So far we've tried replacing the bottom bracket, replacing the crankset, cleaning the bike… anyone have any ideas about what could be causing this sound?
Help save our sanity and solve this creaking issue!
byu/bugbebe inbikewrench
by bugbebe
So far we've tried replacing the bottom bracket, replacing the crankset, cleaning the bike… anyone have any ideas about what could be causing this sound?
Help save our sanity and solve this creaking issue!
byu/bugbebe inbikewrench
by bugbebe
24 Comments
I have something similar going on as well speak. I tried regreasing the pedals and putting carbon assembly paste on the seat post. So far no luck. If you find out let me know
Check the crankset and make sure the chainrings are properly torqued. Also check the chain, make sure its clean and lubricated.
can you only reproduce it on the bike, or can you get any noise out of the bike when you torque it side to side. does it reproduce if you have it in a trainer? that might make it easier to track down where it’s happening.
no clue if it’d fix anything, but try lubricating the spoke nipples. i had a noise i could not locate and after trying everything a little lube on nipples quieted it up.
Chain
I struggled for a long time to diagnose creaking on one of my bikes. By process of elimination I determined it must be the pedal. Recently swapped that crankset and pedals to a different bike and there’s no creak.
I know this comment was not helpful, just wanted to vent!
Take a spray bottle of water with you and spray down anything you suspect of creaking, piece by piece, if the sound changes or goes away, you’ve found your source. Does not work for every noise, but always worth a shot.
Mystery noises can be hard even with the bike in front of you. Diagnosing via video is almost pure speculation. The only suggestion I have is try and isolate what movement illicits the noise. I do this putting drive side crank down and pushing super hard, then same on non drive to see if it is crank/bb/chainrings. Hold the front brake while stationary and put a bunch of tension on the chain to see if maybe hub/axle issue. Push down hard on front and back of saddle. Hold frame and put foot near rear axle to flex that area etc.
For me it was back thru axle not lubed enough and torqued down too much.
Does the creaking persist when you are off of the saddle?
Does it do it when you’re pedalling out of the saddle? It could be the seatpost or saddle rails. I would also check the mech hanger and dropouts are security tightened too.
Can’t see what sort of pedals you’re using but I had a similar irritating sound with SPD ones as the cleats wore, even slightly.
A tiny amount of silicone grease where the cleats meet the pedal sorted it for me, needs reapplied every couple of hundred k so I do it when I clean the chain.
NOTE, use a very small amount of grease otherwise the pedals become very “floaty”!
Is the noise still there when pedalling out the saddle? If not, it could be the seat post (or even saddle mount not being as tight/clean as it could be).
Check the pedals as well for any grating.
Torque check your isospeed bolts, seatpost, and saddle ears
Cleats/Pedals.
Knees?!
is it press fit BB.. then thats your answer
Check the freehub. I had a similar noise and my freehub had rust inside.
i thought the sadle
Hahahahaha…. This is what bike shops hear 109 times a week… carbon bikes will make you chase bottom bracket creaks til the sun goes super nova.
Can you feel it in the pedal stroke? I would check that cassette is not missing a spacer, that it is seated properly on the freehub body, and that the cassette lock ring is torqued properly.
Rear wheel spoke tension could be too low. Not super common but I’ve seen it cause creaking noises a couple times.
If its not chain related. This is a Trek bike that looks like it has IsoSpeed, that could be a source of creaking as well. Probably not bottom bracket related due to being T47 and its been replaced.
Have you tried setting the gears again. It sounds like it’s very slightly slipping.
It’s happening in a rhythm so it’s chain, chain ring and or cassette if it only happens on one gear.