Annoying Creak

choirboy

Seem to have developed an annoying creak in the headset/forks area over the past couple of weeks. I've checked the headset is set up correctly - thought it had gone away but after 10 miles this morning it's back again. Any suggestions?

ride_whenever

What headset?

If an external then regrease and whilst at it check that the cups aren't rotating in the frame.

If internal then replace bearings.

Check all the stem bolts as well.

choirboy

ride_whenever wrote:

What headset?

If an external then regrease and whilst at it check that the cups aren't rotating in the frame.

External. Will probably put up with it this week and strip it down properly at the weekend

bill_gates

I've also developed quiet a bad creak over the last week and I read that it could be needing some grease on the drop-outs on the front forks.

I purchased some Finish Line Ceramic grease yesterday and plan to put a little of that on tonight to test. I might also put some on my seat post also.

Is this where you would usually grease a bike? Any other areas needing done while I"ve got the grease tub open and the latex gloves on?

neilsmith

I had a similar creak up near the headset. So I thought. It turned out to be a slightly loose stem clamped around the handlebars. Tighten up the stem bolts - if you can't tighten them then slacken them off, give all surfaces on the stem and handlebars a wipe with a rag, and re-tighten.

System_1

I've also had creaks from the headset area. Most of the time it's just a headset needing greased or tightened or occasionally the stem or headset bolts needing cleaned/greased, and even once or twice the stem/bar interface needing a clean, but I've also had to replace a set of bars and one pair of forks in the past because of creaking. I'm afraid there's no easy answer, it's a case of greasing/tightening things until the noise goes away.

tjwood

Is it definitely the headset? I had a similar problem once, by a process of elimination I worked out that it was actually a loose seat post. No idea why it sounded like it was coming from the front end but it did...

citycommuter

Creaks that sound as if they're from the headset can sometimes also be from the quick release on the front wheel not being tight enough. Get this as tight as you can and see if this helps, also this is quicker to check than anything else so well worth testing anyway.