so i got on my bike the other day and with the bike off, theres a ticking/popping noise coming from the front sprocket, i took the chain off and the spocket is a little bit loose, but the retaining bolt is tight as i can get it, but from what i've read this is normal?

the noise is the splines on the output shaft binding and releasing on the splines of the front sprocket. i put some chain lube in there for kicks and the noise stopped for about a hundred yards. what should i do, the chain iss clean and lubed up, although if might have some spots where its not moving as freely as it should. the bike has 23k on it and i dont know if the chain/sprockets hae ever been replaced. i'm concerned because this noise came on very suddenly, i washed the bike wednesday night andit was fine and on thrusday morning it was making this noise.
thanks for reading, i hope i can get some help.

 

Take off the front sprocket and check for wear on the splines. If it's worn replace front, rear and the chain as a set. You do not want to have to replace the output shaft ... trust me.

 

i have nothing to compare to, so does this look worn?

 

Hard to tell from the pics but from what I can see in the 2nd pic looks like there is some wear ... on the pic towards the top is where I see it most. Can not tell about the shaft. Need to measure it when you get the specs. Look straight down the output shaft and see if any of the splines look rounded. The ones I can see in the pic look o.k. but it is really hard to tell from that view.

 

those are some crappy pics, i'll try to get some better ones.

 

I had a similar problem last week. Out of nowhere my bike felt like it was jerky at low speeds and started making a noise that reminded me of bad wheel bearings in a car. I tightened the chain up since it was loose and things actually got worse. I found some great advice that pointed towards the chain, replaced it, and my bike feels better than the day I built it.

Grab the chain at the center of it's engaugement of the rear sproket, at the very back. If you can pull it more than halfway up a tooth then it needs to be replaced. Mine pulled almost 3/4 up while my roommates street triple with 12k on it barely pulled up at all. My new chain also barely moves. Good luck.

 

alright, when i get the money, i'll but a new chain and sprockets, cause you described my problem, i actually bought new wheel bearings for my bike cause i thought thats what it was atfirst.