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Noisy Pedalling
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Can anyone tell me why I get noise from my bike when peddaling under pressure i.e. uphills or hard along flats.
I have just replaced cassette, chain, BB and cranks and pedal arms. A bolt on the dual suspension link was loose, fixed!
I have looked for a frame break, none apparent. The noise seems to be in the crank area below my head.
Where is this noise coming from? How can I work that out? What could it be? I am at my wits end, help please?
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What sort of noise is it? Grinding, creaking, etc.? Could be your bottom bracket, mine was quite creaky. I pulled it apart, gave it a good wash to remove all the sand and grit, applied a good amount of a good grease and it has been good as gold since. Also noticed that there was then absolutely no grinding sound either as all the grit had now been removed.
I have often found that sort of noise coming from the headset. It would get dirt in there and cause a creaking sound under load - it's hard to pick the noise as coming from that location, I first thought it was from BB or suspension movement.
Just take off the stem, drop the forks down, wipe it all clean and put it back together - that's all I ever need to do.
Its a creaking noise. It started from the BB replacement, so no sand got in there yet. I was hoping new BB would eliminate the noise, but it only got rid of most of it.
I will look into if it is the headset, good call, didn't listen or look that high up and its not been pulled open and cleaned in a while.
New bike time, if you asked me.
Or process of elimination i.e. if it only makes the noise with you on it, how can you be sure it's not you?
Remove, replace and grease / Loctite as appropriate. Check chain ring bolts etc to start with.
Also, figure out how the noise occurs - all pedaling, under high pressure only, in time with suspension bob etc and that may also help isolate it.
It took me ages to find the creak in my brand new carbon roadie. In the end it was a ferrule on the the rear shifter cable working back and forth in its mount to the frame when the bars were turned slightly. A wrap of insulation tape and it was gone. Sure made a big noise for something so small...
An old mate of mine endured that sort of noise all through his bike tour of Canada and Britain and no mechanic could cure it.
When he got home to NZ and gave the bike a good old service the noise turned out to be emanating from dried out jockey wheel bearing in the rear Derailleur!
Seat/post can be something easily overlooked. and it's suprising how it echos down through the frame.
Does the noise happen if you stand up? If not check your seat post clamp and then the clamp where the rail go onto the post. Then flip the bike over and spray a little chain lube into where the rails go into the plastic of the seat.
Have you checked the crank arm bolts? The other culprit can be the outer cup of the bb.
Headset bearing cups in the frame can do it too.
I had a creak in ym Carbon rush and it was coming from the headset adapters. A quick lube up and it's now creak free. All that time putting up with the horrible noise and the amount of times I lubed the stem, and bars... So annoying... lol
Bottom brackets creak if not tight enough and tend to only creak under load. Cure is to remove, clean, grease then replace. They need 40Nm torque. This is not the case if your BB is press fit.
Check all your chain ring bolts. Remove, clean, grease then replace.
Check crank arm bolts in the same manner.
Check your pedals are tight and go through the same process.
If none of that helps then may the force be with you.
I mabe a bit late & you've allready soved that mystery sound ,i had the same prob on my xtc c1 the sound was those little wheels on the rear derailer check them if its a clicking sound only when you pedal..
I called in at the LBS on the way home. The noise is only when pedalling down (or up) hard, with or without sitting. I noticed it also made similarish noise when grabbing seat and rear wheel and flexing frame.
LBS guy said 90% time noise like that is dual suspension linkage bolts. Of course he knew the BB and cranks were all newly fitted. He said the pull down, clean and grease and re-torque times can be as low as 20 hours. Not having a torque wrench, he recommended to drown the area in teflon spray. Got home, creaking all the way, did so and left it.
This morning it creaked the same for a few hundred metres then well, it started to get quieter, almost silent. I am going to try Gasweld, Toolies, Supercheap and Bunnings (not in that order) and price a Torque wrench that does the 4 or 5Nm I need for those bolts. Then pull it apart, clean and grease the bearings, mushroom headed bolts etc.
Then the noisy little mother scratcher should be silent again through the trails and I start scaring walkers again!
Thanks for all your comments dudes.