For god's sake make the clicking stop!!!!

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Kablinsky

New Member
Location
The Big E
I've searched the various headset threads on here and on the net generally but nothing I've tried works.

Carbon framed road bike has done about 500 miles from new and clicking started about 3 weeks ago mainly when out of the saddle but also now pretty much all the time. I took the bike to the LBS and he stripped it down and greased everything but couldn't tell what it was.

What I've noticed is that as I re-attach the bars back on the stem there is an audible click as the bolts start to tighten. I'm concerned that there is a crack somewhere and the stem is going to shear off when I least expect it. Bike hasn't been damaged in any way. Anyone had a similar problem?
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
What happens if you provoke the clicking then transfer your hands to the tops, as close together as possible to reduce the leverage on the bars?
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Sheldon has a bit to add, but maybe nothing you haven't already thought of http://sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html#bars

If it is only when you are out of the saddle, it is usually the BB or the bars, although it can be other areas because you are putting enough effort in to distort the frame. Does it still happen if you are out of the saddle but pedalling gently on the flat?

When I have had this noise on my bike, it has always been because the binder bolts were not quite tight enough. If that doesn't work my next go would be to grease the binder bolts and the clamped area of the bars. Then I would change the binder bolts. [Do the threaded sockets show any sign of corrosion? Unlikely, but possible, with mild steel bolts and alloy bars, but if you are paranoid you could change to stainless or titanium bolts.]

And sorry if this is teaching my granny, but the binder bolts should be tightened evenly i.e. alternately one side then the other, and with an equal gap on each side of the clamping piece.
 
OP
OP
Kablinsky

Kablinsky

New Member
Location
The Big E
Globalti said:
What happens if you provoke the clicking then transfer your hands to the tops, as close together as possible to reduce the leverage on the bars?

It all but stops when I do this.

I also forgot to add that it happens when I stand next to the bike and push down on the hoods
 

raindog

er.....
Location
France
I feel for you - it's just taken me weeks and weeks to get rid of a noise on my bike - turned out to be dry wheel bearings.

Test the tightness of the allen bolts holding your brakes to the bars maybe? Also, a very light smear of grease on the contact area, and on the bolts themselves of the stem-to-bars clamp might do it.
 

accountantpete

Brexiteer
You are probably going to have to test each part until you get to the answer - for eg can you pop another pair of bars on and repeat the leaning on test?

However first I'd undo the stem at the steerer, tighten up the top nut a bit and then re-tighten the stem as sometimes it is the headset that is too loose.
 

Fattman

Active Member
Location
Roydon, Essex
raindog said:
Also, a very light smear of grease on the contact area, and on the bolts themselves of the stem-to-bars clamp might do it.

Second that - had a cacophony of creaks, pings, squeaks and clicks... went over the bike and put grease/carbon lubey stuff on all contact points e.g. the faces of skewer ends, dropouts, seatpost, stem clamps, obscure bits of bearing covers... a very large number of them went away! (apart from the bag-o-nails sound of a knackered bottom bracket, but sensing that's not your problem here... ;))

Weirdly, some sounds were clearly coming from anywhere except where we thought they were!
 

Garz

Squat Member
Location
Down
I had a creak problem that took a while to diagnose. Realised no sound when out of the saddle which helped it narrow it down to the saddle rails/clamp. Oiled this and bingo! Did sound like it was from crank/BB area aswell :biggrin:
 
You've probably already checked this but I had an annoying click and thought it was the BB, it turned out to be the pedals.
 

palinurus

Velo, boulot, dodo
Location
Watford
I've got one too, it's a training tool- if I pedal circles it's quiet, if I mash it goes "CLICK CLICK CLICK" and if I go somewhere in between it goes "click click click"

I've just ordered one of those doo-dads to tighten chainring bolts with- one of 'em is a bit looser than the others. Used to use the edge of a steel rule but I've lost the bastard thing.
 

mcfchris

New Member
I too had a pedals click... took 3 weeks to discover it was the pedals, I had the bb out, greased, bars everything.. then of all people a guy in Halfords suggested the pedals, after 2 mins and a bit of grease it was sorted..
 

asterix

Comrade Member
Location
Limoges or York
Yes, one chainring bolt was not tight enough - it had started turning before I could get it done up enough.

In the end I took it off and made sure there was no oil or grease in its seating, then I was able to get it tight. I do have a thing like a screwdriver for the job but it's not brilliant. (Crap design, chainring bolts)
 

Watt-O

Watt-o posing in Athens
Location
Beckenham
You're not cycling fast enough - the wind noise in your lugholes will soon cancel out any rogue creaks and groans!
 

Fiona N

Veteran
It's not a Ribble is it?
I just ask as I have a Ribble Al/C frame and it also started clicking after a few miles. I chased the clicking around every component, replacing BB and allsorts. Eventually, having run out of components to replace/tighten/grease, another Ribble owner posted to say he'd had similar problems and narrowed it down to the ends of the seat stays where they're fastened to the dropout section. A quick spritz of WD40 on a regular basis stops the clicking :ohmy:
 
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