trek 1.2 ticking noise from front

johnam

I bought a Trek 1.2 a few months ago on the bike to work scheme, and so far it has been giving me no trouble. However, on the last few spins, there has been an annoying ticking noise coming from the front of the bike. It almost sound like a cable is hitting the frame. There is no rhythm to it, it just ticks away at maybe one or two ticks a second and stops and starts at any stage. I have tried holding the different cables to see if I can locate it, but no joy. The annoying thing is it only happens when I'm on the bike, so trying to investigate it when Im off is next to impossible. Just wondering if anyone has had a similar noise, and if they could help explain or offer any solutions.
thanks

seamus

Does it happen mainly when you're pedalling heavily? How about when you're standing up off the pedals?

I've a 2.1 which has the same front-end set up as you, and it "ticks" all the time. I've tracked it down (after checking feckin everything else) to the stem where it clamps onto the bars. I fixed it once for a couple of weeks, but after trying 2 or 3 times now in vain, I'm resigned to the fact that the bike will always click/tick whenever I stand up out of the saddle. At least until the day that I bother to go get a new stem.

Edit:
I should note that the cables also can make some noise. A good way to eliminate these from your enquiries is to tape the two gear cables together where they cross over, and also put a little bit of rubber padding on the cables where they touch the headtube/downtube. Obviously don't make this permanent (unless you have whate masking tape), but it'll help you figure out if it actually is the cables causing it.

johnam

Thanks for the reply. It happens when I get up to a decent speed, it doesn't matter if I stop pedalling, or if I stand up. I hadn't read any complaints about it before I bought the bike, so I think I will bring it back to the lbs and see if they know anything about it. It is only minor, but still annoys me.

seamus

If it happens when you get up speed, then it's to do with vibrations and likely the cables. Try what I said and see if you can figure it out.

thebouldwhacker

From what your saying its probably not but just check the ends of the cables that they are not moving at speed and clicking off something, for example quite often the front derailleur cable end sticks out and clicks off the crank when pedaling, I know that not your issue, just using it as an example. Check the end of the brake cables and the rear derailleur too.

seve65

Read the links below, they are very good:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html
http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

I have had very bad clicking myself, once due to knackered bearings in the rear hub and snapped rear axle. Also grinding due to a worn out bottom bracket. Also light clicking due to front derailleur cable rubbing. Also tinkling due to chain rubbing on front derailleur, also tinkling due to bad rear derailleur adjustment. Creaking due to handlebars not fitted tightly enough to the stem.

And my latest loud creaking/clicks when pedalling with any sort of force, especially standing up, seemingly more from the left pedal when i tried one legged cycling. I initially tried tightening the chain ring bolts, and that didnt work. I then tried tightening the cranks to the bottom bracket, that didnt work and I s**ged the crank bolt end cap. I then removed the chain rings and put some grease between the rings and inside the chain ring bolts, still no improvement. I know these are all probably daft things to do, heh ho didnt expect would do any harm so thought worth a bash.

Tonight it seems to mostly have gone, which is good, but here's the mistake I dont know for sure why as I tried several more things at once i.e. sprayed some lube onto the pedals, greased the cassette onto the freehub, tried to get some oil into the freehub without dismantling (this was completely seperate to the main problem and was intended to reduce the ticking of the freehub when freewheeling, which it didnt, I believe this is the sound of the pauls; which I might have been imagining was a bit louder after cleaning a couple of times with 'muc-off'). I also loosened the chainring bolts slightly as I had read some people trying that with their fsa chaingrings. Pedals, chain rings, chain and cassette are all relatively knew, so are all candidates for the main problem of loud creaking/clicking . Large chainring being the newest.

Anyway its going into Cork bicycle services tomorrow to get the crank bolt cap fixed, lets see if there is any loud creaking or clicking tomorrow. I will let the expert loose, and learn something for a change !

zathan

Sounds like the chain rubbing on the front derailleur - had the same problem myself and I too thought it was a cable! The reason for it stopping and starting at any stage is probably due to when you change gears. Go through the different gear combinations and if you happen to hear it have a look at to see if the chain is rubbling on the derailleur, if so probably best to take it to the bike shop and have them adjust the cable/derailleur .

johnam

seve65 wrote: »

Read the links below, they are very good:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html
http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

I have had very bad clicking myself, once due to knackered bearings in the rear hub and snapped rear axle. Also grinding due to a worn out bottom bracket. Also light clicking due to front derailleur cable rubbing. Also tinkling due to chain rubbing on front derailleur, also tinkling due to bad rear derailleur adjustment. Creaking due to handlebars not fitted tightly enough to the stem.

And my latest loud creaking/clicks when pedalling with any sort of force, especially standing up, seemingly more from the left pedal when i tried one legged cycling. I initially tried tightening the chain ring bolts, and that didnt work. I then tried tightening the cranks to the bottom bracket, that didnt work and I s**ged the crank bolt end cap. I then removed the chain rings and put some grease between the rings and inside the chain ring bolts, still no improvement. I know these are all probably daft things to do, heh ho didnt expect would do any harm so thought worth a bash.

Tonight it seems to mostly have gone, which is good, but here's the mistake I dont know for sure why as I tried several more things at once i.e. sprayed some lube onto the pedals, greased the cassette onto the freehub, tried to get some oil into the freehub without dismantling (this was completely seperate to the main problem and was intended to reduce the ticking of the freehub when freewheeling, which it didnt, I believe this is the sound of the pauls; which I might have been imagining was a bit louder after cleaning a couple of times with 'muc-off'). I also loosened the chainring bolts slightly as I had read some people trying that with their fsa chaingrings. Pedals, chain rings, chain and cassette are all relatively knew, so are all candidates for the main problem of loud creaking/clicking . Large chainring being the newest.

Anyway its going into Cork bicycle services tomorrow to get the crank bolt cap fixed, lets see if there is any loud creaking or clicking tomorrow. I will let the expert loose, and learn something for a change !

well that went straight over my head....

johnam

zathan wrote: »

Sounds like the chain rubbing on the front derailleur - had the same problem myself and I too thought it was a cable! The reason for it stopping and starting at any stage is probably due to when you change gears. Go through the different gear combinations and if you happen to hear it have a look at to see if the chain is rubbling on the derailleur, if so probably best to take it to the bike shop and have them adjust the cable/derailleur .

Unfortunately it is not that simple. The noise is coming from the front of the bike, not anywhere near the chain. I have had that noise from the front derailleur and know to avoid certain gear combinations to avoid this. This noise comes from the front forks, or that somewhere in that general area, and almost sounds electric. I will have a closer look tomorrow at some stage, but dont hold out much hope for finding it myself. I am not exactly an expert:rolleyes:

petethedrummer

take it to a bike shop?

el Bastardo

Just the other week, I had a mysterious click coming from the front of the bike which turned out to be a bit of dirt between the stem and handlebars. I'd checked that everything was tight and that nothing was touching/rubbing. Nearly drove me mad before I found out what it was.

marley1

i recently bought the trek 1.2 and i had a rattle noise from the front. Turned out the tube nut was a bit loose against the wheel

Holyboy

Boy oh boy it could be fifty different things, I would indeed bring it to a LBS but a good one where they won't rest until they find the noise!
Maybe check your magnet and sensor if you have a computer fitted, also molding tags on the tyres, but those two would have some kind of pattern to the noise!
Also the valve lock rings on your tubes, sometimes if they aren't tight they can vibrate and make noise, same goes for wheel reflectors if they're fitted(which they should be as it's the law;))
If it's happening when you're freewheeling as well as pedaling it probably is to do with the wheels as nothing much else is moving when freewheeling.
I had a noise from my motorbike last year but only when driving over 150kph
it turns out it was the chin strap on my helmet flapping,check yours out, haha.

Keep_Her_Lit

Holyboy wrote: »

I had a noise from my motorbike last year but only when driving over 150kph it turns out it was the chin strap on my helmet flapping,check yours out, haha.

Yeah, I also used to hear this weird noise whenever I rode my motorbike at more than 160kph. It went something like "… Neee-Naaw-Neee-Naaw -- Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo … "

I could never figure out what it was but strangely, it always disappeared if I went even faster.

Planet X

I have it all the time on a Titanium race bike when going up hill at a bit of a lick. I thought it was the frame flexing or something? It doesn't bother me at all. Actually, when this noise occurs, I know I'm giving it a bit.
But you're probably right, it'll be the stem or bars or something like that. Pulling hard on the bar / stem combo would eek out a few squeaks I reckon.


"Pull Harder On The Strings" (Trivium)

Thesafetyman

Might be the fork bearing crying out for a drop of oil!

seve65

johnam wrote: »

well that went straight over my head....

sorry about that !

how about this from those links I posted:

"
Over time wheels can make a clicking noise.
Solution: This happens because where the spokes cross each other, they touch. Over time, the spokes wear slightly, get very dry and start to click as you roll down the road and weigh the spokes making them move slightly and click, click, click. To stop the noise, apply a drop of oil at each spoke intersection. Then go around and squeeze pairs of spokes with your hands, which will let the oil work between the spokes. Finish by wiping off any excess lube. TIP: You may need to do this once a year or so to keep the clicking at bay.
"

Planet X

I also have squeaky noises coming from my SPD shoes on my commute bike. This I cannot work out. Tightened the SPD cleats to very tight. No joy. I'm used to it but would like to solve it.
Shimano MT32 shoe on a Shimano M540 "type" pedal. I think it's the shoe flexing on a small pedal. Was thinking if I had a broader pedal, spread force, it might solve it.
It sounds like leather squeaking, but there's no leather involved.
Leather! Cycling shoes! Ah, those were the days.

inkedpt

Do you have wheel reflectors...:rolleyes:

johnam

seve65 wrote: »

sorry about that !

no problem... it just let me know how little I know about bikes.... I have tried a few of the suggestion, but the weather has been so bad, that I haven't been out on the bike to try it out. Will let you know if i get it sorted, but if not, it is going back to the shop for a proper investigation.

bertiecont

i have a trek 1.7 and i have the same problem as above so must be an issue withthe trek - it sounds like the carbon fork creaking or something. must try some of the suggestions above to see if that sorts it.

bax4556

check the quick release axle,the lever that is used to close the axle is possibly loose on the axle itself and causing the noise over non smooth surfaces

johnam

bertiecont wrote: »

i have a trek 1.7 and i have the same problem as above so must be an issue withthe trek - it sounds like the carbon fork creaking or something. must try some of the suggestions above to see if that sorts it.

Thats exactly what it sounds like. Don't know if I should be worried about it or not. I dont think the carbon is meant to creak! Went out today and it is still as bad as ever....it seems to be happening more when I have weight on the handle bars, but it doesnt stop fully when you take that weight off. It definately wasnt there for the first few weeks. Thanks for all the advice, but I think this one has beaten me....think I will give the bike shop a call during the week.

bertiecont

i wonder if it could be the headset spacers? they are carbon! def happens more when weight on handlebars