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sheeponabike
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: France
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 Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 12:22 pm Post subject: Help! Creaking noise |
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I've got this strange creaking noise that seems to be getting worse. I've tried all bolts for tightness, and checked my pedal cleats, as I first thought the noise was coming from below. Now I think it seems to be coming from bars forks area. Could it be the head bearings? This is the first bike i've ever had with the "modern" system of adjustment. There's no play in the steering and it's not tight either. I've done almost 3000ks on the bike if that helps with an opinion.
I just wondered if I should dismantle it and "have a look" or if I should leave well alone.
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grrr
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 1210
Location: Guildford, UK
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| Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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| I know it sound ridiculous (and I probably shouldn't confess here), but I had a noise coming from that vague area that confused me for 100s of miles. Finally realised it was noise from the metal links on my watch strap which I had loosened. |
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cyclingtv
Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 3476
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| Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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undo your front wheels skewers..
adjust and retighten a bit tighter..
try that..  repeat on the rear if needed..
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sheeponabike
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: France
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| Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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ok I've done that, have to see next time I'm out. But I can't believe that's what it is as it was already nice and tight.
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CapeRoadie
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 9583
Location: The sandy windswept peninsula
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| Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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Make sure your rims aren't cracked around any spoke nipples.
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thunderthighs
Joined: 26 Apr 2007
Posts: 1481
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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sheep are u a water buffalo on bike.. anything over 180 lbs/80kg.. the bike will
make noise.. ciao
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CapeRoadie
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 9583
Location: The sandy windswept peninsula
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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| thunderthighs wrote: | sheep are u a water buffalo on bike.. anything over 180 lbs/80kg.. the bike will
make noise.. ciao |
I'm 198 and my bike is as silent as cat feet.
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headwind
Joined: 12 Oct 2006
Posts: 2245
Location: Mountains of East Tennessee
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 1:40 am Post subject: |
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agreed doc. weight has little to do with it.
Id check the BB. Every year or two mine loosens and needs to be pulled, greased, and retightened.
hw |
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sheeponabike
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: France
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 6:26 am Post subject: |
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I wondered about the BB too. Oddly, if I ride hands off there's no noise, but it stops when I'm out of the saddle as well. I'll have to take it to me LBS.
I'm about 85 kilos tt, so it ain't that.
Anyway I've had the bike almost a year, and it's only started doing it this last couple weeks.
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Ralphnorman
Joined: 20 May 2007
Posts: 3962
Location: Dundee
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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see you CR  now I've got a creaking noise from my stem but I know what it is  Got a bit of dirt trapped between the headset and the rest of the bike, so it squeaks when i turn the bars. Checked that CR?
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cyclingtv
Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 3476
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| sheeponabike wrote: | | Oddly, if I ride hands off there's no noise, but it stops when I'm out of the saddle as well. |
very interesting.. try slathering ky jelly on the hands and the butt  |
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MerlinGuy
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 594
Location: Fort Collins... for now, but don't blink
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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I have a set of wheels that creak. I rebuilt my wheels a couple of years ago and added some red grease to the spoke nipples where they meet the rim. Everything has been quiet since then. Try drop on lube on each nipple.  pervs.
Also check your front derailier (sp). When I original purchased my bike it was skewed and needed to be rotated counterclockwise around the seat tube.
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Biosphere
Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1787
Location: Midlands, UK
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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| sheeponabike wrote: | I wondered about the BB too. Oddly, if I ride hands off there's no noise, but it stops when I'm out of the saddle as well. I'll have to take it to me LBS.
I'm about 85 kilos tt, so it ain't that.
Anyway I've had the bike almost a year, and it's only started doing it this last couple weeks. |
Sheep
You might as well be riding my bike from your description. We weigh the same too. Thing is mine has been creaking for 4 years now  Mines a Giant.
The BB section and it's surroundings has been taken apart and greased and back together but no luck, so I'd be wary of paying the LBS too much for that service just yet. Over the years the fork, saddle and wheels have been substituted to try and isolate it but it's the same story.
Try the following too:
Unclip your pedals and let your legs dangle (so you're decoupled from the BB) on a downhill and see if it creaks as you bounce up and down in the saddle. Mine does.
Whilst clipped in on a downhill and free wheeling, put the pedals in a 3 and 9 O'clock position try to pull your knees up to your chest such that you're increasing the pressure on the saddle. In my case the creaking stops.
Coupled with the symptoms you describe, I've concluded that it's something in the down tube that is compressing and releasing that causes the creaking. With you out of the saddle there not enough compression in the down tube to cause the creaking, but there plenty of forces still acting on the BB so I think it should creak if it's the problem. Sitting upright shifts some of your weight from the handlebars/forks and whatever the problem is it can't uncompress enough to creak. You can figure out what I'd say about the two things I told you to try.
My guess is that although I swapped saddles and seat posts, it's the frame around the seat post that is the problem. Let me know if you get anywhere cos after 4 years it's rather annoying!!! |
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sheeponabike
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: France
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 5:10 am Post subject: |
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Ralph - you're addressing cape but I assume you mean me? More of a creak, than a squeak if you know what I mean.
cyclingtv - thanks for the creative solution.
Merlin - I thought of one or more loose spokes as I had that problem with the rear wheel and I got it trued up and it's now perfect. Thing is, that made a sort of pinging noise - this is different. But getting the front wheel trued is on the list of things to do.
Bio - i'll try the legs dangling thing as you suggest. I'm convinced mine is something that is coming loose as, normally, the bike is silky silent. It's something which has come up in the last 2 or 3 weeks.
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headwind
Joined: 12 Oct 2006
Posts: 2245
Location: Mountains of East Tennessee
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Antoher shit thing is pedal creak...I had to get rid of a pair of flossy Look pedals because they creaked so bad. of you have another set, put them on and see. Also, the creaks resonate through the tubes and can be hard to locate even if you hear it coming from a certian place. |
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Ralphnorman
Joined: 20 May 2007
Posts: 3962
Location: Dundee
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| Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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| sheeponabike wrote: | | Ralph - you're addressing cape but I assume you mean me? More of a creak, than a squeak if you know what I mean. |
Argh, I do apologize sheep
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sheeponabike
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: France
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Went for a long ride yesterday and i'm more and more convinced it's the head bearings. Anyone have a good link for a video explaining how to dismantle and rebuild?
I think there was one posted on here about six months ago but i'm buggered if I can find it....
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thunderthighs
Joined: 26 Apr 2007
Posts: 1481
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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| sheeponabike wrote: | Went for a long ride yesterday and i'm more and more convinced it's the head bearings. Anyone have a good link for a video explaining how to dismantle and rebuild?
I think there was one posted on here about six months ago but i'm buggered if I can find it.... |
dismantle easy.. pipe wrench to head remove bolts.. use tube slight smaller than head tube.. hold frame with underarm.. and hit with a blunt strike.
pops off.. to install use oversize tube that fits into the cone..and hit with same force..copper tube when installing.. u need some of these tools as a rider..ciao
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sheeponabike
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 3701
Location: France
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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tt - are you talking about the old system of expanding bolt in the fork tube? I know this system inside out. I'm talking about the modern system of the stem holding everything together with an adjusting screw down the centre.
Anyway, I bit the bullet, had a look at Sheldon Brown, took it apart, checked for grease, reassembled and tightened everything up.
I'll try it tomorrow if I have time.
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Biosphere
Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1787
Location: Midlands, UK
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| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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| sheeponabike wrote: |
I'll try it tomorrow if I have time. |
Any news sheep?
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