Road bike: ticking and clicking driving me mental!

badgerjockey

Hello all,

Just got a shiny 'new', second hand Genesis Equilibrium 20 and I love it. However, it was built up with the following drivetrain:

-Shimano 105 Crankset (a bit used/worn)
-Shimano Chain (new)
-SRAM OG 10sp Cassette (new)
-SRAM Rival rear mech (new)
-SRAM Apex Front mech (new)
-Shimano A520 SPD pedals (a bit used/worn)
-Mavic open pros, Ultegra hubs, Sapim spokes (all new)

It works really well, but developed repetitive creaking from this area, once every time the right crank goes down under pressure and another that seems to come from the freehub or rear wheel once everytime the back wheel turns.

In an effort to chase down the culprits, I changed the BB with new Ultegra cups, however the noise didn't stop. On re-fitting the crankset, I tightened everything up supertight and there is no play whatsoever in the cranks. The pedals also seem ok.

I tried wiggling the cassette and found that there is a tiny bit of play if I pull hard. Would a SRAM cassette on a Shimano freehub be incompatible??

Any more ideas for these two noises? Running out of ideas. Will try some other pedals on it now...

Thanks!

H

coldemm

Hello Hazzeryoda,

I had much the same problem! The noise (normally worse under load) was found to be coming from the bearings on the spd pedals. Check Chain Reaction pedal reviews! I disassembled and regreased bearings which solved the problem but could not find anything visibly wrong. A small plastic Shimano tool can be bought for pedal plastic nut. I had one more creaking noise which I found to be coming from bottom bracket bearing, I had tightened it with a spanner but I found that this did not tighten it enough. I then used a correct socket over the bearing and found this stopped any movement. I hope this helps.

k-dog

Check your seatpost too - the obvious check is to listen while riding out of the saddle.

Seatpost creaks can travel a long way and cause funny noises - easily cured with a dab of grease too.

badgerjockey

good call with the pedals, they were used so don't know if they have been mistreated but pedals are always getting bashed...

Not a problem with the seat as it still happens when I'm out of the saddle but a worthy try!

H

amaferanga

Have you made sure the pedals are tight to the cranks and the chainring bolts?

ben16v

worn cleats were the culprit for me

jimmcdonnell

This one crops up a lot on the Forums, and cures seem to vary, but for me, after stripping, cleaning, re-greasing and occasionally replacing:

pedals
chain (+ replaced)
cranks
chainring bolts
BB (+ replaced)
cassette (+ replaced)
seatpost

the creak persisted. Always worse when pedalling under pressure, and appeared after a pretty corrosive winter of riding. Finally got an off-the-wall (I thought) suggestion, took both wheels off, cleaned and greased axles and drop-outs at the QR/axle contact points before reassembling.

Problem gone.

Worth a try, it might be your cause, and it's a 5-minute job at best.

oxoneil

Cable end stops moving in frame mounted housings also cause creaks. They do on my Giant and it's so damn annoying. My Giant also seems prone to creaks from the silly shim thing they use. Remove and regrease every month or so sorts it out.

dieselgeezer

On some frames, the wheel QR's need to be overtight. My creaking was finally, after 3 years, traced to the interface between the replaceable rear mech drop-out & the frame. Cured by removing, coating the faces with bath silicone & re-fitting. Oh, the joys of modern frames!

oxoneil

I'm going to be using silicone in the space where my cable end stops go when I get round to replacing them. Creaks are just vibrations so hopefully keeping them fixed will eliminate the noise.