Bottom Bracket metallic click.

[MattDB]

Quick query. New bike, about 50 miles last week. Tonight up steep hill, standing up on pedals trying to get home quickly. A noise started from left crank which I'd describe as the same noise you'd get off you flicked the hollow bike frame with your fingernail. Click in same rotational position of left crank every time.

Bizarrely had a similar noise with last bike. Went on for 3 years and no-one could find cause but disappeared when I changed bb due to another noise. Always stopped in wet weather! Might not be the same origin!

Surely can't have broken bb already? I'm 16 stone and was really going for it at the time and this did happen on a previous cycle.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated as always!

 

[youngoldbloke]

Check the pedal/s are tight.

 

[Big_Dave]

+1 Pedals, I regularly had to adjust the bearings in my m520's, the slightest bit of play and they click like mad at the same point of rotation of the crank, I've got through a few sets of pedals (18stone lump lol), now trying M780's so far so good

 

[raleighnut]

+1 pedals but also check you're not catching the end of the front shifter cable with your leg, It has been known.

 

[MattDB]

Realised I wrote bottom BASKET - that's quite embarrassing - my girlfriend was talking to me about washing while I was writing the thread.

Very interesting raleighnut! shifter cable hitting frame would make a similar sound! Would be nice if that's all it was

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

+1 pedals but also check you're not catching the end of the front shifter cable with your leg, It has been known.

^^^^^ This. Or alternatively could it be a shoelace tapping against the bike on each revolution? I've had both and it took me ages to work it out each time.

 

[MattDB]

I was so sure it was going to be leg or laces but alas I've watched carefully and can't see anything hitting .

Any more thoughts?

 

[Peteaud]

Ive had clickety clips (spd) before. Gave them a 1/2 turn on the adjuster and the noise went.

 

[MattDB]

I've got single single sided pedals but not currently using the clips. Pedal bearings?

 

[roadrash]

Have a look here for ideas


http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

 

[MattDB]

thanks that is a really interesting site!

 

[MattDB]

E-mailed the company I got it from and they were like 'the manufacturers never put enough grease on the bottom bracket threads' so I've done that and, touch wood, seems to have done the trick.

The BB cups were disturbingly easy to remove, barely hand tight and hardly any grease. A bit disappointing for a new bike, don't know if this is standard but lubing a new chain is one thing, taking off cranks and removing BB from a brand new bike is a bit of a hassle!