ticking sound from middle chainring

[AussieDog]

I have a tripple chainring Ultegra on my new road bike that has a ticking sound only on the middle chainring. I have lubed and tightened the chainring bolts, tightened the cranks to specs and still the tick...tick...tick.

I have ordered new pedals since my Looks are 10 years old or so. If I put the new pedals on and still here the tick...tick...tick what else could it be? It a new Trek 5200 with less than 500 miles on it!

Thanks

 

[daveornee]

Originally posted by AussieDog
I have a tripple chainring Ultegra on my new road bike that has a ticking sound only on the middle chainring. I have lubed and tightened the chainring bolts, tightened the cranks to specs and still the tick...tick...tick.

I have ordered new pedals since my Looks are 10 years old or so. If I put the new pedals on and still here the tick...tick...tick what else could it be? It a new Trek 5200 with less than 500 miles on it!

Thanks

Bent tooth or teeth on the middle ring? ....... really hard to hear from where I am sitting.........................
Can you make it happen on a bicycle stand?
If so, take a close look at the chain and chainwheel to see what could be causing it.

 

[sfcommuter]

Originally posted by AussieDog
I have a tripple chainring Ultegra on my new road bike that has a ticking sound only on the middle chainring. I have lubed and tightened the chainring bolts, tightened the cranks to specs and still the tick...tick...tick.

I have ordered new pedals since my Looks are 10 years old or so. If I put the new pedals on and still here the tick...tick...tick what else could it be? It a new Trek 5200 with less than 500 miles on it!

Thanks

I built-up my first road bike a month ago with a new Ultegra triple and have the exact same problem. Being a newbie to bike builds I figured I must have done something to cause it but after checking everything (bb/crank torque, looking for charinring wooble, derailleur adjustments, etc.) I finally called Shimano. He said that he has heard similar complaints and that there probably is a slight "manufacturing defect" in some of the middle chainrings and said he recommended I send them just the middle chainring for replacement.

For me the clicking is actually more pronounced when the rear is in the middle cogs. It is minor enough that it hasn't bothered me enough to swap the chainring yet, although I will probably do that anyway in the next few weeks just to find out if that really is problem. I'll post a follow-up once I've done the replacement.

Please let me know if you find any additional information.

 

[AussieDog]

Thanks for the reply. I found that my problem was that the two of the four ( I'm not sure what they are called but they are on the inside of the middle chainring) anyway two of them were making contact with the chain during the middle of the pedal stroke. As it does it clicks off the thing at the bottom of the pedal stroke. I filed them down so they do not touch the chain and that solved the problem.

 

[sfcommuter]

Originally posted by AussieDog
Thanks for the reply. I found that my problem was that the two of the four ( I'm not sure what they are called but they are on the inside of the middle chainring) anyway two of them were making contact with the chain during the middle of the pedal stroke. As it does it clicks off the thing at the bottom of the pedal stroke. I filed them down so they do not touch the chain and that solved the problem.

Yeah, that makes sense because the Shimano tech. guy told me that often the clicking goes away after several months of use. How did you determine which of the little tab things needed filing? Also, what did you use to file it down? Did you have to take the crank off to do it?

Thanks.

 

[AussieDog]

When I inspected the things I noticed that two of them had slight marks in them where they were rubbing with the chain. I filed them all down just to be sure, I said in my previous post that I only filed two down, that was not correct.

I used a small file that is used to sharpen fishing hooks. I never thought that file would come in handy again I think any fine file used for metal would do, just be carefull not to file down the teeth on the chainring.

 

[AussieDog]

Yes, I did take off the crank. I guess you could do it with it on, however since I alraedy had it off I just did it that way.

 

[skillit]

I have the exact same problem. I have a new 2004 Trek 5200 with Ultegra and the center chain ring ticks all the time. Drives me crazy.

Took it to the shop where I bought it and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Tightened up the head set, seat, bottom bracket and it still ticks on the center chain ring.

It must be the center ring has a problem. I'll tell my shop about that and see if they'll replace it.

 

[daveornee]

Originally posted by skillit
I have the exact same problem. I have a new 2004 Trek 5200 with Ultegra and the center chain ring ticks all the time. Drives me crazy.

Took it to the shop where I bought it and they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Tightened up the head set, seat, bottom bracket and it still ticks on the center chain ring.

It must be the center ring has a problem. I'll tell my shop about that and see if they'll replace it.

There are often " shift pins" installed on the rings to assist in moving the chain. The pins shouldn't contact the chain while it is not shifting, but if they are higher/larger than they should be and/or the chain is different shape than the rings were designed for/// you may get some ticking. You may also have some run-out in the middle ring where the lateral movement is contacting the inside and/or outside plates of the front derailer during part of the rotation. This kind of movement can be exagerated during pedal pressure and if the chain isn't running to the exact middle of your rear cogs... as it would be in the largest or smallest cogs.