Bottom bracket noise part 2 - a new noise...

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Recently I posted about a noise from my bb area that coincided with the rotation of the cranks - turned out to be a stray cable end that was catching one of the cranks as it rotated, easily sorted.

Thinks to self - you know, it's high time you gave that bb an overhaul. So I stripped the sealed unit bb out, cleaned and regreased the threads, refitted snugly and went for a test ride. Oh... now I hear a 'tinking' sound irregularly when pressure is put on either crank. Sometimes a double 'tink' on one side, sometimes single. Pedalling lightly gives no 'tink' at all. Pedalling with more force gives more tinks each side. Hmm... maybe I didn't tighten the bb properly and it's moving very slightly in the threads. Cue me removing, checking and refitting the bb very tightly. Another test ride. Same 'tinking' noise is present. Maybe it's the cranks shifting slightly, I ask myself. Cue me removing, regreasing and refitting the cranks very tightly. Another test ride. Aaaarrrggghhhh! Same tinking noise when the cranks are under pressure. Also, by leaning over the bike and using both hands, one on each pedal, to simulate pedalling, I can feel a slight jarring vibration in the cranks as the 'tink' sound happens each time.

Anyone have any ideas? BB had it? I'm pretty sure it's not the pedals either as I've swapped those out before - and anyway both going wrong at exactly the same time would be a bit odd, wouldn't it?

Trek 3700 btw.
 

betty swollocks

large member
Recently I posted about a noise from my bb area that coincided with the rotation of the cranks - turned out to be a stray cable end that was catching one of the cranks as it rotated, easily sorted.

Thinks to self - you know, it's high time you gave that bb an overhaul. So I stripped the sealed unit bb out, cleaned and regreased the threads, refitted snugly and went for a test ride. Oh... now I hear a 'tinking' sound irregularly when pressure is put on either crank. Sometimes a double 'tink' on one side, sometimes single. Pedalling lightly gives no 'tink' at all. Pedalling with more force gives more tinks each side. Hmm... maybe I didn't tighten the bb properly and it's moving very slightly in the threads. Cue me removing, checking and refitting the bb very tightly. Another test ride. Same 'tinking' noise is present. Maybe it's the cranks shifting slightly, I ask myself. Cue me removing, regreasing and refitting the cranks very tightly. Another test ride. Aaaarrrggghhhh! Same tinking noise when the cranks are under pressure. Also, by leaning over the bike and using both hands, one on each pedal, to simulate pedalling, I can feel a slight jarring vibration in the cranks as the 'tink' sound happens each time.

Anyone have any ideas? BB had it? I'm pretty sure it's not the pedals either as I've swapped those out before - and anyway both going wrong at exactly the same time would be a bit odd, wouldn't it?

Trek 3700 btw.
 

betty swollocks

large member
Check tightness of chainring bolts: poss remove and refit with threadlock.
Remove pedals, re-grease threads and re-install.
Handlebars; check tightness of all bolts pertaining to.
Saddle: check saddle clamp bolt tightness.
 

steve52

I'm back! Yippeee
i had a tinl and a creak that dint happen with light peddeling the tink was frount whell flex causeing the magnet to clip the sensor , the creak turned out to be the rear wheel spindel not being tight enough, i have a silent bike yippeeeeeeeee
 

swee'pea99

Squire
I'm having a similar deal - tho' in my case it's a dull 'thunk' when I put hard pressure on the left crank - eg, when I'm going up a steep hill, fixed gear. I too have tried removing/refitting/replacing the crank, but to no avail. I'm fairly confident it's the BB, so I'm going to get meself one of those Shimano un52s, which I hear are the hound's cojones.
 

battered

Guru
Good news or bad news?

Bad news - if you can hold the crank and get a wobble out of the BB then it's worn. This is only fixable by replacement.
Good news - you can get a bit more life out of filling it up with heavy oil and leaving it to soak, and even if you don't do this it won't cause anything else to fall apart or wear, so I'd ignore it for now. Lay the bike on its side and pour some oil in the well overnight. Ride it until it drives you mad, then replace the thing. As you clearly know how to do this, it's no big deal.
 
OP
OP
beanzontoast
Thanks all for these ideas.

More things to rule out... it's not the seat / stem - have tried swapping them out... chainring bolts checked and ok... going to swap out the pedals again next. Hoping it's not the bb bearings going, but I can see me ending up swapping it out if all else fails - until I removed and refitted it as in my OP, this particular noise wasn't there so seems a bit of a strange coincidence that it should 'go wrong' exactly first time out after being stripped out and refitted? It's a sealed unit so not as though I've been messing with its innards!

There isn't discernable movement in the bb as such as I said; when using hands on the pedals leaning over the bike, I can feel a definite sharp vibration transmitted through the cranks/pedals accompanying the 'tink' sound. It's like a loud metallic ticking sound. With lots of pressure on the down stroke of the crank you can get a double tick out of it, less pressure gives a single tick, hardly any pressure at all and it's silent.

BTW - haven't put any weight on recently either - still a svelte 11st 11lb. :thumbsup:
 

GSXR1000

New Member
I have often been plaugued with ticking and creaking sounds for as long as I can remember. Poor quality bottle cages and bottle cage bolts have been a culprit in the past as well as loose/corroded spokes and headset bearings. The problem is that the frame seems to transmit the sound. You think that you know where the problem is, but it is actually somewhere else....
 
OP
OP
beanzontoast
Mrs B listened while I put pressure on the cranks last evening and she's convinced the noise is from the left crank/pedal, not the bb itself. Going to swap to yet another spare set of pedals to see if that makes a difference. Also going to try swapping out the bb next weekend if nothing else works. I think this is all I can try - swapping components out - until I find the culprit. It's only a noise - but it's really annoying!
 
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