Clicking noise when pedalling - run out of ideas

[Moonraker Mike]

I've got a constant clicking noise when I pedal. The bike is a lightly used carbon framed road bike (Viner) with Campagnolo Centaur (2007) groupset. There are no odd noises when I'm freewheeling

So far I've tried the following to stop this noise;
Chainring bolts tightened
Replaced pedals (and also tried different cleats / shoes)
Bottom Bracket bearing replacement and new chain fitted by LBS. Headset was tightened at the same time
Carbon seatpost refitted with carbon paste to avoid slipping
Wheels swapped over to eliminate the wheel / cassette being an issue

I've just swapped over the saddle to see if that's the issue, and have now run out of ideas.
Is it time for a new summer bike or am I missing something obvious?

[keyboardmonkey]

Rear *AND* front wheel swapped out? If no my suggestion would be to check that the front skewer is fully tightened.

[Moonraker Mike]

Thanks - I didn’t swap the front but I’m confident it is fully tightened.
I’ll try a different wheel just to eliminate any other issues too

[mig]

'constant'...?? what is that exactly?

usually noises can be identified a bit more easily if they are :
every time the wheel goes around?
every time the pedals go around?
every time the chain goes around?

always when seated?

[Moonraker Mike]

It’s every time I pedal. When my pedals go round, so does my chain!
It’s not when I freewheel so don’t think it’s a wheel problem.

It’s mainly noticeable when seated. I think standing eliminates it.
Holding bars or levers doesn’t make a difference.

[Moonraker Mike]

Actually to expand on the “when the chain goes round” question. There is no clicking when back pedalling. I tried that too.

[slowster]

The first thing I do with that sort of problem noise is check to see if it occurs also when pedalling out of the saddle. Sometimes I will also try pedalling seated using just the right foot and then just the left.

I note that there are a lot of google hits when a search is done for "campagnolo ultra torque clicking noise". I would suspect the bottom bracket.

Video below of someone experiencing a problem with an Ultra Torque BB; does the noise sound similar to your bike?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvk-WhIJu34

[nickp]

Front derailleur cage catching on RH crank?
Front derailleur cable catching on pedal/shoe/trouser leg etc?
Stiff chain link?

You'd have thought after 40 years of riding bikes I wouldn't have too many new places to find a click, but life is full of surprises!

[Moonraker Mike]

It’s not dissimilar - that’s a higher frequency of occurrence than mine.
The bottom bracket bearings were replaced by a Campagnolo specialist and this hasn’t made a difference. (It is an Ultra Torque chainset)

[Moonraker Mike]

Front cage doesn’t seem to be catching, and it happens on both chainrings.
I’ll look at the cable - I need these less obvious ideas! Hopefully one will fix it

[iandriver]

Know anyone with a turbo trainer you could put it on and get them to listen close up?

[slowster]

It’s not dissimilar - that’s a higher frequency of occurrence than mine.
The bottom bracket bearings were replaced by a Campagnolo specialist and this hasn’t made a difference. (It is an Ultra Torque chainset)

I am not particularly familiar with the Ultra Torque design, but skimming some of the various google hits indicates that the problem may not be the bearings themselves, but rather misalignment/the BB not being installed to the required tolerance, and that in turn possibly leading to excessive wear/play developing. For example, if the bottom bracket shell had not been properly faced to begin with, that might be a cause.

If you have a square taper chainset and cartridge BB, you could fit them and quickly establish whether it is the Ultra Torque BB. A Shimano Hollowtech chainset and BB would probably also be adequate for diagnostic purposes, even though that design also requires the BB shell to be faced.

[thirdcrank]

It’s every time I pedal. When my pedals go round, so does my chain!

The point being made was whether it was once every pedal rotation or once every complete passage of the chain.

[Nessie23]

You could try mounting your bike in a bike stand, turn the pedal and move your ear around the bike. Better still, use a stethoscope (piece of plastic tubing will suffice) to focus in on the BB area.
Recently I had intermittent clicking when pedalling. Turned out to be end of my shoe-lace flicking against crank arm, but not on every revolution.

[Cowsham]

It’s mainly noticeable when seated. I think standing eliminates it.
Holding bars or levers doesn’t make a difference.

I had this same problem with my giant aluminum bike with carbon fibre seat post --- the seat post wasn't tight enough where it was held in the seat tube by two Allen key screws. When you tighten one the other became slightly loose so you had to keep tweaking both in turn till both felt tight.