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Annoying creak


Ian_A's picture

By Ian_A - Posted on 21 May 2011

NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.

G'Day guys.

As most people probably experience I've got an annoying creak from the back of my bike somewhere. I'm hoping it just the bottom bracket threads needing a bit of grease but I can reproduce a similar creak by holding the seat and pushing the back wheel side to side. I've greased the seat post and rails and sprayed silicon lube on all the pivots and checked the tension on all but the one behing the chain rings.
The creak is much worse under load going up steep hills which made me think BB.
Anyone have any ideas before I go out and buy a bottom bracket tool and locktight and pull out the BB and every suspension bolt to grease (not the threads obviously), locktight and refit?
Any help would be appreciated as its starting to drive me nuts.
Ian

[Mod. moved to MTB gear]

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DigDig's picture

I have the external bearing and preload tools to suit shimano bb with hollowtech and the older cartridge type 2 you can use before you buy.But dont forget about spoke tenison.

Andy Bloot's picture

Hey Ian - don't those noises drive you spare
Have you put locktite on your chain ring bolts and done them up nice and tight
You seem to have mentioned other things specifically, but not this

Ian_A's picture

Spoke tension is all good - had the rear wheel trued about 5-6 weeks ago. I've got most tools except the Hollowtech external bearing tool, so I should prob buy one. Todd has offered to lend me his too - so maybe ill just borrow it.
I haven't checked chainrings at all - when I get locktight ill pull them out too.
I'm not at home and have been away all week so I can't do anything at the moment anyway.
So annoying!

DigDig's picture

just remember only use blue treadlock

Andy Bloot's picture

What are the different types and what are they used for
I've got some red stuff I've used on my chain rings

DigDig's picture

the 2 main 1s are red and blue.Red is strong hold flywheel bolts and stuff under big loads and can be a bugger to undo with bike tools.Blue is medium used for genral stuff brake cailpers and rotor bolts in most cases more than enough for bike use.All the other ones are specialist ones.

moggio's picture

For chainring bolts just grease them... they stay done up brilliantly, aren't a problem to undo when the time comes and don't creak.

Its worth getting a tool for the BB. Very easy to work with and allows you to clean up the area and change BBs easily and cheaply as well as tighten if you have a creak.

Most creaks still seem to be from the seatpost and seat itself... simple to test. If you ride standing up and it still creaks it isn't the seat or seatpost. If its not them or the BB or the chainrings... then the fun begins. Andy had a horror creak which was inside his rear shock... that took ages to find.

Ian_A's picture

I think I've finally found the culprit.

I pulled down the BB cleaned and regreased thinking that was it, checked the chainring bolts at the same time - no luck. Creak still as bad as ever.
As stated before I lubed all the pivots with silicon spray lube - no luck.
Checked all the pivot bolts - no luck.
Put a bit of lube on the derallieur pivots etc. - no luck

Finally today I removed the back wheel for general cleaning and noticed the brake pivot on the drive side was a bit loose - I think I missed these when checking pivots as they don't really look like a nut or bolt. I pulled both sides out, cleaned and lightly greased, added loctite and nipped up. Took it for a quick run up and down the road and it seems ok. Will know for sure next ride.

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