Creaking when climbing out of the saddle.

dai_t75
dai_t75 Posts: 189
edited January 2013 in Road beginners
On the last couple of rides my bike has picked up an annoying creaking sound. It only happens when I am out of the saddle. It also only happens when the handle bars shift to the right. If I had to guess I would say the noise is coming from the area where the stem joins the main frame. Although I have read quite a few people say where they think the noise is and where it actually is turns out is no where near. Thinking this may be the case as wouldn't the sound happen on both the left and right tilt if it was where I think it is?

Any tips on trying to identify the problem area? Could it be something to do with the pedal/shoe/cleat given the tilt happens on particular downstrokes? If so, would chain lube be ok to put on the pedals?

Cheers.

Comments

  • ASISLIFE
    ASISLIFE Posts: 22
    Hi
    I've had same problem, thought it was BB or pedals, after trying to sort out both of those it still remained. Took it to bike shop who gave it once over, re did headset and hey presto, sounds like yours maybe same issue, however unidentified creaking often a case of process of elimination...good luck
    FCN 5
  • tiredofwhiners
    tiredofwhiners Posts: 598
    Cycle standing up but keep the bars straight
    Cycle standing up and keep the handlebars moving side to side
    Cycle sitting down and keep the bars straight
    Cycle sitting down and keep the handlebars moving side to side

    All useful in a process of elimination.
  • hipshot
    hipshot Posts: 371
    I had something similar, a maddening clicking sound coming from the bottom bracket, but only when I got out of the saddle giving it the beans. It's a tricky one because clicking could be coming from anywhere, especially on an alloy bike like mine, the frame acts like a tuning fork.

    My only advice is to eliminate the simplest things first. Shoe hitting crank? Front derailleur cable hitting shoe? Valve stem collars loose? Tighten QR levers? Tighten & grease seatpost? Check for other loose bolts. Only then think about hubs, BB etc.

    Mine turned out to be play in the headset.
  • HonestAl
    HonestAl Posts: 406
    Might sound daft but I've fixed exactly the same problem by removing, re-lubing and retightening the seatpost as suggested by hipshot. Careful you don't overdo it if it's a carbon frame or post though.
    "The only absolute statement is that everything is relative" - anon
  • ForumNewbie
    ForumNewbie Posts: 1,664
    HonestAl wrote:
    Might sound daft but I've fixed exactly the same problem by removing, re-lubing and retightening the seatpost as suggested by hipshot. Careful you don't overdo it if it's a carbon frame or post though.
    I don't think it can be the seatpost if it only happens when he is out of the saddle. I had a problem with the seatpost creaking but it was when I was in the saddle. I identified it because it didn't happen when I stood up out of the saddle, i.e. when there was no pressure on the seatpost to make it creak.
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    my mtb creaks when i cycle it up steep hills out of the saddle. It was the spokes rubbing against each other. I wiped em down with some GT85 spray and it silenced it. Really need to get them all trued and tightened now...
  • HonestAl
    HonestAl Posts: 406
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    HonestAl wrote:
    Might sound daft but I've fixed exactly the same problem by removing, re-lubing and retightening the seatpost as suggested by hipshot. Careful you don't overdo it if it's a carbon frame or post though.
    I don't think it can be the seatpost if it only happens when he is out of the saddle. I had a problem with the seatpost creaking but it was when I was in the saddle. I identified it because it didn't happen when I stood up out of the saddle, i.e. when there was no pressure on the seatpost to make it creak.

    Yep, I read that. As I said, I had the same problem (as in out of the saddle) which I cured by fiddling with the post. I'm not sure I understand why either, but remember the squeak won't come from the bit of post sticking out, or the saddle. More likely from the frame and collar flexing around the post. I'm far from convinced there can be an explanation for many of the things afflicting a would be silent bike!! :-)
    "The only absolute statement is that everything is relative" - anon
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    don't discount cleats creaking, some do this, dab of oil puts that right imo
  • navrig
    navrig Posts: 1,352
    There is a whole section dedicated to this in Workshop:

    viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12581556
  • andytheotter
    andytheotter Posts: 11
    The aero spokes on my set of rovals creak where they cross each other...worth a look.
  • pswinfield
    pswinfield Posts: 16
    Mine was clicking as well. Turned out it was the BB cable guide. Tightened it up and it sorted it out. Madness as it was so loud I thought the crank was cracked
  • slowandsteady
    slowandsteady Posts: 339
    I had this problem on my caad.

    A light layer of grease on the seat post cured it.
    Wilier Cento Uno SR 2013 in Fluro Yellow
    Cannondale Caad10 2014 in BLACK!!
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Is it your knees?
  • awsm
    awsm Posts: 210
    HonestAl wrote:
    Might sound daft but I've fixed exactly the same problem by removing, re-lubing and retightening the seatpost as suggested by hipshot. Careful you don't overdo it if it's a carbon frame or post though.

    I had the same problem. Incidentally it was also pretty much the last thing I tried.
  • dai_t75
    dai_t75 Posts: 189
    Thanks for the responses lads.

    From the replies it seems it can be anything and everything :)

    So far I have lubed the pedals a bit, tightened my cleats and greased them a little bit. Hopefully this will sort it out.... won't be out for a ride til the weekend to find out though. If not I will try the seatpost as this is the most common answer in this thread!

    I can see this being a pain to sort out...
  • woodywmb
    woodywmb Posts: 669
    Make a list and work from front of the bike to back. The culprits are most commonly:
    Pedals
    Seatpost
    Crank

    (All need greased and tightened FULLY. No grease if the BB is square taper)

    Less likely are:
    Wheels (spokes rubbing together when under pressure, rims flexing and rubbing against brake block when out of saddle)
    Bottom bracket (loose, may need locking compound)
    Chainring bolts (loose, friction between rings)
    Stem (loose, movement around headset)
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1296598/
  • dai_t75
    dai_t75 Posts: 189
    Still there today!

    Tried to narrow down the possibilities - I kept the handlebars as level as I could and it still happened on the left foot downstroke. This makes me believe it may be the left pedal/crank. I will grease the seatpost just incase though.
    Woodywmb wrote:
    Make a list and work from front of the bike to back. The culprits are most commonly:
    Pedals
    Seatpost
    Crank

    (All need greased and tightened FULLY. No grease if the BB is square taper)

    Less likely are:
    Wheels (spokes rubbing together when under pressure, rims flexing and rubbing against brake block when out of saddle)
    Bottom bracket (loose, may need locking compound)
    Chainring bolts (loose, friction between rings)
    Stem (loose, movement around headset)

    For the crank - would I need to remove it and grease the thread? Excuse my ignorance, but what do you mean by square taper? If this is the case do I need any specialist tools to remove the crank?

    Cheers.

    Edit: Also, what grease do you fellas usually use?
  • woodywmb
    woodywmb Posts: 669
    Loosen the crank bolts and take the cranks off to check the bottom bracket axle. Then replace the cranks and do the bolts up as tight as you can.
    The top illustration here is of a square taper BB which should NOT be greased (because the lube allows the crank head to be forced too far along the axle. After time, and many refits, the crank goes in too far and the chain line-up is way out as a result). If it's the other style (image 2) - Isis or Octalink - feel free to ladle on the lube.
    Use plenty muscle when tightening.

    http://tinyurl.com/squareTAPER

    http://tinyurl.com/isisOCTALINK

    Edit: Any grease. They all do the same job unless you're doing some extreme cycling at the North Pole.
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1296598/
  • Lowflying
    Lowflying Posts: 2
    This used to happen to me on my Trek when I upgraded the wheels. Took the whole bike apart trying to locate the problem, regreased and retightend everything. Took the bike out for a test run and it was still there :evil:

    In the end I tracked the creaking and clicking down to the drop outs on the front fork. Solved the problem by wrapping the tips of the forks in electrical tape. Sounds like a bodge job but you can't see the tape and it completely solved the issue :D

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