Something In/near My Bb Makes A Click When I Pedal

[Anjow]

Still being a newbie to trials, I only just noticed that one of my cranks was really really loose. So loose I could wobble it side to side with ease. Anyhow, I've tightened it up now with a large allen key and I was wondering - how tight do I want it? As tight as I can get it?

Secondly, I've seen downtube protectors on some bikes. Whereabouts can they be purchased? I didn't notice any on tartybikes. Also, regarding chainstay protectors - I noticed that the length given on sites is longer than my chainstay... Does one get special ones for 20" bikes?

Edited: see last post for new question

Edited May 5, 2007 by Anjow

[j-bonham@hotmail.com]

As for down tube protector, i couldn't find one anywhere so i made one myself.

Its made from a letterbox front. stuck on with bathroom sealent. it's really tough suprisingly.

not much help . but you could make your own.

[MattB]

1. For the cranks I suggest tightning them up fairly tight but don't overdo it. If they keep coming loose put some loctite on the threads to help them stay in place.

2.www.trialsman.co.uk still do them i beleive.

3. It doesn't matter, look on tarty and both of them will work on mods.

Matt

[Anjow]

Thanks, that's all I needed to know.

Whilst I have this topic, I may as well ask another question because it doesn't warrant a new topic:

Can someone explain 2-bolt vs. 4-bolt brake boosters? I have a 4-bolt echo one because my brakes have 2 bolts for each piston. Do some brakes have 1 bolt per piston and therefore can only use a 2-bolt booster? Or are 2-bolt boosters used on brakes that have 4 bolts for mounting? If so, why use them instead of 4-bolt boosters?

[Tommy d]

Don't ask me about boosters... but always have your cranks tight! If you ride them when they're loose they get damaged and you have to buy new cranks

Happened to me when I got my first bike. If you ride them loose the tapers go out of shape and then they'll never do up properly tight. Especially with square taper.

I think the only way you can have them too tight is if you strip the threads on the bolt!

[basher]

Do the cranks up pritty tight. Have a look for armadillo on ebay that the name of the downtube protectors. The chainstay protectors only protect it from the chain slapping the frame so if you want something to protect it from scratchs and dints from landing on it the best thing is to use hose pipeing works really well i my experience.

[Anjow]

Now I have noticed that there is a clicking or clanking sound coming from near my bottom bracket. It seems to happen when my foot is at the lowest point of the pedal rotation and it happens on each side. Does anyone know what this could be?

[basher]

Your bottom bracket will be loose and if this is the case you need to tighten it up striaght away. Its a common thing cranks and bb's comeing loose so check them often. If it isn't your bb then check the freewheel.

[Anjow]

Thanks. Any hints on how I tighten it up?

...And to think I thought my buying a new bike and not second hand would preclude me from these constant problems.

Edited May 5, 2007 by Anjow

[NileBrown™]

Secondly, I've seen downtube protectors on some bikes. Whereabouts can they be purchased? I didn't notice any on tartybikes. Also, regarding chainstay protectors - I noticed that the length given on sites is longer than my chainstay... Does one get special ones for 20" bikes?

I know that Trialfutur.net have a downtube protector - its called a Toxsin Wack stick and I think you get them free when you buy a chainstay protector as well. They look pretty wierd because they're small but certainly do the job.

cheers Nile

Edited May 5, 2007 by nile71091

[Tomm]

If you've had a loose crank for any length of time then it's quite feasible that you've rounded the tapers a bit. Which would explain the creaking. Do the cranks up about as hard as you can - it's very difficult to over-tighten them with normal allen keys. If it's still there you may have to look at the coke can trick.

Chainstay/downtube protectors aren't really that important if you ask me. For the chainstay one, you can always buy one and cut it down to mod size.

[Anjow]

I did have a look and it seems my crank had come loose again! So I've done it really, really tight now and I'll see how that goes.

[Simpson]

Thanks. Any hints on how I tighten it up?

You need a special tool, i always just pop to a friendly bike shop takes about 10 seconds and they never charged me, pay a pound max. non drive side crank comes off and just pops on a tighens it up.

I did have a look and it seems my crank had come loose again! So I've done it really, really tight now and I'll see how that goes.

I use like a 6 foot pole on top of the allen key, it came loose again so i put a tad of locktite on it which gave it just a little bit more bite tighened it up again and never came loose, just make sure you can get it back out again though!

[Tomm]

I use like a 6 foot pole on top of the allen key, it came loose again so i put a tad of locktite on it which gave it just a little bit more bite tighened it up again and never came loose, just make sure you can get it back out again though!

Be careful doing that, you really don't want to snap the bolt off in the BB.

[Anjow]

I've noticed that when I push the crank in and out with my hand, I can see the bottom bracket moving a little. I'm guessing this means it is the bottom bracket that is loose then? What tool do I need? Could someone point one out on chain reaction?

If my crank needs to come off to tighten the bottom bracket, I'll need a crank extractor, right? I have one but I have absolutely no idea how to use it.

I've had this bike a few weeks now and I've hardly been able to ride it because it's always needed something doing to it, it's a pain in the arse.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Anjow

[poopipe]

it'll be a few more weeks before everything beds in so don't panic just yet...

crank extractors are easy to use - be a bit careful cos you don't want to strip the threads out of your crank arm.

take crank bolt out

screw the threaded bit of the crank extractor all the way into the threads that are exposed when you remove the crank bolt

turn the big nut thing in the crank extractor round using a decent sized spanner - your crank should slide off the taper as you tighten.

(if you do strip the threads out of the crank arm you can lever it off with a stick or just belt it with a rubber hammer.)

when you put it back together put twice as much grease as you think you should on the taper - otherwise you'll never get the f**ker off.

Tightening the BB is easy enough but you do need the tool - don't go mental on it cos you might strip the threads and remember one of the sides is probably opposite thread (i can never remember which one - somebody will know). They don't actually need to be super, super tight, i used some of those shitty adjustable pliers to put the euro bb in my bmx about 6 months ago and its been completely fine.

berfore you go off and do any of the complicated stuff though - are you running an ACS freewheel? is the lockring tight? are you sure?

[Anjow]

berfore you go off and do any of the complicated stuff though - are you running an ACS freewheel? is the lockring tight? are you sure?

No idea. I don't know what any of those bits are. How would I tell?

There's a load of things that are called BB tools here:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/SearchR...7&Search=bb

Which one of those is the thing that I need?

Edited May 7, 2007 by Anjow

[poopipe]

crank extractor

BB tool - that's a shimano type bb tool which i think is the most common - not all BB tools are the same

This is an ACS freewheel

- the bit where it says CLAWS and CHROMOLY is the lockring. If the lockring is loose your freewheel will make stupid noises, bearings will fall out and generally bad things will happen. You can solve the problem by tightening it up using some sort of metal stick. There are a lot of threads about tightening lockrings on ACS claw freewheels so have a search and check the FAQ section for a decent guide. You dont need to remove anything from the bike so its easy to tighten it but it will continually come loose until you either weld it shut or decide to buy an expensive freewheel.

[Anjow]

I do have an ACS freewheel. I'll have a look for those threads and tighten it. I think I still need to tighten the bottom bracket though; I can see it move slightly on the side opposite the drivetrain.

Thanks.

[poopipe]

it's a good idea to take some sort of stick out with you when you ride to tighten the lockring (a big nail or something will do fine - you just wedge it against the frame and spin your cranks to tighten)

It seems to depend a lot on the specific freewheel but my ACS lockring would undo itself every half mile or so of normal riding. When I was actually bouncing about and climbing stuff it was fine so I think it was coasting along that caused it. I got pissed off enough to buy an eno just to avoid the loosening in the end.

[Anjow]

Finally the BB tool arrived. I took the cranks off (and I was impressed at the logic behind the design of the crank extractor), tightened the BB (not insanely tight, it wasn't easy to get a purchase on the tool) and I've now put the cranks back on as tight as I could.

My question now is, can I expect my cranks to develop play over the next few rides? Will they need tightening up shortly because they'll need to settle in? I just want to know if I should keep an eye out.

[Anjow]

STILL BLOODY CLANKING.

The BB is tight, the cranks are tight, it seems like everything is tight yet it still clanks when either foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke - sometimes. It only does it for a period each time. Sometimes it doesn't clank at all, other times it does it every stroke.

Any more thoughts on what it could be? I'm getting sick of not being able to ride the bike I payed £500 for, for fear of damaging it.

[ogre]

whats your chain tention like?

[Anjow]

It's relatively tight. The clanking isn't the chain knocking against the chainstay, if that's what you're thinking.