TCR Advanced 2 with creaking crank

Stallionkeys

Hi guys and gals,

New to this site so bare with me.

I have a 2 month old Giant TCR advanced 2 (2010) model that cost me £2700. Since Ive had it it has developed a creaking sound from the crank that sounds like carbon creaking when you pedal. I've taken it back to the shop 3 times now and they cannot find the problem and I still have the creaking sound that drives me mad.

They have greased the sadle post, headset, crank and have replaced the bottom bracket but still the problem persists.

I'm at a loss as to why to do now other than try changing the pedals in case that's the problem. I fairly certain it won't be but I'm trying everything I can before sending it back to Giant.

I mentioned the price I paid because it annoys me that a bike that cost so much has a creaking crank when other less expensive bikes that my friends ride don't have any annoying sounds.

Can anyone suggest a cure for this? Or has anyone else got the same problem?

Thanks,

Ant.

sturmey

Presume it's got Hollowtech2 cranks.

Common problem with these I'm afraid -forget the bike shop -waste of space.
worth trying this:
Unscrew the bearing cap from the left hand crankarm then undo the two pinchbolts.
Pull the left hand crank off then clean the face of the bearing cup and lightly grease the splines on the axle. Put the crankarm back on and nip the bearing cap down gently. Clean and grease the two pinchbolts then tighten them down evenly and firmly.
Often bikes that have been assembled before sale have been done so carelessly and you find the pinchbolts are not evenly tightened or greased or sometimes over or undertightened.
You can do a better job yourself.
This creaking can reappear after a couple of thousand miles -just go through the above again to make it disappear.

There are laods of other reasons why a bike creaks and other posters will assure you it's something else causing it but i would say this is the number 1 cause on HT2 set-ups.

Stallionkeys

Many thanks for your quick response. I will give that a try then. At last someone with a sensible suggestion! I new this forum was a good idea!

maddog 2

+1 most likely the crank-BB interface, or the crankarm-axle interface

also look at the chainring bolts, they can sometimes creak and you haven't mentioned them. Just grease them up a tad and then check again.

Usually a creak is metal on metal, so just chase down any place that occurs and pop a thin layer of grease or oil on.

Stallionkeys

Thanks for your replies. It seems that it was the pedals causing the noise in the end!

Gav888

Ive got the same issue with my TCR Advanced 1, will carry out the above to see if it resolves the problem as it's rather annoying!

Stallionkeys

Hi,

how old is your bike? I tried everything and I turned out it was the pedals. My bike shop put new ones in and it is as quiet as a mouse!

Gav888

Mine is a 2009 one, recently put new pedals on it so im planning to swap them this weekend to see if that is the issue. I dont recall the issue happening before the pedal change so it is probably that...

HonestAl

I've got a 2009 Advanced2 and have several times had a creaking which I could convince myself was from the crank / bottom bracket. First time I fiddled with everything. What stopped it was removing, regreasing (with friction paste) and refitting seatpost, which has since worked a couple of times. However I've also done the crank clean up that sturmey's recommended a few times.

Not saying your problem is the same as mine, just what my experience has been

Gav888

I thought it might be the seat or seat post but if I stand up it still creaks, and if I sit down and stop pedalling it stops creaking, so its either the BB or the pedals....

HonestAl

Yep, mine was exactly the same (stand up still creaked). also only really creaked when I'm pushing fairly hard, if I'm just turning the pedals over it's quiet. But adjusting the seatpost fixed it!! Not knowing any better I assume it's the frame around the seatpost flexing but who knows!!

Good luck, please let us know the outcome

Great bikes though eh?

Gav888

Will do, not riding it at present due to yet another cold but will get chance to look at it soon enough.... agree, great bikes and really glad I bought it

nonamesleft

Are you sure it is not the seat clamp that is causing the creaking sound.
I had the same annoying creaking noise & found that it was the seat clamp.
This is not the seat post to frame joint but the seat clamp to seat rails itself.
Full stripped out the clamp & screws, applied some grease to the screw threads & seat rails & no more creaking.

Gav888

Lol old post come back, I still get the creaking and it is annoying as hell, washed it the weekend and it's really bad now.

But I did fine stripping the BB and putting tons of grease on it sorted it for a while, I think it's more of a design thing really as spoke to a few other TCR owners since and also had the issue and couldn't sort it and they greased everything lol

I never did try greasing the seat clamp but worth a go

peteone

Check your QR skewers while you are at it. I had the same issue a few year back and stipped everything down, turned out to be front QR where it clamps in the fork dropout. Definatly worth a quick check.

ovi

I removed the crankset and greased it all up which never cured it and it started getting worse even started making a clicking sound. turned out to be the rear skewer not being tight enough.
Also worth noting that the O.E. DT SWISS skewers rattle which took some finding out.

Gav888

Nice one. Never considered the the QR's! I will be putting plenty of lube on it tomorrow lol

Matthewfalle

Remove chainring bolts as sabove - good clean and do up correctly (ie diagonally).

Same for stem bolt that hold handlebars on.

Take out seat post & clamp - clean, grease, reassemble.

Pedal threads and cleats - grease former, check latter for wear.

If its still there then start on wheels etc.

Naturally you'll be torqueing everything up correctly.

If that doesn't work then set fire to it and a buy a Ritte with the insurance money.