Like title said, my husband just bought me a brand new specialized diverge 4 alloy. Immediately, it loudly creaked on every single pedal which was extremely annoying a slightly concerning. We retorqued and lubed everything, cleaned and inspected the bottom bracket and it was still making that noise. In fact, we completely took out the bottom bracket and it was still making that noise when the frame was twisted like in the video. So we complained to specialized and got them to replace the bike. Lo and behold the new bike is making the EXACT SAME SOUND. I am frustrated because I just want to ride. Is a part defective or something? If there’s an easy fix you guys think we could try, I don’t want to go through the whole process of returning again. Please let me know what you think!! How could we attempt to diagnose and fix this??? I’m still in my return window so I can just return and go with a completely different bike too, which might be what we do :/
Creaking in brand new specialized diverge 4 allow – got it replaced and the SAME creaking is happening 🙁
byu/Fun_Lab3147 inbikewrench
by Fun_Lab3147
18 Comments
Have you checked the seat post?
Grease that seat post!
Take the seat post out and ride around standing briefly, does it do it then?
Try removing the hatch insert. The down tube twists a lot. If it fixed it, grease the contact points when you reinstall it
Just in case, does it make the same noises outside the bike stand?
Have you checked the bike stand?
Try removing the cranks and BB and see if it still creaks then. Also suspecting it’s the plastic on carbon interface of the storage hatch thing.
If I were you, I would probably remove as much as I can from the frame and then try the frame twisting technique you’re doing and if it keeps making the noise I would return the bike. The fact that you got a brand new bike and the same thing is happening is not reassuring.
It’s a Specialized. Why not just bring it back to the shop you bought it from for them to diagnose and fix?
I had a bike once for pre showroom assembly that went back to the manufacturer because of a pretty similar noise. Turns out the seat tube wasnt welded properly to the bottom bracket and was able to slightly rub and make a sorta creaking sound.
that’s super loud and the down tube is incredibly flexy!
Hot take – I’d get that returned or taken back to LBS/ wherever you purchased it from as Specialised warranty team should be able to help. It *is* incredibly inconvenient to take back, but part of the cost of that brand is the aftercare – See what they can do for you!
Weird,
but you already discard the bb and seatpost, also the frame storage.
Next thing would be to grab the frame in one hand and a particular tube in the other (chainstay, seat tube, seat stay, etc) and try to twist and push to see if it creaks. Oh, and btw, try a towel and fixing the bike from the top tube to further isolate the bike
Also, do remove the wheels during that test. I’ll be checking the thread for your answer
Did you already remove that big plastic thing in the middle of the bottom tube? That seems suspicious.
I just solved a nasty freak in my bike – everything pointed at BB, but it turned out to just be the rear wheel not being properly tight. Point being: it may not be right there in the frame where you’re twisting it. I would remove some more stuff, even wheels.
Cromo don’t creak..
I had a creak on my bike that turned out to be because the gap on the seat clamp collar being aligned with the gap on the seat tube.
I saw that you have taken a lot of stuff off and it still creaks.
My normal checking process is easiest to hardest: -loose pedals. -loose crank. -bottle cages loose (or that storage). -BB creak. -headset creak (sometimes you need a 0.1-0.5mm shim above the top bearing, this allows proper pressure so it doesn’t slip and creak. -if none of those work, I’m removing and checking bearings.
The sound was less when you put pressure on the handlebars, this draws me to the idea that it’s in your headset. Creaks can ping from other parts of the bike. It’s hard to hear where it is coming from. If you push on a part and the noises changes, that can sometimes lead you in the correct direction.
Before you try a shim, I’d make sure the headset is tight. You can look online how to check.
See picture. The shim would go above the top bearing, see green arrow. Most shops have a 0.1-0.2mm shim, that you can try.
https://preview.redd.it/7jqicm1642ug1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=a0ff747437b30e87b109e32bfabddf31b2c89ae7
Did you assemble both bikes at home or have a LBS do it and you picked it up from there? If you assembled both and they creak, did you make sure to compress the Future Shock before tightening the collar that clamps the FS to the lower steer tube?