Over 30 trips to the shop have not removed the clicking noise in the bottom bracket of my R3 SL. The noise persists with FSA and Campy cranksets and bottom brackets. Is it possible that the noise could be produced by flexing of the alloy bottom bracket shell insert? Any other ideas about this aggravating noise problem would be appreciated.

I gather this is a common complaint with FSA cranks. I have the same issue. I just turn up my iPod.

 I have this with an Ergomo and Campy Chorus carbon crankset. Frankly, I ignore it. I've stripped and remounted the cranks and BB and it's still there. So I/ve decided to ignore it.

FWIW, I used to get it on my SLC (with the same set up). I had it for a while on my SLT but it's gone now. And I don't think I ever had it on my R2.5 (with a Campy BB instead of the Ergomo). I've also had it (with a Campy BB) on a TCR, a Softride and a steel frame. It would come and go. No real pattern to it either. I ignored it then too.

I suspect that it *may* be the inside surface of the BB cup shifting slightly against the BB itself. Who knows.

Thanks for the responses. The noise persists with bottom brackets and cranksets other than FSA. That's why I thought it could be something internal like the alloy insert in the bottom bracket shell. All other possibilities have been eliminated but there is no way to test the insert as the possible source. I was hoping someone had encountered the same noise, narrowed it down to the insert and knew the magic words to make it quiet. Is Cervelo responsive to e-mail inquiries? Since I can't find their e-mail address, that must be a dumb question.

allroad:

Thanks for the responses. The noise persists with bottom brackets and cranksets other than FSA. That's why I thought it could be something internal like the alloy insert in the bottom bracket shell. All other possibilities have been eliminated but there is no way to test the insert as the possible source. I was hoping someone had encountered the same noise, narrowed it down to the insert and knew the magic words to make it quiet. Is Cervelo responsive to e-mail inquiries? Since I can't find their e-mail address, that must be a dumb question.

 

 

I got a R3 SL about 3 months ago and I had a problem with noise which I and my LBS thought was coming from the BB.  They replaced the SRAM BB with a higher grade SRAM BB (I had to pay for with out telling me first) and the noise was still there.

It turn out that the noise was coming from the rear wheel hub.  We swap out the rear wheel and the noise was gone.  The LBS removed and relube the bearings, but the noise came back after a couple of rides.  The wheel were the stock HED Bastogne.  I'm waiting for a replacement wheel now.  Maybe this is your problem too?

Call Cervelo if you can, +1.416.425.9517.  I'm in Toronto and I call them whenever I have a question.  If I had to, I would go down to their office!

I ride a campy record drivetrain and have the same issue.  The easiest way to handle it is torque it down to the manufacturer specs after every 2 rides.  I do this after the ride when I finish cleaning my bike.  I just do it as part of regular maintanance.  My BB ticking is now gone.  Hope this hepls!

 

 

Interesting!!

I have a pair of HED Alps on my Soloist SLC and have the same problem -- and it's driving me and my riding buddies nuts! (I'm running Campy Chorus with Record cranks.)

I swapped the wheel with an Open Pro and voila, the racket is gone.   My LBS says my wheel seems to be tensioned correctly.

In the past I had this problem and it seemed to go away simply by taking the wheel off and putting it back on.  This time no luck.   I might try retorquing the lockring.  The sound seems to be mimimized when the chain is straight (say in the middle of the cassette.)

 -- Mark

 

 

ultracyclist:

Interesting!!

I have a pair of HED Alps on my Soloist SLC and have the same problem -- and it's driving me and my riding buddies nuts! (I'm running Campy Chorus with Record cranks.)

I swapped the wheel with an Open Pro and voila, the racket is gone.   My LBS says my wheel seems to be tensioned correctly.

In the past I had this problem and it seemed to go away simply by taking the wheel off and putting it back on.  This time no luck.   I might try retorquing the lockring.  The sound seems to be mimimized when the chain is straight (say in the middle of the cassette.)

 -- Mark

 

 

 

My LBS and I did not consider the wheel to be tensioned incorrectly, I thought the bearings or the cavity it goes in, is out of spec.  The noise would be present when in the middle to smallest cogs in the cassette which leave me to believe it was the hub/bearings since that would be the most leverage on the hub/bearings.  While in the largest cogs, the noise would be gone.

 

Has your lbs replaced your bearings in the bb (eg: for Campy ultra torque)?

Thanks to everyone for the good advice. I've eliminated the wheels and hubs as a source of the noise by changing wheelsets. I've also changed the bottom bracket, cranks and cassette without getting rid of the noise. In fact, this is the second R3 SL frame that makes the same noise. The only thing that I can't change-out is the alloy bottom bracket shell insert, which seems to be in spec at 68 mm width with perfectly parallel ends, but is the only part left that could produce the noise. I've e-mailed Cervelo and called the phone number in Toronto that Garfield provided. The e-mail gives you an "Out of the Office AutoReply" and refers you to a "Knowledge Base" page that provides no information on the problem. The Customer Service department hasn't returned my phone call despite an automated promise to do so. They must be watching LeTour.

Thanks again for all your help.

I had this noise for about 250 miles with my Soloist Team and I swore it was coming from the BB also and I had been reading threads like this online about people tearing apart their BB, cranksets, etc.  I just put up with it for a while, but it was so annoying riding through beautifully scenic roads with riding buddies and the only sound was that "tick-tickety-tack" noise.  A buddy of mine who has about 25 years more cycling experience than I do then told me that with aluminum bikes, EVERY noise sounds like it's coming from the BB.

He asked me if it made the noise while I was riding out of the saddle, and I thought it did until he rode alongside and I hopped up off the saddle and there was no noise.

Turns out all I needed was seatpost grease.  I went to a LBS, where they gave me a free plastic bag full of FSA's red, carbon-aluminum-specific seatpost grease and I went home, took seatpost out, took clamp off seat tube.  Light layer of grease on the inside of the clamp (not sure if this did anything), and light layer of grease all over the inside of the seat tube, and a light layer on the inserted portion of the seatpost.  Also FSA's carbon grease adds friction so the seatpost doesn't slide, and they claim you can reduce the recommended torque on the seatpost clamp by 30%.  Took it out for 50 miles test ride = No more tick-tickety-tack.  All is well in my world now.

Hi,

 I had a similar problem with my SLC-SL.  I use a Campy Record Ultra Torque crankset and it creaked when climbing or sprinting in or out of the saddle.  Checked the torque settings and they were close.  Kind of drove me crazy.

I wrapped the bottom bracket cups with white plumber's tape and reinstalled the cups and the crankarms.  Everything was torqued to spec.   Noise went away.

 Give it a try.

 N

I may be off here but are you sure the noise isn't coming from your seat post? I had a similar problem with my 2006 SLT, kept taking it to the LBS, they couldn't figure out where the noise originated from. Then I happened upon the seat post issue on this forum (fairly common issue w/ Cervelo's apparently). Corrected the problem by cleaning then applying carbon assembly compound. The noise sounded like it was coming from the cranks or BB. Also, another similar noise can come from a loose plastic cable stop for the rear brake cable as it emerges from the top tube. I also thought this was the BB. Both are easy fixes, can drive you mental between the annoying noise and trying to figure out where it's coming from. Hope this helps. I feel your pain.

Considering all the good information and help I received here, I'm almost too embarassed to write this admission. After 10 months and three bottom bracket changes the impossible-to-cure tick-tickety-tack noise that I was so sure was coming from my bottom bracket was actually coming from the R4 hub of my Easton EA90 SLX rear wheel. Several of you suggested just such a possibility, but I, in my infinite mechanical wisdom, was just too sure that it had to be the bottom bracket. I should've sought (and taken) your advice sooner and saved myself, and the bike shop, and Cervelo, and FSA, and all my riding buddies, 10 months of pain and harrassment. Now I'm going to take everything out on Easton.

Thanks for all your help. You are all very generous with your time and knowledge. I don't know what in the rear hub is causing the noise, but I promise not to speculate.

Glad you figured it out, that sh*t can drive you crazy, takes the fun out of riding (for you and your riding buddies).