Here’s the situation (serious responses only as I’m about to go postal on a new $12k bike)…
2009 Litespeed Archon with Shimano DA7900, Speedplay X series pedals… all new… less than 200 miles on everything…
Strange click almost 2/3rds of the time on the right side of the crank when any force is applied…
I’ve taken the bike in 4 times… swapped pedals, had BB taken apart, inspected… the clicking remains… Thought the chainring might have been loose, so had that tightened… Nothing works… Any ideas? It’s quite loud and happens at the exact same place in the pedal stroke (when crank is roughly parallel to the ground on the downstroke).
I would suggest an inspestion, loosening and retightening of every fastener in the central portion of the bike. Seatposts and seatclamps can often do this also.
Pull all chainring bolts and retighten. Water bottle cage bolts tighten. Check derailleur adj.
Was the bottem bracket shell properly faced? headest? Double check headset bearing load.
Often a very simple fix; my money is on seat, seatpost or chainring.
Thanks… I can make the sound happen by applying pressure to the crank with my hand (which doesn’t have a cleat mounted on it…)…
It’s definitely in the crank someplace…
I’ve been fighting the same problem on my cheap cross bike, and I refused to believe that it was NOT coming out of the bottom bracket area. We rode to the local orchard yesterday and I brought 20 lbs of apples home on my seat post mounted rack…and for the first time in several months, there was no clicking noise. I removed the seat post, cleaned it, applied a dab of lube, tightened it, test rode it sans apples, and there is no clicking noise…
As has been pointed out, it’s often the seat post, however unbelievalbe that may be.
Sounds like you’ve isolated the problem location and have access to a shop. Why not have them swap in a different crank (and/or crank arms) and see if it goes away?
Forgot to mention, if it’s only happening when one side of the crank is horizontal and on the down stroke maybe check the teeth on the chainring that are in contact with the chain in that situation (unless it happens in big and small ring alike).
I had a similar problem a while back and it drove me insane. I tightened the pedals, I lubed the cleats, I cleaned the BB, I checked the seat post.
Turns out, the bolts on the chain ring were making the sound. Even though they were tight, they still made a clicking sound. Took each bolt out and rubbed some grease on the outside of it, then re-installed them. No more clicking.
When the bolts and chainrings are dry, they rub against each other and it makes a clicking sound. Add lube/grease, and they don’t click against each other.
Don’t feel bad, but I’m going to suggest something very simple & seemingly stupid, only because it happened to a buddy of mine.
He was having this strange clicking noise, but it only occurred when his cranks were parallel to the ground, not vertical.
We tried so hard to take everything apart, clean & lube & tighten everything, but just couldn’t find the noise.
Took it to the LBS as a last resort.
(insert laugh here).
One of the magnets was hitting his sensor, and hence the ticking noise.
So check out your zip ties, cadence & speed sensor, & magnets.