Click Diagnosis

D'ohBoy said:

The clues:

1. Synchronous with pedal stroke when the click it occurs
2. Can be elicited most readily while in the drops (moderate effort,
every pedal stroke)
3. While on the tops it takes a hard effort
3. I don't hear it while standing
4. Don't hear it while "freewheeling"

Soooo.... not pedals, not, well, it appears most any part (except the
pedals) of the bike could actually be causing this. I am leaning
toward the seatpost/frame or seatpost/seat junctions. One's weight
distribution changes significantly relative to the seat when going into
the drops.

The other area I have been considering as a source for the noise is the
headset/stem/bar area. I have one of those integrated jobbers - after
all the ranting against these, I still let myself get sucked into a
frame with one on it.

Any thoughts?

D'ohBoy

the bb shell could be cracked

D'ohBoy said:

Soooo.... not pedals, not, well, it appears most any part (except the
pedals) of the bike could actually be causing this. I am leaning
toward the seatpost/frame or seatpost/seat junctions. One's weight
distribution changes significantly relative to the seat when going into
the drops.

Try the saddle/rails junctions - just put a drop of lube in each and see.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

D'ohBoy said:

The clues:

1. Synchronous with pedal stroke when the click it occurs
2. Can be elicited most readily while in the drops (moderate effort,
every pedal stroke)
3. While on the tops it takes a hard effort
3. I don't hear it while standing
4. Don't hear it while "freewheeling"

Did you rule out any chance the chain was contacting the front
derailleur?

Changing position could be changing tension on the der cable,
which might bring the der a fraction of a millimeter closer to the
chain.

--Blair

D'ohBoy wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

The other area I have been considering as a source for the noise is the
headset/stem/bar area. I have one of those integrated jobbers - after
all the ranting against these, I still let myself get sucked into a
frame with one on it.

Any thoughts?

Do you hear it when you ride no-handed? If so, you can rule out the
stem and handlebar. If not, I suppose you don't get any further, since
you don't hear it while standing, either.

D'ohBoy wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

The other area I have been considering as a source for the noise is the
headset/stem/bar area. I have one of those integrated jobbers - after
all the ranting against these, I still let myself get sucked into a
frame with one on it.

Any thoughts?

Do you hear it when you ride no-handed? If so, you can rule out the
stem and handlebar. If not, I suppose you don't get any further, since
you don't hear it while standing, either.

[Sorry if this double-posts... my connection dropped out while sending.]

D'ohBoy said:

The other area I have been considering as a source for the noise is the
headset/stem/bar area.

Since you don't hear it while standing it probably isn't the front of
the bike.

See if you can make the noise happen while pedaling hard, by holding
onto the tops and keep your butt above the saddle, but hanging back as
far as you can. If there is no noise, then it is probably the seat/post
area. If there is noise, then I'd suspect the rear dropouts (grease!)
or the hub.

D'ohBoy said:

The clues:

1. Synchronous with pedal stroke when the click it occurs
2. Can be elicited most readily while in the drops (moderate effort,
every pedal stroke)
3. While on the tops it takes a hard effort
3. I don't hear it while standing
4. Don't hear it while "freewheeling"

Pedal, seatpost, HS/Hbar/Stem...one at a time, take them off, clean and
lube and see if the sound is gone. I'm guessing pedals...try it with
another pair, w/o cycling shoes.

Quoted message said:

Soooo.... not pedals, not, well, it appears most any part (except the
pedals) of the bike could actually be causing this. I am leaning
toward the seatpost/frame or seatpost/seat junctions. One's weight
distribution changes significantly relative to the seat when going into
the drops.

The other area I have been considering as a source for the noise is the
headset/stem/bar area. I have one of those integrated jobbers - after
all the ranting against these, I still let myself get sucked into a
frame with one on it.

Any thoughts?

D'ohBoy

Blair P. Houghton said:

D'ohBoy said:

The clues:

1. Synchronous with pedal stroke when the click it occurs
2. Can be elicited most readily while in the drops (moderate effort,
every pedal stroke)
3. While on the tops it takes a hard effort
3. I don't hear it while standing
4. Don't hear it while "freewheeling"

Did you rule out any chance the chain was contacting the front
derailleur?

Changing position could be changing tension on the der cable,
which might bring the der a fraction of a millimeter closer to the
chain.

Maybe the stem/bar joint. I was noticing today mine creaks
like a mo-fo when I'm mashing. But I have a quill stem so it's a lot
less broad than a modern stem. I tried the tops and the drops, and
it seems a little different, and I can imagine the torques on the bars
are different in those positions, which could definitely affect the
stresses
at that junction. But it's pretty easy to isolate that from a chain
click just by sticking my head between them.

I guess you can either be so used to it that you never hear it,
or it can drive you crazy. Good luck adapting to it.

--Blair

Maybe the front derail against the crank arm, but only would happen when in
the big ring

Maybe left crank arm striking a cadence sensor.

"Blair P. Houghton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Blair P. Houghton said:

D'ohBoy said:

The clues:

1. Synchronous with pedal stroke when the click it occurs
2. Can be elicited most readily while in the drops (moderate effort,
every pedal stroke)
3. While on the tops it takes a hard effort
3. I don't hear it while standing
4. Don't hear it while "freewheeling"

Did you rule out any chance the chain was contacting the front
derailleur?

Changing position could be changing tension on the der cable,
which might bring the der a fraction of a millimeter closer to the
chain.

Maybe the stem/bar joint. I was noticing today mine creaks
like a mo-fo when I'm mashing. But I have a quill stem so it's a lot
less broad than a modern stem. I tried the tops and the drops, and
it seems a little different, and I can imagine the torques on the bars
are different in those positions, which could definitely affect the
stresses
at that junction. But it's pretty easy to isolate that from a chain
click just by sticking my head between them.

I guess you can either be so used to it that you never hear it,
or it can drive you crazy. Good luck adapting to it.

--Blair

Chris said:

Maybe the front derail against the crank arm, but only would happen when in
the big ring
Maybe left crank arm striking a cadence sensor.

You'd be able to feel those in your foot pretty clearly.

--Blair

It could also be the bottom bracket or pedals. See if there is any play in
the bearings of either one. I had that problem and had play in both bb and
pedals, so I'm not sure which was the cause, but after replacing both, the
click is gone...
"Blair P. Houghton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

D'ohBoy said:

The clues:

1. Synchronous with pedal stroke when the click it occurs
2. Can be elicited most readily while in the drops (moderate effort,
every pedal stroke)
3. While on the tops it takes a hard effort
3. I don't hear it while standing
4. Don't hear it while "freewheeling"

Did you rule out any chance the chain was contacting the front
derailleur?

Changing position could be changing tension on the der cable,
which might bring the der a fraction of a millimeter closer to the
chain.

--Blair

I isolated some clicking to the shifter cable housings impacting each
other under the handlebar stem. The housings were long enough to
touch. Used a thick tie wrap to separate them.

D'ohBoy said:

The clues:

1. Synchronous with pedal stroke when the click it occurs
2. Can be elicited most readily while in the drops (moderate effort,
every pedal stroke)
3. While on the tops it takes a hard effort
3. I don't hear it while standing
4. Don't hear it while "freewheeling"

Soooo.... not pedals, not, well, it appears most any part (except the
pedals) of the bike could actually be causing this. I am leaning
toward the seatpost/frame or seatpost/seat junctions. One's weight
distribution changes significantly relative to the seat when going into
the drops.

The other area I have been considering as a source for the noise is the
headset/stem/bar area. I have one of those integrated jobbers - after
all the ranting against these, I still let myself get sucked into a
frame with one on it.

Any thoughts?

D'ohBoy

I have just eliminated a click on an aluminium Trek 2000 (Australian
version, 2005) that, when it started, occured during the left pedal
power stroke while I was standing. It was sometimes a single, sometimes
a double click. Later it also occured during the right pedal downstroke
when I was in the saddle. It turned out to be the joint between the rear
derailleur hanger and the dropout, or possibly the fastener holding the
hanger. After I liberally greased the dropout, the hanger and fastener
(and removed all the excess grease after reassembly) it disappeared.

This click was extrememly annoying and took ages to locate. Hope this
experience helps.

Martin
--
Removed z before replying by email.

Thanks to all for their suggestions. I have swapped out the pedals and
the noise is still there. Last night I had the click occur while
standing, so the seat/post/clamp area is out.

I am turning my focus to the rear wheel/hub/qr/dropout/der hanger area,
as this seems the next logical step.

I will report back if I find/kill it.

BTW, could it be the OP click? I wouldn't think so - others have
described it as occurring only at low speeds, and mine is a high
speed/high effort kinda thing.

Thanks again!

D'ohBoy