Diagnostic Advice

[the delgados]

I recently purchased a KHS Flite 780 off Facebook Marketplace and I frequently hear a click-click-click sound during a pedal stroke. Not all the time (depends on the intensity of the pedal stroke) but enough for me to start a thread to ask for advice.
The sound doesn't seem to have an overall negative effect, but it's kind of annoying. Can anyone let me know how to possibly figure out the problem without spending money? I can't tell if the sound comes from the pedal, crank arm, or bottom bracket.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[JayKosta]

If you have the tools and time, the best would be to remove, clean, and lube all those parts.
Pedals, crank arm attachment to BB spindle, BB bearings.
Simple first check would be to verify tightness of the BB retainers, and crank arm retainers.

 

[jmdirt]

wheel skewer, seat post clamp, headset

I had a click one time and tried every 'obvious fix', it turned out to be the front wheel skewer (not what you would expect with pedal induced noise, right).

I had a crackle under hard seated efforts and tried every 'obvious fix', it turned out to be a little lump of paint under the seat post clamp.
-a dry seat pots/tube interface can also cause 'drivetrain clicks'.

Never overlook the headset for noises, even ones you think are in the drivetrain.

 

[froze]

Always do the simplest and cheapest thing first, then test, no success move on to the next one and test, etc. No one mentioned that you need to lubricate your cleats on the pedals and the shoes. I'm going to show you a video, but you don't have to use Finish Line Teflon spray lube, you can go down to an auto parts store or a home improvement store and buy a cheap can of Teflon spray and it will be cheaper than the Finish Line and work just as well. I would start here first, then move up from there. Follow this video because you need to clean everything first.

how to lubricate pedal cleats and shoe cleats - Suchen Videos

www.bing.com

 

[Zeena Kurna]

1. Isolate the source: Carefully listen and feel for vibrations while pedaling at different intensities. Does the click feel strongest by the pedals, crank arms, or near the bottom bracket? Identify the general area first.
2. Simple checks:
   • Pedals: Tighten loose pedal bolts with an Allen key. Inspect bearings for play or grit.
   • Crank arms: Check chainring bolts for tightness, and wiggle crank arms for looseness.
   • Bottom bracket: Look for play or wobble in the cranks. If present, the bottom bracket likely needs servicing.
3. Free fixes:
   • Lubricate: Apply grease to pedal threads, chainring bolts, and any exposed moving parts. This can sometimes silence minor creaks.
   • Shift adjustment: Minor drivetrain misalignment can cause clicking. Try fine-tuning your derailleurs if the sound changes with gear shifts.

 

[the delgados]

1. Isolate the source: Carefully listen and feel for vibrations while pedaling at different intensities. Does the click feel strongest by the pedals, crank arms, or near the bottom bracket? Identify the general area first.
2. Simple checks:
   • Pedals: Tighten loose pedal bolts with an Allen key. Inspect bearings for play or grit.
   • Crank arms: Check chainring bolts for tightness, and wiggle crank arms for looseness.
   • Bottom bracket: Look for play or wobble in the cranks. If present, the bottom bracket likely needs servicing.
3. Free fixes:
   • Lubricate: Apply grease to pedal threads, chainring bolts, and any exposed moving parts. This can sometimes silence minor creaks.
   • Shift adjustment: Minor drivetrain misalignment can cause clicking. Try fine-tuning your derailleurs if the sound changes with gear shifts.

Thank you.
Turns out that some application of lubricant was all it took for the noise to go away.

 

[Unchained]

Giant mountain bike frame, carbon fiber. Water bottle aluminum insert boss is spinning freely. Cage is tight but it can't be removed. Was going to try and sneak a little super glue where the aluminum boss penetrates the frame. Don't know if if the bottom bracket is removed if will be able to see up the down tube or if there is room to slop some kind of glue on the hidden back side of the boss and I don't know if the boss has a bottom lets say or cage screw goes all the way through and if I put glue through the down tube might get some on the threads and seize it in place even more. Plan C is to carefully destroy the water bottle cage in hopes to grip the aluminum and back out the retention screw..and don't have a follow up plan to install a new cage w one functional fastener

 

[JayKosta]

If the current bottle cage is still functional, I wouldn't mess with it. If the cage is a little loose, then maybe use some 'decorative' tape to wrap around the tube and bottom of the cage to secure it.
Trying super glue (loctite) might work, but you would have to be careful to not get any on the screw itself.

 

[froze]

Perhaps you should post a new post, what you posted is unrelated to the original post that was posted about 6 months ago.

I don't know much about your problem, which is why if you post a new post you will get more and better responses than from me, I don't do CF repair, heck I don't even own a CF bike thank god! Anyway, I would take it to a pro, which means most local shops don't know how, so you may have to strip the frame and send it to Calfee so as not to damage the frame any further, otherwise you can try to do it yourself, but be careful because you could damage it further, see:

Mark V & Rivnuts: Repairing water bottle bosses on carbon bikes - Bike Hugger

Virtually all carbon and aluminium bike manufacturers use something called a "rivnut" as a water bottle boss. A rivnut is like a combination of rivet and

www.bikehugger.com

And always remember, that when working on a CF bike you HAVE to use a torque wrench and know the values of the torque specific for that particular thing you are working on. And never use a torque wrench to loosen bolts with or you will damage the calibration on it and make it useless to tighten anything with. Lezyne makes a nice compact torque wrench that isn't too expensive, and it has a very easy-to-read scale gradient that makes a heck of a lot more sense than the much more expensive Silca torque wrench.

Good luck.

 

[jmdirt]

Giant mountain bike frame, carbon fiber. Water bottle aluminum insert boss is spinning freely. Cage is tight but it can't be removed. Was going to try and sneak a little super glue where the aluminum boss penetrates the frame. Don't know if if the bottom bracket is removed if will be able to see up the down tube or if there is room to slop some kind of glue on the hidden back side of the boss and I don't know if the boss has a bottom lets say or cage screw goes all the way through and if I put glue through the down tube might get some on the threads and seize it in place even more. Plan C is to carefully destroy the water bottle cage in hopes to grip the aluminum and back out the retention screw..and don't have a follow up plan to install a new cage w one functional fastener

I'm with Jay, leave it unless it becomes an issue (noisy or loose). I had a frield who's Giant road bike did this (he couldn't tighten the bottle cage though) and he was able sneak some epoxy in and 'fix' it.

 

[Unchained]

If the current bottle cage is still functional, I wouldn't mess with it. If the cage is a little loose, then maybe use some 'decorative' tape to wrap around the tube and bottom of the cage to secure it.
Trying super glue (loctite) might work, but you would have to be careful to not get any on the screw itself.

This is pretty much where we are at, it's desired ( not by me!!) To install a standard hand pump holding bracket that uses the bottom cage screws. The mini pump fits next to the bottle on the down tube out of the way.
That's how all this was discovered!! Just another ..if it ain't broke, don't fix it moment!! Currently, even with one spinning fastener the water bottle cage is secure and not rattling around.
In my mind thinking of the damaged boss falling into the frame and making it's way into perfectly, good functional bottom bracket and this whole thing goes from a mini pump plastic piece installation to a major pain in the butt repair!! And if any other bike person hears that I needed to remove the bottom bracket after attempting the mini pump holder install and water bottle can't be installed after my handy work, I will be more ashamed!!! Lol

 

[Unchained]

I'm with Jay, leave it unless it becomes an issue (noisy or loose). I had a frield who's Giant road bike did this (he couldn't tighten the bottle cage though) and he was able sneak some epoxy in and 'fix' it.

I will email my address!! Ask Mr. epoxy what he likes for breakfast!!

 

[jmdirt]

This is pretty much where we are at, it's desired ( not by me!!) To install a standard hand pump holding bracket that uses the bottom cage screws. The mini pump fits next to the bottle on the down tube out of the way.
That's how all this was discovered!! Just another ..if it ain't broke, don't fix it moment!! Currently, even with one spinning fastener the water bottle cage is secure and not rattling around.
In my mind thinking of the damaged boss falling into the frame and making it's way into perfectly, good functional bottom bracket and this whole thing goes from a mini pump plastic piece installation to a major pain in the butt repair!! And if any other bike person hears that I needed to remove the bottom bracket after attempting the mini pump holder install and water bottle can't be installed after my handy work, I will be more ashamed!!! Lol

Even if it comes out and falls into the BB shell, it shouldn't hurt anything (depending on the BB and who installed it I suppose). But, if I'm not mistaken the flair end is on the outside so it shouldn't be able to fall through.