Help stop a creak!

bjlyons

I fixed a creak by tightening my stem bolts. I've stopped a creak by tightening my bottle cage. I've stopped a rattle by tightening the bolt around the inner tube valve. Now I'm totally stuck with this one...

I thought it was when I pushed hard on the pedals initially. But after today I've realised it's when I rock the bike to the sides. So in a hard gear, I'll push hard on the pedal whilst rocking the bike over, I hear a nasty sounding creak, then if I leave the bike rocked over to the side and just free wheel the creak carries on, but slows down, kind of like the rattle I was getting from the inner tube valve, but sounds like metal on metal to me.

I tried pushing a hard gear without rocking the bike, and it doesn't make a sound!

I'd tried tightening the pedals, and tightening the crank bolts, but now I have no idea what it could be!

Please help!!!

Titanium

Try this: lube the dropouts on both sides on the forks and the back too.

bjlyons

Thanks for the quick reply. I've just tried it now, but the noise is still there :-(

Some more info... I can't see it being anything to do with the saddle or seat post as I'm stood up when it happens. The sound is definitely low down, so between the front hub, BB area, rear hub. It happens on both chain rings.

Still stuck!

McBain_v1

Check that your frame isn't cracked :shock:

bjlyons

It's an alu frame with carbon forks. Ive had a look over it and can't see anything. It doesn't make any noise if I stand on the pedals and jump about on them... only when leaning the bike to either side. Ah this is driving me mad!!

Is there anything else I can do to find a crack other than look for it?!

The bike's less than 6 months old by the way and hasn't been crashed or anything.

Anonymous

Tighten the pivot bolt on the rear brake then adjust the cable so that the pads are'nt too close to the rim,. then centralise the brake calipers
The creak probably slows down when freewheeling because you are slowing down

paulbricey

My Alu frame Ridley creaks a lot when pulling on the bars sideways and it's the headset moving in the top of the frame. I was told bikes with long headtubes get this often. Adjusting it helps but I never really fixed it.....

McBain_v1

Does the creaking happen all the way through the ride or just at the start? Maybe your bike just needs to get "warmed up" first

bjlyons

Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried the brake idea but it still persists.

It's all the time I'm afraid! So annoying.

Someone advised me to try removing the BB, cleaning it up, re-greasing, and installing again possibly with some tape. So I'll have a go later today and report the results!

Spunky Tupper

I had the same problem.

The thing I eventually noticed was that the creak stopped when I was out of the saddle.

So I thought it might be the saddle.

But the guy in Shorter Roachford in Potters Bar stopped me from buying a new saddle in his shop and told me to loosen the seat post clamp, remove the post, clean out the tubing and clamp, remove the bolt and clean that too and then regrease.

And hey presto! No more creak!

What happens is that mud and crap gets thrown off the back wheel straight into the clamp. Over time some of it gets in between the post and the seat tube and the whole thing starts to creak. This is why some manufacturers are now making bikes with the seatpost clamp facing forwards.

nickwill

It sounds like something at the front of the bike from what you say. My first check would be to check the headset. It might just need tightening slightly, or be showing signs of wear.
I showed myself up recently with an identical creak on the front of the bike when pulling on the bars. I tried tightening the headset, to no avail, so took it to my LBS. It turned out my front wheel skewer was loose! :oops:

bjlyons

Well I don't think it's the seat, because it's happening when I'm standing up. I think I should probably give it a clean anyway though!

I've had the handle bar creak myself, in fact it seems to be back again, so I'll have to tighten it again. This sound is more like a grinding than that creak was. Sounds more metallic I suppose.

Could it be something to do with the wheels? The quick releases are tight, and I've lubed them now. But maybe a hub issue? Or spokes? I've only had the bike 5-6 months, but I live in Lancashire and the roads are a mess most of the time, so it wouldn't surprise me if the wheels are knackered.

Thanks for all the responses!

Happymanc

I had a creak which sounds familiar to yours om my new bike after a couple of months. After trying everything I was about to give up and go back to the LBS when i tried the reflectors on my wheel. I pushed them back up to near the rim and it worked.

I now ride silently again.

bjlyons

Thanks for all the responses!

I seem to have fixed it by oiling the spokes! I cycled around my block about 100 times leaning the bike over and putting my head as close to the wheel and BB as possible, I got a lot of strange looks, but realised the sound was definitely at the wheel. I tried squeezing the spokes together and they made a little creak that sounded like what I was experiencing on the bike. I dropped oil on each spoke at both ends, wiped the rim and tyre and it seems to have done the trick!

Is this a normal thing to have to do? Or have I got a wheel on the way out?!

John C.

bjlyons wrote:

It's an alu frame with carbon forks. Ive had a look over it and can't see anything. It doesn't make any noise if I stand on the pedals and jump about on them... only when leaning the bike to either side. Ah this is driving me mad!!

Is there anything else I can do to find a crack other than look for it?!

The bike's less than 6 months old by the way and hasn't been crashed or anything.

If it's less than 6 months old take it back and let them sort it out.
Then let us know so I can rule that out on my bike