Undetectable bike sounds

[esoxlucius]

This reminds me very much of the old Golf advert where the annoying noise coming from somewhere in the car actually turned out to be the woman's ear ring "squeaking".

There seems to be a "tic" on my bike on the downward stroke of my right pedal. I've tried to pinpoint it whilst riding but can't put my finger on where it's coming from. I'm leaning towards the "centre" of the bike rather than the derailleur area further back. So the crank is the likely candidate, or thereabouts, I think!

If I put a fair bit of power down on the right pedal it'll tic, tic, tic, tic as the pedal reaches the bottom of the stroke. Funnily enough, if I'm just "spinning" and not putting down too much power, the ticking stops. And neither is there a noise if I "pull" and put power on the upward stroke.

It's no big deal, it's not driving me crackers, just yet, but I can't help thinking that it might be down to something a little sinister like a crack in the frame or something like that.

I'm sure you guys all have little creaks and whistles and knocking on your bikes from time to time. Have any of them turned out to be quite serious where you've ended up having to trash your bike?

PS. It can't be my earrings, I don't wear them!

 

[Webbo2]

Shoe plates / cleats.

 

[fossyant]

What pedals - I had a click recently and my SPD pedals needed the bearings adjusting slightly.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Many years ago when I was an instructor I heard on one lesson a "Click" when ever the pupil used the clutch. It disappeared after his lesson ended but returned the following week on his next lesson. I was watching carefully to see how he was pressing the pedal to figure out what was causing it. When I told him this he informed me it was his knee, which clicked every time he straightened his leg.

 

[Webbo2]

This reminds me very much of the old Golf advert where the annoying noise coming from somewhere in the car actually turned out to be the woman's ear ring "squeaking".

There seems to be a "tic" on my bike on the downward stroke of my right pedal. I've tried to pinpoint it whilst riding but can't put my finger on where it's coming from. I'm leaning towards the "centre" of the bike rather than the derailleur area further back. So the crank is the likely candidate, or thereabouts, I think!

If I put a fair bit of power down on the right pedal it'll tic, tic, tic, tic as the pedal reaches the bottom of the stroke. Funnily enough, if I'm just "spinning" and not putting down too much power, the ticking stops. And neither is there a noise if I "pull" and put power on the upward stroke.

It's no big deal, it's not driving me crackers, just yet, but I can't help thinking that it might be down to something a little sinister like a crack in the frame or something like that.

I'm sure you guys all have little creaks and whistles and knocking on your bikes from time to time. Have any of them turned out to be quite serious where you've ended up having to trash your bike?

PS. It can't be my earrings, I don't wear them!

You could could get some earrings to drown out the noise.🫣

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

One year heading off on tour, leaving home and cycling to station a bad squeak linked to speed. And had nike serviced a couple of days before and anger growing with LBS servicing whilst wondering if any LBSs I could call in at.

Took me 5'ish miles to realise my new cycling shoes (flat pedals) were wider than I realised and were rubbing in crank arms.

Probably anger with servicing LBS and thinking on a Plan B meant I wasn't wondering enough about the cause. All me, move foot out on pedal a few mm and problem solved.

 

[Sharky]

I had a "tic" once, on every pedal revolution.
After a huge investigation, realised that the heal of my shoe, was touching the end of the gear cable, which had been left a bit long.

Happy hunting

 

[esoxlucius]

I was so bogged down with the bike being the problem it didn't occur to me that it could be me or what I was wearing!

Though saying that, I wear the same shoes/cleats on both my bikes (Merida and a Scott). The tic, tic, tic happens on my Scott only. So it can't be the shoes/cleats.

That could suggest that the right pedal on my Scott has a bit of a "bad connection" with my right cleat on my current shoes.

I do have some new shoes I've been itching to use. Methinks a test ride is in order tomorrow.

 

[esoxlucius]

I had a "tic" once, on every pedal revolution.
After a huge investigation, realised that the health of my shoe, was touching the end of the gear cable, which had been left a bit long.

Happy hunting

Believe it or not that is the very first thing I checked. The left over short length of cable from the front mech which can stick out a bit can indeed make contact with the shoe. When I checked there was no contact at all.

 

[Webbo2]

I was so bogged down with the bike being the problem it didn't occur to me that it could be me or what I was wearing!

Though saying that, I wear the same shoes/cleats on both my bikes (Merida and a Scott). The tic, tic, tic happens on my Scott only. So it can't be the shoes/cleats.

That could suggest that the right pedal on my Scott has a bit of a "bad connection" with my right cleat on my current shoes.

I do have some new shoes I've been itching to use. Methinks a test ride is in order tomorrow.

Try a bit of grease on your shoe plate or cleat.

 

[wafter]

Last legit one with similar symptoms was a loose pedal at the crank.

Last non-legit one (which happens infrequently enough to catch me out for a while) was a cadence-dependent noise that turned out to be my keys in my pocket.

Last (and IIRC only) serious one was my old Giant OCR that cracked at the welds on both sides of the seat tube / top tube junction. That was most certainly terminal..

 

[Vapin' Joe]

I had a "tic" once, on every pedal revolution.
After a huge investigation, realised that the heal of my shoe, was touching the end of the gear cable, which had been left a bit long.

Happy hunting

Been there, done that.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I had a noise on my ebike for a while

similar to your - only on down stroke with one foot
and only when putting power through that pedal

turned out to be a loose screw (stop sniggering at the back !!!) - in the motor/bearing

the LBS tightened everything up and it was OK

took a while with mine as they had to get hold of the right Bosch tools - and Covid got in the way

but it could be the bearings or something round there

anything more detailed are beyond my "expertise"