# "Popping" under load



## Sean831 (May 22, 2011)

I'm having an interesting problem when I pedal under load. I can't really pinpoint where the problem is coming from but when I pedal my bike is making a pop that I can both hear and feel. It feels like it could be the bottom bracket but I no idea what it really is. Is there anything that typically causes a problem like this (maybe a dirty chain if not a BB) that I could do to fix this? 

Thanks


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## jersey0826 (Jun 4, 2009)

Need more info to know for sure. But, most commonly that is caused by the rear derailleur being slightly out of alignment. The popping is your chain trying to change gears because it is rubbing the cog next to it on the cassette. 

Try adjusting the RD cable by going a half rotation at a time in either direction using the barrel adjuster at the shift lever. If that doesn't fix it, you may need to release the cable at the RD and realign it from scratch.


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## digital_exhaust (Sep 22, 2010)

Had this same symptom recently and it was, believe it or not, a bad pedal bearing.


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## JR 137 (Apr 28, 2012)

Had what sounds like what you're describing. It was a link in my chain - it was frozen/stuck, and everytime that link went over the rear cogs, it made a popping sound I could feel and hear. Spraying WD40 on it and moving it around (just the links, not over the gears) freed it up. The bike was sitting for a few years, so it's no wonder why.

If this is your problem and you use WD40 to free it up, clean and re-lube your chain so it doesn't dry out your gears.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

my bike has the older loose ball cup and cone type BB, and i think it was making a popping noise under load. it was really tight, so I adjusted it, and it seems better now.


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## Sean831 (May 22, 2011)

Well I'm pretty sure it's not a derailleur, that's not what it feels like anyway. It does seem like it could be the pedal bearing, but I just got new pedals and it was doing the same thing with the old ones so I doubt that is it. Also, my bike is less than a year old. The reason I think it could be my BB is that I've hit a few rocks with my cranks but I've heard that its not a very uncommon thing.


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## ChainChain (Sep 25, 2010)

Any number of 100 different things. How much load are we talking about? Standing and muscling of just pedaling at a high cadence?

Could be suspension parts due to bob, or all kinds of drive train issues.


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## thebigred67 (Mar 29, 2005)

jr 137 said:


> had what sounds like what you're describing. It was a link in my chain - it was frozen/stuck, and everytime that link went over the rear cogs, it made a popping sound i could feel and hear. Spraying wd40 on it and moving it around (just the links, not over the gears) freed it up. The bike was sitting for a few years, so it's no wonder why.
> 
> If this is your problem and you use wd40 to free it up, clean and re-lube your chain so it doesn't dry out your gears.


wd-40 is not a lube!!!!!


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## ssabin (Apr 22, 2011)

I had a popping noise that only occurred when I pedalled under a good load and it turned out to be that my BB was never greased and there was corrosion in the BB. I cleaned it out, greased the threads of my BB cartridge, and I'm goog to go now!


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## MTBeing (Jan 11, 2012)

Check your spokes. A loose or broken one can cause that.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Too many possibilities given the description


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## Sean831 (May 22, 2011)

It happens pretty much every time I start off. Its only when I'm pedaling though which is part of why I wasn't sure about spokes. How do I check the spoke tension?


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## JR 137 (Apr 28, 2012)

thebigred67 said:


> wd-40 is not a lube!!!!!


That's why I said clean and re-lube the chain after the WD40 frees it up. Sorry if it got misinterpreted.


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## theextremist04 (Jul 15, 2008)

My saddle has a tendency to pop when I crank- random creaks are really hard to pinpoint on a bike.


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## roblee (Sep 26, 2011)

I had a popping noise when I rode after eating chili.It was random though and seemed to make my bike stink really bad so I had to go really fast when ever I heard it..


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## MTBeing (Jan 11, 2012)

Sean831 said:


> It happens pretty much every time I start off. Its only when I'm pedaling though which is part of why I wasn't sure about spokes. How do I check the spoke tension?


Just grab each spoke and give it a wiggle. If one is particularly loose then that may be your problem.


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## thebigred67 (Mar 29, 2005)

JR 137 said:


> That's why I said clean and re-lube the chain after the WD40 frees it up. Sorry if it got misinterpreted.


Totally missed that! :thumbsup:


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## Ahpook (May 7, 2012)

Sean831 said:


> I'm having an interesting problem when I pedal under load. I can't really pinpoint where the problem is coming from but when I pedal my bike is making a pop that I can both hear and feel. It feels like it could be the bottom bracket but I no idea what it really is. Is there anything that typically causes a problem like this (maybe a dirty chain if not a BB) that I could do to fix this?
> 
> Thanks


New to the forum obviously  Hello everyone

I am having the same trouble with an odd popping noise that just started. Its rather low, meaning hard to hear, and only while pedaling. Best description is a light tap on a piece of wood.

The bike does have 2300 miles on it 

I'm thinking my bottom bracket may need looked at for its the only part that has not been replaced.


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## Shibby (Jan 13, 2004)

Does the popping sound occur at the same pedal position regardless of the gear you are in?


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

JR 137 said:


> If this is your problem and you use WD40 to free it up, clean and re-lube your chain so it doesn't dry out your gears.


or just skip the WD40 and just lube the chain. there's no reason to use WD40, it's just going to break up all the old lube in there that you want to stay in there.

do the OP- it could be a lot of things:
loose/ worn BB bearings
loose/ worn pedals
worn chain
worn chainrings
worn cassette
loose/ damaged hub bearings...

you will need to get everything inspected. how many miles might be on your chain and cassette? if the cassette is worn, you will probably want to replace the cassette and the chain at the same time.


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## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

Could be a 100 things. Take to the shop...faster than trying to diagnose here.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Well...*



Sean831 said:


> Well I'm pretty sure it's not a derailleur, that's not what it feels like anyway. It does seem like it could be the pedal bearing, but I just got new pedals and it was doing the same thing with the old ones so I doubt that is it. Also, my bike is less than a year old. The reason I think it could be my BB is that I've hit a few rocks with my cranks but I've heard that its not a very uncommon thing.


A "pop under load" isn't enough information to help you. This gets closer.

What type of bottom bracket do you have?
Are you standing or sitting when it pops?

Rocks hitting your bike won't cause popping noises to occur. Mostly it causes chipped paint and perhaps some dings or dents in your frame.

I would take your bottom bracket out, lube it up really good and reinstall as a starting point.


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