Solving that annoying creak in your bike
Some people don’t care. Some people go crazy (me). Have you ever had a noise that you just can’t get to the bottom of? I found this post/thread on bikeradar.com and thought I would share.
Quick question! Do aluminium frames naturally creak every now and again – say when you go over a bump? I only ask as I keep hearing a creaking and it seems to be coming more often (or at least now I’ve noticed it it’s annoying me more!). I cant really pin point it as it only happens irregularly. Any ideas what else could be causing this if it’s not the frame? (A million and one things I guess).
Thanks guys
This can cause a few creaks
Re: Creaking Noise
Natural creaking?… No… Something is loose or needs a bit of grease. Can be difficult to find the source of a creak though. Frames resonate and amplify noises and often a noise that you think is coming from the headset is down to a loose crank bolt or saddle clamp.
2 methods of finding and solving it :
1) Guesswork:-….strip down, clean and regrease all the most likely culprits… headset, stem/bar clamp, bottom bracket, pedals, crank bolts, seatpost and clamp, saddle clamp.
2) Diagnostic… Experiment a bit to eliminate some of the likely candidates… eg does the creak disappear when you ride out of the saddle.. if so it is likely to have something to do with the saddle or seatclamp. Or… does the creak happen once per pedal rev… candidates would then be the crank, bottom bracket or pedals… etc etc
Re: Creaking Noise
I would start at the headset, based on experience of creaks.
Re: Creaking Noise
The last creak I had on my bike I was was sure was coming from the crank…. turned out to be the seat rails,which after a bit of grease cured the creak. I tried pedalling just out of the saddle when the creak would appear,and it would then disappear.
I hope yours is as simple to cure, as I know how annoying a creak can be.
Personally I hate bike maintainance but I hate creaks more
Re: Creaking Noise
Personally, I’d start by looking at the knees
One thought I have… what pedals do you use? could the creak be coming from the cleats?
Re: Creaking Noise
Have you tried swapping the pedals between bikes? Could also try swapping the cranks over if they are compatible.
Also possible that the creak is down to slight flexing of the bars at the connection with the stem… particularly if the creak is associated with climbing in or out of the saddle (where you may pull on the bars a little more than usual). Could try riding with no hands on the bars to see if it is sensitive to that and maybe greasing all mating faces and bolts at the bar to stem connection.
Grasping at straws now but other, albeit less likely ones would be to check the front and rear mechs. Ensure that bottle cage bolts are cleaned, greased and tightened and other accessories such as mud guards and sadle pack are secured (removing all accessories from bike altogether for a short ride should eliminate that one). Also gear/brake cable outers can rub and squeak a little sometimes if they cross each other or possibly aren’t very tighly taped to the bars (swinging the bars from side to side whilst on the stand should eliminate that one).