hole in it with a sharp point, then push the tape over the top of the valve and stick it down on the rim. This will stop the valve moving around and making that clicking sound.

 

[wonderloaf]

When I had a similar problem it turned out to be corrosion between the spoke nipples and the rim which I assume was causing chafing between the two. A couple of drops of lube at each nipple/rim interface sorted it.

 

[PK99]

When I had a similar problem it turned out to be corrosion between the spoke nipples and the rim which I assume was causing chafing between the two. A couple of drops of lube at each nipple/rim interface sorted it.

So, you want me to tell you wife to oil her nipples?

 

[classic33]

So, you want me to tell you wife to oil her nipples?

Carefully oil her nipples.
Oil on the rims won't help with braking.

 

[PK99]

Carefully oil her nipples.
Oil on the rims won't help with braking.

Disc brake, so less of an issue

 

[Punkawallah]

Mudguards? I spent a happy day trying to solve a 'creak' to find it was the mudguard rubbing on the bridge. Cable ends? Ditto for the front mech cable hitting my shoe. Recent tyre change? Ditto for the little 'runners' from the tyre mould. How long have we got?

I'd try swapping out components until it stops, but then you end up with a new bike :-)

 

[Ajax Bay]

As @classic33 has implied, my first focus would be the brake/rotor (same area as cassette, of course, when you're riding alongside her). May be when on a stand the loads are slightly different.

 

[ianrauk]

Are the brake pads worn at all? If too far worn then the return spring can scrape the rotor.

 

[ColinJ]

I had a similar problem with one bike. I think the noise was due to the wheel contacting a low clearance mudguard. The reason that the problem did not occur on the bike stand was that my weight was bending the fork just enough for the contact to be made.

 

[Gixxerman]

I had one that I really couldn't get to the bottom of and it took me 2 years to find. It was a small pellet of rubber in the inner tube. Fixed with a new inner tube. I can't believe you could be so unlucky for this bizarre thing to happen again, but worth a try I suppose.

 

[Arrowfoot]

If it is a ticking sounds at the some point as the wheel turns, near the cassette and when under load, my guess is the hub pawls.

 

[PK99]

Oiling my wife's nipples and tightening the valve nut seems to have solved the problem - or so a short test ride suggests. Will try a proper ride later in the week.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.