CAAD10 2015 BB30 issues

jaylfc147

Hi all,

I know this is a topic that has been discussed quite a bit but still struggling....

I have had my Cannondale CAAD10 from new since Oct 2015. Since buying it, I've had no end of trouble with the bottom bracket. Last month I reluctantly replaced the bearings and everything was fine until 3 rides later (no more than 150 miles) and back came the clicking noise. Went through the forums again and found some advice about cleaning it all up, and caking it in grease but leaving none exposed to the elements, which I did. This lasted just one ride and back with the clicking and banging every turn of the cranks.

It is definitely the BB and not cleats, pedals etc.

Where do I go from here?

The cranks are FSA gossomer pro with 105 5800 everywhere else. I'm thinking about getting an ultegra BB and Ultegra 6800 crankset, would this work? I run this set up on another bike and have far less issues with the BB.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

James

MikeBrew

Put a smear of copper grease on your seat post. I had a hire CAAD 10 last year that was happily clicking away and immediately assumed it was the BB30. Took it back to the hire shop , explained the problem, then watched with my chin on the floor as the German chappy took the seat post out, applied copper grease then sent me on my way.
I told him he was mad as it was clearly the BB cus I'd read it on the interweb. He smiled and said "this is not my first day here "... Off I went and not another click was heard the whole trip (apart from my knees)

arthur_scrimshaw

Main sources of noise on a BB30 (assuming the bearings themselves aren't toast) are the bearings moving in the shell (normally a creaking sound) clicking I'd say is more likely to be the second cause which is the NDS crank. Did you put a smear of grease on the crank arm recess and thread and corresponding male spider of the bb shaft? Then tighten it up to the recommended torque not forgetting the washers (wavey or otherwise)

arthur_scrimshaw

Easiest way to tell if Mike is right is does it do it when you're out of the saddle?

jaylfc147

Thanks for the advice, yes the noise is present more so when climbing out of the saddle and have had the chain off and it clicks and clunks just turning the cranks.

I do not own copper grease, just normal Weldite lithium grease so i'll try that! Thanks for the advice!

jaylfc147

I've read people are using marine grade grease, anyone else use that? Also looked in to the Praxis BB - £50 is a bit steep so will try the grease first!

paulmon

Have you used a torque wrench to tighten the crank. Its almost impossible to tighten to correct torque using an Allen key. If you can post a video that might help. I had knackered bearings once and this is what it sounded like. http://youtu.be/AYCzIN4epwE

I tried converters and ended up going back to BB30. If you plan to keep the bike invest in a press, removal tools. Have you removed the bearing covers to check they have grease inside?

boblo

I had the same in a CAADX. I eventually changed the BB for a Wheels Manufacturing Shimano converter and dumped the BB30 crankset. No problems since. Check the derailleur hanger bolts are tight as well as this causes creaking just like the BB.

sebbyp

Did you use wavy washers to stop sideways movement of the crank? Bearings drifted right back to circlips? flat bit of wood across the frame wont drift it in far enough. Fit the bearings and just use you finger to check the bearings turn nice and smooth before fitting the crankset.

I changed the bb30 bearings in my boardman after 7.5k KM as it has bit of creaking then started clicking when non drive side pedal was at top of stroke. I threw the new bearings in a bag of grease and swished it all about just to be sure! worked ok done 4k km since. It also has FSA Gossamer but think its wearing out due to cross chaining so am going Ultegra 6750 and hope to use the wheels manufacturing bushes.

jaylfc147

Thanks again for the replies and advice.

I replaced the bearings with new FSA ones just 4 weeks ago, I didn't check they had grease behind the seals as i presumed they would come already greased.

The bearings were seated in the right place, and I checked moving them around with my finger and felt nice and smooth. Went out in bad rain for two hours and noticed clicking again and clunking. I went out on it yesterday and not one sound! Strange as I've not touched it. Maybe its just had time to dry out.

I think I'll see how it goes, if the clicking comes back i'll give it one more good service with marine grade grease and get a press to put the bearings back in. It's so frustrating, I was looking on Strava and saw i've only done just under 600 miles on it, that shouldn't happen with a newish bike!

Thanks again for the advice chaps

JesseD

I had a Cannondale System Six which had the same issues, tried new bearings, same issue, had another set of new bearing fitted by my LBS who were a Cannondale Dealer, within 2 rides the clicking had returned. Got to the point that I was refitting the bearings after every ride which sorted the issue for around an hour despite packing with grease.

Turns out that the issue is with the manufacturing process of the BB30 shell especially on older models, the tolerances are so tight that unless they are perfect you get the infernal clicking/creaking sounds. The issue should have been sorted with newer model but from reading reviews on the net, it still is a problem just on a smaller scale, which is a shame as Cannondale make great frames.

My advice is that if the clicking comes back, then bin the BB30 and get a Praxis Manf adapter and then run a non-BB30 chain set, it will work out a little more expensive changing the parts but It means you will at least have a quiet drivetrain and you won’t be dismantling your BB every week.

vrsmatt

I would just replace the whole BB with a new unit, they are pretty cheap, I had the same creaking with FSA cranks and admittedlya GPX BB and I tried everything, new bearings, greasing everything etc and it went as soon as I got a new unit in there

Personally on a nice bike like yours I'd bung a new shimano BB30 unit in and 105 cranks on for around £100 and enjoy