Rise H10 - "clicking" noise when pedalling

[ccollins]

Hello - I have a Rise H10 that is about 6-8 weeks old and am enjoying it so far. I have about 10-12 rides on it. Being honest, this thing probably saved my life. The mental swings of trying to recover from a long term injury are no joke.

The bike, probably on the second or third ride, started making a "ticking" or "clicking" noise when I am pedaling. Not sure how else to describe it. LBS I bought it from has no idea. Chain guide is not rubbing. Only happens when I pedal and am putting pressure on the pedals. Free wheeling the pedals at speed doesn't seem to produce the noise. Happens even with light pressure on the pedals (as well as any harder pedaling). Noise stops when pedaling stops. Anyone experience something similar on a Rise Hydro? I have read a few threads about the E-13 cranks failing but don't know if this sort of noise accompanied the failed parts. Don't want this to turn into a serious problem.

Thank you!

 

[jcismo1]

Hello - I have a Rise H10 that is about 6-8 weeks old and am enjoying it so far. I have about 10-12 rides on it. Being honest, this thing probably saved my life. The mental swings of trying to recover from a long term injury are no joke.

The bike, probably on the second or third ride, started making a "ticking" or "clicking" noise when I am pedaling. Not sure how else to describe it. LBS I bought it from has no idea. Chain guide is not rubbing. Only happens when I pedal and am putting pressure on the pedals. Free wheeling the pedals at speed doesn't seem to produce the noise. Happens even with light pressure on the pedals (as well as any harder pedaling). Noise stops when pedaling stops. Anyone experience something similar on a Rise Hydro? I have read a few threads about the E-13 cranks failing but don't know if this sort of noise accompanied the failed parts. Don't want this to turn into a serious problem.

Thank you!

Yes! Here’s a post from me a while back. Oddly enough, I haven’t noticed it recently. It seems to have gone away.
I see you’re in Colorado. Where do you ride?
Post in thread 'EP8 RS motor noise on Rise'
EP8 RS motor noise on Rise

 

[irie]

Might be a faulty pawl.

 

[ccollins]

Yes! Here’s a post from me a while back. Oddly enough, I haven’t noticed it recently. It seems to have gone away.
I see you’re in Colorado. Where do you ride?
Post in thread 'EP8 RS motor noise on Rise'
EP8 RS motor noise on Rise

Thank you for the link - will take a look. I ride in the Northern Front Range area. Trailheads I ride are from the Boulder area up to SE Wyoming.

 

[jcismo1]

Thank you for the link - will take a look. I ride in the Northern Front Range area. Trailheads I ride are from the Boulder area up to SE Wyoming.

I live out on the plains, but have been riding at Lory State Park and Horsetooth/Devils Backbone quite regularly.

 

[Stihldog]

Hello - I have a Rise H10 that is about 6-8 weeks old and am enjoying it so far. I have about 10-12 rides on it. Being honest, this thing probably saved my life. The mental swings of trying to recover from a long term injury are no joke.

The bike, probably on the second or third ride, started making a "ticking" or "clicking" noise when I am pedaling. Not sure how else to describe it. LBS I bought it from has no idea. Chain guide is not rubbing. Only happens when I pedal and am putting pressure on the pedals. Free wheeling the pedals at speed doesn't seem to produce the noise. Happens even with light pressure on the pedals (as well as any harder pedaling). Noise stops when pedaling stops. Anyone experience something similar on a Rise Hydro? I have read a few threads about the E-13 cranks failing but don't know if this sort of noise accompanied the failed parts. Don't want this to turn into a serious problem.

Thank you!

As some have said, the clicking noise may go away but it could be an early indication of future motor failure. Follow up your experiences with a detailed email to your LBS, Obea and the motor manufacturer. Save your email and any follow up responses. This may give you a record of timeline and effort for any future warranty issues. A replacement motor is expensive.

#squeakywheel

 

[ebsocalmtb]

A few things to try:
-Switch pedals - many pedals start clicking over time
-Check the cranks and the spindle/crank interface
-Check the seatpost as both the seat post collar and the cable routing can click
-Check the upper and lower pivots to ensure they are tight... particularly the upper pivot as that requires bearing retainer thread lock on the isis to aluminum link interface
-check the motor bolts as they can loosen over time if torqued to the stated/manual torque and not enough loctite is used or it is contaminated

Try pedaling the bike standing up and see if the issue is still there.

 

[YokoOno]

A few things to try:
-Switch pedals - many pedals start clicking over time
-Check the cranks and the spindle/crank interface
-Check the seatpost as both the seat post collar and the cable routing can click
-Check the upper and lower pivots to ensure they are tight... particularly the upper pivot as that requires bearing retainer thread lock on the isis to aluminum link interface
-check the motor bolts as they can loosen over time if torqued to the stated/manual torque and not enough loctite is used or it is contaminated

Try pedaling the bike standing up and see if the issue is still there.

That noise can be coming from anywhere.
My Rise has a fairly constant "click" under high torque - but only when the temps are above 80. It's silent when cooler- which leads me to believe I have a slightly dry bearing affected at certain temps. I've checked and relubed, lock-tighted, torque checked all fasteners.
Now that I have over 500 miles on the bike, I ignore it.

But I digress...the info provided above is a good starting point.
Also, I'm a fellow Fort Collins rider too

 

[Stihldog]

A few things to try:
-Switch pedals - many pedals start clicking over time
-Check the cranks and the spindle/crank interface
-Check the seatpost as both the seat post collar and the cable routing can click
-Check the upper and lower pivots to ensure they are tight... particularly the upper pivot as that requires bearing retainer thread lock on the isis to aluminum link interface
-check the motor bolts as they can loosen over time if torqued to the stated/manual torque and not enough loctite is used or it is contaminated

Try pedaling the bike standing up and see if the issue is still there.

Oh yeah. Chasing that clicking, ticking, squeaking, rubbing noise can be fun.
A few days ago my son-in-law brought his bike over with a clicking/squeaking noise. He thought it might be a motor or hub issue. Turned out to be a broken seat.

On my neighbor’s bike; bracket bolts on one side sheared offf. Noisy at first but became obvious shortly after. Possibly incorrectly torqued or a casing during a jump. Had to replace the motor.

I’ll try to fix this, but I think the drive side casing will need to be replaced. And both brackets.

 

[Stanley]

My H30 developed a clicking/creaking noise on its second ride.
The noise was as you describe... In sync with pedaling. I eventually narrowed it down to the top suspension linkages. Striped, cleaned, greased and torqued it all up. All good now

 

[markver]

I have a new Rise H15 with about 300 miles on it. After the first wash, I had a clicking/squeaking, also only when pedaling. It was the rear linkage. I checked the torque settings they were fine. Gave them a small shot of Muc-Off 94 spray and it was gone. This light spray disperses water and lightly lubes chains, joints etc...

 

[Rod B.]

Hello - I have a Rise H10 that is about 6-8 weeks old and am enjoying it so far. I have about 10-12 rides on it. Being honest, this thing probably saved my life. The mental swings of trying to recover from a long term injury are no joke.

The bike, probably on the second or third ride, started making a "ticking" or "clicking" noise when I am pedaling. Not sure how else to describe it. LBS I bought it from has no idea. Chain guide is not rubbing. Only happens when I pedal and am putting pressure on the pedals. Free wheeling the pedals at speed doesn't seem to produce the noise. Happens even with light pressure on the pedals (as well as any harder pedaling). Noise stops when pedaling stops. Anyone experience something similar on a Rise Hydro? I have read a few threads about the E-13 cranks failing but don't know if this sort of noise accompanied the failed parts. Don't want this to turn into a serious problem.

Thank you!

ccollins,

Like you, my eBike saved my life after I'd suffered a severe injury.

Chasing a noise on a bike can be such a frustrating experience. It can be so many things and virtually impossible to diagnose without being there to hear or feel it. Bicycle frames by their rigid nature will transmit sound from one end of the bike to the other.

Usually a ticking noise as you pedal will likely be either a rear hub/freehub bearing going bad, or possibly a bent chain link, damaged cassette cog, or chain ring. A missed shift in boost mode can cause a lot of damage to the drivetrain. Occasionally a worn pedal bushing will cause a tick, but you can usually feel that in your foot as your pedal.

Check for bent chain link:
Place your bike in a bike stand or turn it upside down. Rotate your rear wheel. Watch the chain as it rolls around the smaller/upper derailleur pulley. Look for a stiff or bent chain link that won't rotate around the pulley smoothly. Check the front chain ring for a damaged or bent tooth. Do the same for the rear cassette by looking for a bent or missing tooth on each cog.

Check your Rear Hub and Freehub:
Place your bike in a bike stand or turn it upside down. Place your fingers on the chainstay and with your other hand spin the wheel. Feel for roughness as the wheel spins. The wheel should spin smoothly with no roughness transmitting through the chainstay. If you feel roughness, then a rear hub bearing is going bad. It will usually be the drive side bearing that goes bad due to the torque generated by the motor.

To check the free hub bearings, you will need to remove the cassette. There are multiple videos on YouTube which detail how to remove a Shimano cassette and micro spline freehub. Once the cassette has been removed. You can then remove the hub's end cap and freehub. Once the freehub has been remove from the hub, physically check the freehub bearings with your fingers. The bearings should rotate smoothly. If you feel any roughness or a "Notchy" feeling as the bearing spins, then the bearing is bad. Since you have the cassette off, also check the left and right hub bearings with your fingers for roughness.

Your bike is new and it would seem a longshot that your rear hub bearings have gone bad. Shit happens sometimes. A bad hub or freehub bearing will allow the hub and or cassette to move and cause the chain to click against a cassette cog. It can also cause the brake rotor to move out of alignment and tick against the caliper/brake pad when pedaling under load but not when freewheeling with no power applied to the pedals.

Good luck,
Rod

 

[Stanley]

Also, buy yourself a mechanic's stethoscope. They are very cheap but really useful.
No good for using whilst riding, but with a little practise will assist in tracing noises in various mechanical items

 

[SteveTTT]

I had something similar on a Trek Powerfly 7. Turned out to be the freehub, the seals had failed and the pawls rusted up. Fixed under warranty.

 

[Stihldog]

Also, buy yourself a mechanic's stethoscope. They are very cheap but really useful.
No good for using whilst riding, but with a little practise will assist in tracing noises in various mechanical items

A mechanics Stethoscope might be a good idea (had one many many years ago).
Also there’s no cleanup necessary and I can stop training my dog to find weird noises.

 

[seamarsh]

As some have said, the clicking noise may go away but it could be an early indication of future motor failure. Follow up your experiences with a detailed email to your LBS, Obea and the motor manufacturer. Save your email and any follow up responses. This may give you a record of timeline and effort for any future warranty issues. A replacement motor is expensive.

#squeakywheel

Doubt it.. if you are new to bikes I can understand but if you been riding for awhile you know that creaky noise are just part of the game and can be anoying to track down.

I'd try chainring bolts..

A good shop should be able to help.

 

[Davedela]

My H30 developed a clicking/creaking noise on its second ride.
The noise was as you describe... In sync with pedaling. I eventually narrowed it down to the top suspension linkages. Striped, cleaned, greased and torqued it all up. All good now

Yup. What Stanley said. If you dismount the bike, standing on one side, try putting your foot on the pedal at bottom of stroke and apply a little weight pressure. If you hear the click, then likely dry rear suspension point(s).

 

[Rod B.]

Hello - I have a Rise H10 that is about 6-8 weeks old and am enjoying it so far. I have about 10-12 rides on it. Being honest, this thing probably saved my life. The mental swings of trying to recover from a long term injury are no joke.

The bike, probably on the second or third ride, started making a "ticking" or "clicking" noise when I am pedaling. Not sure how else to describe it. LBS I bought it from has no idea. Chain guide is not rubbing. Only happens when I pedal and am putting pressure on the pedals. Free wheeling the pedals at speed doesn't seem to produce the noise. Happens even with light pressure on the pedals (as well as any harder pedaling). Noise stops when pedaling stops. Anyone experience something similar on a Rise Hydro? I have read a few threads about the E-13 cranks failing but don't know if this sort of noise accompanied the failed parts. Don't want this to turn into a serious problem.

Thank you!

ccollins,

If the sound you are hearing sounds similar to a seat post or saddle creaking, then you will need to service the Rise's upper linkage assembly. The Rise has a known issue with the linkage arms slipping on the axle and opening up play in the rear assembly. The excessive play will allow the aluminum axle to shift on the steel pivot bearings mounted in the frame and cause the creaking noise.

I wrote a technical article several months back detailing how to service the upper and lower pivot axles/bearings. At the time I wrote the article I thought initially it was a lack of grease. However, I now know based on my experience and other owners experiences that the creaking noise is caused by the linkage arms slipping on the splined upper pivot axle. To fix the issue you will need to buy a bottle of Loctite 638 cylindrical retaining compound. The Loctite 638 will firmly hold the linkage arms in place on the axle and stop any future slippage. The Loctite 638 is formulated so that the parts can be disassembled at a later date.

Here's the technical article I wrote:

Part # 1: Orbea Rise - Upper Linkage Axle and Bearing Service

Thank you to those who have contributed their experiences thus far to make this article better. I service the linkage, i.e. remove the linkage, axles, inspect, clean and lubricate the bearings about every six months on my Rise. The pivot bearings have held up nicely. Very wet or powdery dirt...

www.emtbforums.com

I hope this helps.

Cheers,
Rod

 

[limburger]

Same issue on my H30, after the first ride in the wet. I greased the upper linkage assembly, which was bone dry and too loose, and made sure everything was torqued to spec, especially the pre-load. Problem gone, and that's now 700 km ago, with many muddy and mucky rides.

 

[ccollins]

ccollins,

If the sound you are hearing sounds similar to a seat post or saddle creaking, then you will need to service the Rise's upper linkage assembly. The Rise has a known issue with the linkage arms slipping on the axle and opening up play in the rear assembly. The excessive play will allow the aluminum axle to shift on the steel pivot bearings mounted in the frame and cause the creaking noise.

I wrote a technical article several months back detailing how to service the upper and lower pivot axles/bearings. At the time I wrote the article I thought initially it was a lack of grease. However, I now know based on my experience and other owners experiences that the creaking noise is caused by the linkage arms slipping on the splined upper pivot axle. To fix the issue you will need to buy a bottle of Loctite 638 cylindrical retaining compound. The Loctite 638 will firmly hold the linkage arms in place on the axle and stop any future slippage. The Loctite 638 is formulated so that the parts can be disassembled at a later date.

Here's the technical article I wrote:

Part # 1: Orbea Rise - Upper Linkage Axle and Bearing Service

Thank you to those who have contributed their experiences thus far to make this article better. I service the linkage, i.e. remove the linkage, axles, inspect, clean and lubricate the bearings about every six months on my Rise. The pivot bearings have held up nicely. Very wet or powdery dirt...

www.emtbforums.com

I hope this helps.

Cheers,
Rod

Thanks Rod - spent a couple hours today giving the Rise's linkages some love per your guide which is well written and thorough. Well done sir. A+++ work. I think I might have tightened the preload tool a tiny bit too much as the plastic ring came out a tiny bit squashed in one area. Also checked the torque on the motor bolts -they all were a tiny bit loose vis a vis my torque wrench. I couldn't get to the one behind the chainring without removing the cranks and didn't feel like tackling any more work on it today. I am pretty wrecked from doing my physical therapy yesterday. Need to check the cranks soon though as I read about the E-13 crank issues.

Took the Rise out for a quick spin after I got it all back together and heard no clicking! I am initially encouraged but will need a trail ride to confirm. It will be a week or so before I can get it out on the trails. Next week looks cooler with high's in the 30's and I don't ride outdoors if it is less than 40-45f. Wednesday looks to be the exception so maybe then.

One thing...the bearings in the front linkage axle seem rough or something in comparison to the rest which are smooth. Both of them. Not sure if this is "normal" to a Rise linkage axle bearing or not. Bike only has maybe a dozen rides on it, if that. Hard to understand that wear could be the issue here unless this is normal behavior. I have a short video of me rotating the axle and you can hear it but I do not know how to attach it to this thread (might not be able to).

Thank you,

Curtis

Edit...figured it out.

IMG_9278.MOV

Front Linkage Axle bearing noise

www.emtbforums.com

 

[Rod B.]

Thanks Rod - spent a couple hours today giving the Rise's linkages some love per your guide which is well written and thorough. Well done sir. A+++ work. I think I might have tightened the preload tool a tiny bit too much as the plastic ring came out a tiny bit squashed in one area. Also checked the torque on the motor bolts -they all were a tiny bit loose vis a vis my torque wrench. I couldn't get to the one behind the chainring without removing the cranks and didn't feel like tackling any more work on it today. I am pretty wrecked from doing my physical therapy yesterday. Need to check the cranks soon though as I read about the E-13 crank issues.

Took the Rise out for a quick spin after I got it all back together and heard no clicking! I am initially encouraged but will need a trail ride to confirm. It will be a week or so before I can get it out on the trails. Next week looks cooler with high's in the 30's and I don't ride outdoors if it is less than 40-45f. Wednesday looks to be the exception so maybe then.

One thing...the bearings in the front linkage axle seem rough or something in comparison to the rest which are smooth. Both of them. Not sure if this is "normal" to a Rise linkage axle bearing or not. Bike only has maybe a dozen rides on it, if that. Hard to understand that wear could be the issue here unless this is normal behavior. I have a short video of me rotating the axle and you can hear it but I do not know how to attach it to this thread (might not be able to).

Thank you,

Curtis

Curtis,

Thank you for the nice compliment. I'm glad it helped. When I first encountered the creaking, it drove me flippin nuts trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. I wrote the article to save everybody else the headache.

If it makes you feel any better, I squished my pre-load tool washer the first time I used it also. You can reuse the tool with the ring slightly damaged. Just make sure the rubber ring is seating fully against the axle when you set pre-load. The rubber ring may hang up on the linkage arm when you screw it in. This will give a false pre-load setting.

In regards to bearings. Your upper pivot bearings should spin smoothly. Because Orbea doesn't use a bearing dust shield on the pivot bearings, dirt will work it's way past the bearing seal. The dirt will contaminate the grease and cause it to harden. This will cause a rough grit feel when you try to rotate the bearing with your fingers. Fortunately, it's an easy fix. You will need a pressurized degreaser cleaner such as Brakleen or WD-40 and a good quality grease such as what I suggested in the article. If your rides involve stream crossings and frequent bike washes, then make sure the grease is a waterproof type. I like Schaeffers 219 SynForce Green waterproof grease. The stuff sticks well and won't wash out. It lasts a long time.

As mention in my article, remove the bearing's outer dust shield and spray the pressurized cleaner into the bearing. Rotate the bearing as you spray. This will wash the dirt and hardened grease out of the bearing race. Keep doing this until the bearing spins smoothly with no grit feel. Next take a dab of grease and place it in the palm of your hand. With your finger, dip into the grease and begin pushing it into the bearing. Rotate the bearing and keep working the grease into the bearing until it's full. Reapply the dust seal and wipe off the excess. Do the same to the other side.

Originally, I thought the creaking issue was a lack of grease. I would dismantle the linkage and re-lubricate and install the linkage. This would last about 1-2 months before the clicking and creaking would return. I later figured out the linkage arms were spreading apart on the splines and opening up pre-load. Rich from eMTB Forum wisely suggested using a retaining compound on the axle splines and linkage arms. The Rise Blue Paper doesn't specify which type of cylindrical retaining compound to use. While reviewing the Rallon Blue Paper (Owners manual), I saw Orbea recommended Loctite 638 on the linkage. I tried the Loctite 638. Success! I've yet to have the arms loosen up again. I've since serviced my linkage and can confirm that the Loctite 638 does allow for disassembly at a later date.

If you didn't use Loctite 638 or a similar retaining compound, then your linkage arms will spread open again after a few hard rides. Which being familiar with Colorado, it's going to happen.

As a change of subject, have you ever ridden the Midlands trail system near Buena Vista Colorado? I rode there last month. I couldn't believe how good that place is. So much fun, I loved Unchained and Django.