eek...a creak!

cunning-stunt

I bought an '07 Marin Rocky Ridge back in June and it's been fantastic,except for an annoying creak.
At first I thought it was around the bottom bracket area but closer inspection reveals it to be around the head tube area..

Standing next to the bike on either side with the seat braced against my hips/waist,a slight lateral pull on the riser bar results in the creak.
It also creaks on every pedal stroke when any sort of power is applied.

The welds look fine to me,there's no cracks,the headset cups are mounted just fine as far as I can tell from looking,the headset is preloaded correctly with no play,every bolt is torqued...basically everything looks and is set up just peachy.

I'm now wondering if there's any chance that the steerer tube on my Fox Vans may not be fitted into the crown correctly?
Anyone ever come across that (Nick,Sonic)?

I'm completely at a loss other than that.

A new bar and stem hasn't changed anything,and I'm not far off wearing my top cap bolt out with the amount of use it's getting lately

I've checked Park Tools,everything undo-able,every weld,the entire frame,my hearing..

I realise it's hard to diagnose without seeing,but I honestly can't think of anything else except a loose steerer/crown fit.
Any and all suggestions are most definitely welcome as I have no LBS to speak of other than Halfords,who class a chain split as a 'complex job'..

Anonymous

I have had the problem of creaking when power applied to pedals, i also thought it was the bottom bracket but it turned out to be pedals. I don't know about the creaking bars though.

cunning-stunt

Just changed my V12s for V12 mags....creak is still there.

Bought the V12s then didn't like the colour,hence the change :oops:

sideshow-bob

The new stem, does it have 4 or 2 bolts on the bar clamp?
Had a 2 bolt clamp on my old kona, that used to creak under pressure, have
since changed it for a raceface 31.8 bar/stem combo with a 4 bolt clamp,
problem solved!

dunker

could try greasing between the stem spacers? that's if you've got any.

mistercrabb

Checked your brake cables?

Mine creak whenever i turn my handlebars, i thought it was the bearings but it turned out to be my cables which appear to creak for no real reason.

Its worth checking

EDIT: just realized that the Marin rocky ridge comes with hydraulics...
So i doubt its that..

Platano

It could be the gear cables also or even the seatpost.

stevie the freerider

my stem (DMR headstock) creaks if the bolts that hold it to the steerer are not tightened to the exact same torque

timberjack

I had this problem on my stumpy it was the dropouts on the back wheel a little bit of grease cured it

cunning-stunt

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

The new stem (31.8 same as the old one) is a 4 bolt Deity,the creak was there on the old one and this one.

The creak is definitely in the headtube area and isn't the gear cables,when I fitted the new bar the creak was still there without the shifters etc being on the bar.
The stem stackers suggestion is intriguing though :idea: something for tomorrow I think.

I'm getting a tad paranoid now that it's either a dodgy weld or the steerer/crown fitting.

Platano wrote:

or even the seatpost.

Definitely not the seatpost. When I brace my leg against the top tube/down tube and put lateral pressure on the bar the creak is still there.

supersonic

I'd take the whole thing apart - inc taking headset cups out. Clean, put back together, re torque. While Hset is out, check inside headtube for cracks.

cunning-stunt

supersonic wrote:

I'd take the whole thing apart - inc taking headset cups out.

That's what I've resigned myself to unfortunately.

A few questions:

How can I get the cups out? (I take it they can't be reused due to being press fit?)
Do I need a specific tool?

If I replace the headset with a new one,is it easy enough to buy a press and do it myself (Halfords is my other option )?


Before I do any of the above,I'm thinking of buying the cheapest pair of forks that I can just to see if it is the steerer/crown join.
If it still creaks then I'd have peace of mind that it wasn't the forks....yes/no?

supersonic

You can refit the cups, but it is best to use a 'rocket' removal tool. Can be done with a screwdriver and hammer. It maybe that the frame needs facing, and the headset pressed home properly.

The fork idea is a good one, or fit yours to friends bike, or borrow/swap. these things are a process of elimination I am afraid.

cunning-stunt

Thanks mate,a couple of things there for me to go on 8)

Hopefully there won't be a part 2..

supersonic

Or the frame in 2 parts... ;-)

woodywmb

Don't buy new forks. Don't strip it down. Take it to a bike shop - let them repair it. Then find out what caused the creak. After that, tell us all. That way the job gets done properly and it moves us amateur mechanics up another notch in the tree of bike knowledge.

supersonic

But before they repair it they have to diagnose it, using the same laborious and expensive process of elimination technique. I'd personally charge a lot for that. It may just be a poorly seated crown race, or gunk in the heasdset. Might as well do what you can before getting the wallet out (unless you have zero knowledge of bikes, but this guy seems well keyed)

woodywmb

I'll do it for a tenner. Just for the satisfaction.

supersonic

Someone will have put a nut in the bars - everytime you turn you can hear it move ;-) Used to do it with ball bearings - put a little hole in the grip then force one through. Used to drive people crackers!

cunning-stunt

Woodywmb wrote:

Don't buy new forks. Don't strip it down. Take it to a bike shop - let them repair it. Then find out what caused the creak. After that, tell us all. That way the job gets done properly and it moves us amateur mechanics up another notch in the tree of bike knowledge.

Halfords??
That's the only option I have other than doing it myself.
And to be honest,when splitting a chain is seen as a 'big job' I'd rather not let them loose on my headset.

supersonic wrote:

It may just be a poorly seated crown race, or gunk in the heasdset. )

Poorly seated I can see,but definitely not gunk.
This bike has very low mileage,and as I said in an earlier post,the headtube area has been stripped,cleaned,inspected..
I keep the bike immaculate and am competent enough to remove the forks and regrease the bearings in the headset etc.

I'm now thinking that along with the other stuff mentioned previously I'll remove the forks/stem/bar etc tomorrow and put a pole of some sort through the headtube braced against the floor,then brace the frame and see if the creak is still there (it's more like a 'ting' if that makes sense??).

I'm praying it's the headset cups or the fork rather than a problem with the frame..

supersonic

Going back to your first post, I have seen this many times as a shop mechanic - it usually turns out to be something thats fixed by the said elimination route, and always usually harmless. We did have one customer with a Scott Yecora MTB who complained of a 'ting' - but he'd physically put all his weight on the frame to twist it, which you could physically see! He needed to lean it on a wall to help. We never found that one... though I am pretty sure this loading wasnt intended for the frame!

cunning-stunt

I've set tomorrow aside as a fettling day,so I'll try everything mentioned so far.
If that fails then I'll order the neccessary tools to remove and refit the headset cups on Thursday (payday)...or I may just buy a new headset

If that fails...then i'm buggered

Thanks for all the help,SS in particular 8)

supersonic

Let us now how it goes, be interested to see what you find!

I'm gonna put my threpence on the headset cup not quite in there right! But good luck with it.

cunning-stunt

Sorry to bump this back up,but I've gone over every part of the bike today..even the V12s (and I'm missing the flesh to prove it...bloody pins).
Still got the persistent 'ting' from the headtube area...or maybe it's more like a click..

Steerer tube/crown fit didn't yield any movement or make any noise when I held the stanchions and the end of the steerer tube and laterally flexed it,jerked it and basically wiggled it around from all directions.

Sonic,I can only assume now that it's the headset cups,despite them seemingly seated ok visually.
Can you tell me exactly what tools i'll need to order to remove them,or the screwdriver and hammer technique?
Anything I should watch out for etc?
i'm assuming a standard headset press is all that's needed to refit them or a new one (it'll probably be this one for the time being seeing as you said they can be re-used and Christmas is upon us).

Or maybe I should just follow the Park Tools guide?
If so,are there any cheaper tools out there?
Don't particularly want to spend a fortune seeing as I'm not likely to use them much compared to other tools..

Apologies for nagging but the one thing I haven't done before is mess with a headset apart from cleaning/lubing etc.

supersonic

The tools arent particularly cheap - ones from Park run into the 100s, but I have seen perfectly respectable presses from Cyclus and Ice toolz for 40 quid. Saying that, Park does do a budget version now. The removal tool is a 'rocket' tool, like this:

http://www.ultimatepursuits.co.uk/produ ... tical=1&v=

Has sprung flanges to pass through the headtube.

nice to have the tools, but this maybe the time to take it to the shop, up to you really. They could take out the cups, inspect, face the headtube and refit for about 30 quid.

cunning-stunt

Thanks for your help mate,you're a diamond 8)
I don't particularly trust Halfords so I'll have a crack myself...can't do any worse than they probably would/will
If it's ok with you fella,rather than keep bumping this thread can I drop you a PM if I have any future difficulties with this? You know your onions and have been a big help.

Spend a Grand,get a creak...I'll probably come back as a toilet brush in my next life

supersonic

No probs!