a clunking sound from bike crank?

its hard to expalin but it drives me crazy its cheap shwin bike i got at target i returned it 2 times already they wont let me retun it again but they say they will fix it but if they are the same folks who put it together i dont trust em.any idea what the sound is.and do ya think if i call the district manager they will help me? original purchase date was march

if they dont know how to put it together correctly, i doesnt matter who you talk to, you best bet is to take it to a real bike shop and have them figure out whats wrong with it. its gonna cost a little for someone that actually knows about bikes to fix it. but you know what they say, you get what you pay for.

it should still be under warranty and targets 90 day retun is the bad thing id love to just retun it or fix it my self if i knew what was wrong

I'd have to agree that taking it to a real bike shop is your best bet. If Target can't assemble it correctly in the first place, you certainly can't expect them to properly diagnose a problem.

If you ride a lot, your best option is to have a relationship with a local shop. You'd be better off buying a quality used bike from a local shop and letting them service it for you.

Peter

raggie, I've had the same problem and had to open up the bottom bracket (shaft and enclosure between the pedals). After many attempts to balance the tightness, finally go it right.

Easiest is to drop by your local bike shop and have an experienced mechanic take a look.
mossyoak's advice is spot on.

I think you need to give them at least one chance to fix it. If that doesn't work, then talk to the store or district manager. They'll probably either take it to a real bike shop, give you another, or return your money. Try to remain polite, as hard as that might be, but remind them that you have not received a satisfactory product.

Good luck, Raggie.

Geoff

i hate takeing stuff to repair shops thats why i learned to build computers and fix cars.i always feel as if they may rip me off.i love the bike other then that dang noise was only 250 and it s fits me.guess illl have to just bring it in to a bike shop though or just ride it till it fails and save for a real bike

o i forgot to add at first the front brakes want even hooked up was fun to find out since there are hills every where here on first bike spokes got so lose and its paired spoke wheels i had no idea how to tighten em they aint like reg rims

ill try the adjusting thing and to call target again sucks this is my main transportaion

Try a 1 piece crank, see if the still have a clunking sound.

raggie33 said:

ill try the adjusting thing and to call target again sucks this is my main transportaion

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Can you post a couple photos of your bike's crank, from the left and right sides?

mechBgon said:

Can you post a couple photos of your bike's crank, from the left and right sides?

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yes i will friday cam isnt with me

this is the bike btw http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00160JO4Q/?tag=cpf0b6-20

raggie33 said:

this is the bike btw http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00160JO4Q/?tag=cpf0b6-20

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Ok, that helps narrow things down a little. The crank's axle is supported on bearings, and the bearing parts screw into the frame. If they're not screwed in tight enough, they can rock on their threads, and you get a "clunk" sensation. This could be the issue you're having.

There are two categories of crank-bearing units that your bike might have. The "cup & cone" style can be fully disassembled and requires precise adjustment. The "cartridge" style is factory-adjusted and simply needs to be installed into the frame tightly. Your photos will clarify which of the two types your bike uses. Then I can tell you what tools you'll need and how to use them.

In most cases, you'll need to remove the cranks from the axle to get this problem fixed, so an 8mm or 5/16" hex key to remove the crank bolts, and a proper crank extractor to pull the cranks from the axle, will be essentials. What you'll need after that will depend on which type of crank-bearing unit your bike has.

what is interesting, of course, is that I'm greater than 99% sure that the store never installed the bottom bracket OR the cranks. In general, the way mass market bikes are shipped, you have to put on the front wheel (sometimes back - can't remember), install the pedals, and turn the stem and handlebars straight - plus put air in the tires

The store probably doesn't even HAVE the tools to pull the cranks/Bottom bracket

+

Just take your bike to an actual bike shop, get a Bottom Bracket overhaul.

I know you want to do it yourself, but I'll guess you don't have all the tools/torque specs to do an overhaul.
Obviously it was never installed correctly,... any Bottom Bracket/Crank issue will get much worse.

lol waaaa this sucks

I have an old Schwinn bike that developed a clunk - I have lots of miles on it and one of the pedals went bad. If your clunk is in the crank/pedal area, the clunk will happen when your feet are in the same relative position on each cycle.

Easy to check - make sure the pedals are tight to the crank arms. Bottom brackets are pretty solid.
Also - make sure the crank arms are not hitting the bottle cage or any thing else.

Spin the pedals. As well, a quick shot of your favorite mechanical lube might help.
Could be a bearing in the bottom bracket and that would show-up when spinning them. Just have someone hold up the rear wheel and turn the crank arm and see how it feels. (Don't turn it via the pedal.)

Not all the bike shops will charge you if it is a quick turn of a wrench for them. This goodwill will bring you back to buy something in the future.

You should see all the threads about strange noises that come from bikes with some slightly ill fitting part. From the entry level to the mega $$ bikes. Amazing...

KC2IXE said:

what is interesting, of course, is that I'm greater than 99% sure that the store never installed the bottom bracket OR the cranks. In general, the way mass market bikes are shipped, you have to put on the front wheel (sometimes back - can't remember), install the pedals, and turn the stem and handlebars straight - plus put air in the tires

The store probably doesn't even HAVE the tools to pull the cranks/Bottom bracket

Click to expand...

Exactly. These bikes normally come from the factory with the BB already installed. All Target has to do is some minor assembly.

If it makes you feel any better this type of situation isn't all that uncommon even when you are dealing with high end components. The BB can be tricky and on my last build I had to remove it once and start over. Sometimes there's not enough grease in the right place and a simple removal, relube and reinstall takes care of things. On lower end equipment there's always a greater possibility of a problem bearing or something but if you've got replacement parts it's no biggie to change out.