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Anyone else suffer from the old creaky CSU problems?
Three forks in the last 12 months for me.
1x Zeb
1 x Lyrik
1 x Fox 36
So annoying and un needed.
There must be a better way to make a CSU.
Think the EXT ERA has a better design. Shame I could never get them set up to my liking.
Had it twice with my Lyrik, both times just outside the two year warranty period. The first time I paid for a new upper, the second time I got a new heavier duty steerer installed by RSF Suspension.
He glues in the steerers, they’re not just pressed in, and I’ve got the ebike version designed for up to 190mm travel forks. It’s only been in there about 6 months so I can’t tell you if it’s been a good solution but I’m more hopeful…
Yeah RSF have re bonded a 36 for me before.
Guess what happened to it?
Yep lasted around 9 months before the creak returned.
I have considered a DC fork on my enduro bike but not on a trail bike.
Dual crowns are the answer, Formula Nero R’s are only about 350g more than 38’s or Zebs.
I was very excited about the Selva dual crowns, but they never saw the light of day alas. Bloody Covid!
“ Yeah RSF have re bonded a 36 for me before.
Guess what happened to it?
Yep lasted around 9 months before the creak returned”
Ah, that’s not great…
Which model of steerer did you have fitted into the 36?
Think it goes to show that the axle to crown lengths and larger wheels are too much.
I used to have the same problems with 26" forks too.
Which model of steerer did you have fitted into the 36?
They just re bonded all the original parts back in.
Said they looked fine for re use.
TBH it's always the brake side stanchion that goes first for me. The steerer is normally ok.
I have considered a DC fork on my enduro bike but not on a trail bike.
set of SIDs will do you fine 🙂 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255688376735
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“They just re bonded all the original parts back in.”
That makes me feel a bit better!
I’m assuming that if a pressfit part is creaking then there will be some fretting wear, so a fresh part will fit more tightly. And the chunkier ebike steerer I had fitted will flex less and be less likely to creak.
“TBH it’s always the brake side stanchion that goes first for me. The steerer is normally ok.”
Interesting! I thought most of the creaking CSU moans were steerer related.
I’m sure if Fox and Rockshox had to offer five year warranties on their forks that the 38 and Zeb would be dual crown designs. But not enough people make them creak with the warranty period so the problem continues…
I’m assuming that if a pressfit part is creaking then there will be some fretting wear, so a fresh part will fit more tightly
The way he explained it to me was that the more wear marks there were on both surfaces the better the bond would become as it retained more of whatever bonding compound he uses.
Wasn’t there a company that made forks with a one piece steerer/crown to stop the creaking? Whatever happened to them as that seemed like a good idea?
It might have been Ohlin’s but could have been Cane Creek 🤷🏼
3 pairs of Zeb's, sold the 4th set. Fitted a set of Neros, no creaks, so much better than the Zebs for damping.
Bike seldom gets pedalled non big days and lives on uplifts, so its a mini dh bike bike.
Wasn’t there a company that made forks with a one piece steerer/crown to stop the creaking? Whatever happened to them as that seemed like a good idea?
It might have been Ohlin’s
Problem with the ohlins is that the bearing didn't fit all that well and creaked! (Atleast mine did)
EXT have an extended crown which silences a lot of the issues.
Agreed it’s frustrating as hell
had zebs go almost instantly older lyriks the same and a set of 22 fox 36 go the same
its frustrating as hell as you have to check everything under the sun to rule it out being the forks before sending in
Does anyone have the newest 2023/24 fox 36? Weren’t they supposed to eliminate this somehow to with the latest ones?
its frustrating as hell as you have to check everything under the sun to rule it out being the forks before sending in
Take the forks off, rest the lowers on the floor and the steerer on something higher so they're at a shallow angle to the floor (<45 degrees). Stand on the fork just below the arch.
Turn over, stand on the other side in the same place.
If it creaks/ticks, its the CSU, if not, it was almost certainly something else.
Only ever had one set of older Pikes go creaky, I obviously don't ride hard enough!
I thought the easiest test was bike upside down, wheel out and push and pull the legs alternately (like you're on a cross trainer)?
its frustrating as hell as you have to check everything under the sun to rule it out being the forks before sending in
The third pair I was asked if it was my frame or headset or something not the fork. Explained to Sram tech that when you stuck them in a vice and lent on them, they creaked.
I won't run Renthal stems as they creak, same as split crown races, always solid ones, preferably steel. The hope ones pit a creak after a while on the G1. If you can run a tall top headset like the Reset racing one or EC44, then you have less steerer flopping about which stops the top headset creaking.
Has anyone been able to send a creaky fork back direct to Sram?
How did you go about it?
Fork was bought off the Alpkit Outlet Store on Ebay and they've as yet not responded to my message.
Another thing Bomber Z1s, the original ones, have done better than subsequent forks (bolted CSUs).
Has anyone been able to send a creaky fork back direct to Sram?
An LBS may be handle a warranty return but will probably charge for it. Commencal asked me to return some stuff via a local shop and then refunded the 50 quid it cost.
I sent some Zeb's back with a creaky steerer and play in the bushings and they sent me a new fork.
Is a creaky CSU something to be concerned about or just noise?
I sent some Zeb’s back with a creaky steerer
You sent them direct to Sram?
Do you need a returns No or something like that?
I've always just taken forks back to the shop they came from before but it doesn't look like that's going to be possible this time.
No worries now.
All sorted and on their way back to warranty.
Is a creaky CSU something to be concerned about or just noise?
As unsure if it's just my internally routed cables or a brand new X-Fusion fork clicking on compression of fork.
I mean it's not going to fall apart on riding I v much doubt.
As an update on this thread I've had another two sets of Zebs go creaky since starting this thread.
Last one only lasted four rides.
Unimpressed is an understatement.
I'm now giving some serious though to some Formula Neros.
“As an update on this thread I’ve had another two sets of Zebs go creaky since starting this thread.
Last one only lasted four rides.”
FFS! It’s insane!
I wonder if the proportion of riders who ride hard enough, and are observant enough to realise that noise shouldn’t be happening, is small enough that they don’t care? Are the magazine tests too short or do they send them the parts that were made with the tightest tolerances, so are least likely to creak?
Dual crowns for all!
Took my epicevo for a full suspension service at the LBS in late 2022, and think it was plush told them that the reba, cos of the steerer fork interface creaking, was toast. It was just outside warranty and SRAM said not interested, but the LBS spoke w Specialized who forked (!) out for a new one. Kudos to Spesh, and Beyond Bikes who did the chat to sort it
Contrary to what I said 6 months ago, my 23 Lyriks are now creaking and will be going back once I'm back from holiday in two weeks!
Any point in just running some loctite into the creaky bits?
And another CSU has got the dreaded creak.
A Lyrik Ultimate that was replaced almost 12 months ago for a creaky CSU.
I blame myself as I was just thinking how nice it was having a silent bike.
Anyone have any experience with DVO forks?
Thinking of giving them a shot as I've had enough of RS.
I’d just ignore it personally. If it’s this frequent of an occurrence then provided it isn’t dangerous, I’d just consider it a quirk of the product.
I’d just ignore it personally.
I wish I could.
I know that it's unlikely to be a massive structural issue but it's always there at the back of my mind.
I also have a Mezzer back with JTech at the moment.
That's also waiting for a warranty CSU to arrive for fitting.
I know I ride a lot compared to most folks but the load is spread over four bikes so shouldn't really be any more than average per bike.
You fellahs need to learn to embrace the mince. 😁
Do dual crowns ever have this problem? They look a MUCH better structural solution.
DCs creak at the clamp bolts both top and bottom, I usually clean ours about once a month, take bolts out, take legs out, clean and refit.
We do use it in silly muddy conditions but dusty conditions will also bring some creaks at times
So they creak but because they’re bolted together you can clean them at home to make them silent and safe?
Even if that's the case, DC seems a lot easier to sort that SC.
Yeah my boxxers did sometimes creak but it was a different creak- just the user-servicable interface moving a little where the clamp and tubes bolt up. Just not the same thing as a pressfit csu getting loose.
The frustrating thing is that when you get the csu fixed, it'll very rarely come back- your local suspension company can do a better job than Fox and Rockshox can be bothered to do. It's an almost solved problem. The existance of aftermarket fixes for factory problems is often infuriating like this.
So they creak but because they’re bolted together you can clean them at home to make them silent and safe?
I've not had them creak for the reasons related to the topic no.
I've not handle a single set of single crowns not creak, it's painful.
Dual crowns can still creak, but as mentioned above, you can remedy it.
On the subject of getting new steerers pressed in, I got an ebike steerer fitted by rsf, I swear the forks were a lot stiffer as a result, forks felt so much better when that was the only change.
As I mentioned earlier on in the thread i had everything pressed out and re bonded back in on a 36 by RST.
That lasted for a while longer but eventually started creaking again.
It had been sat in the back of the garage as a spare for months. It was upside down with some loctite pooled in around the stanchions and steerer.
I fitted it back on one of the bikes when the Mezzer went back for warranty.
Surprisingly the 36 is silent again.
So for anyone that wants a home remedy, stand your fork upside down for six months with a pool of either loctite 290 or 638. 😂
It was that long ago i can't remember which one i used and I've tried them both before in the past.
So that's three forks in a month for me now. 🤬
Another Zeb gave in to the dreaded creak half way round todays ride.
****, ****, shit, ****.
Oh well at least one of my other creakers should be back from warranty with a new CSU tomorrow.
At least I'm not having to do a full service on them as they're not even getting to 100 hours.
It'd be interesting to know if there's a correlation between riding style and things like creaking forks. I'm not boasting but it's not happened to me yet!
I can pinpoint the exact point on the trail today that started the creak off.
A tight left corner/drop/chute on the steep bit of No Social.
Hard on the front brake to help hop the rear end round a little coming in to it.
I'm not boasting but it's not happened to me yet!
Try riding your bike a bit more instead of working all the time. 😉
Is it not just a part of life with forks, I remember them doing this regularly as far back as the late 2000s and have always just accepted it as normal. I’m surprised companies even warranty it rather than just attempting to explain it as normal behaviour. It’s an interference fit of tapered metal against metal, with a fairly long bending moment on it so it’s gonna make some noise once dirt and dust etc gets in and things move a fraction.
have always just accepted it as normal.
It's not normal though is it.
It's just a crap design.
Two metal parts that are pressed together should not move independently of each other.
BTW it's not dust and dirt that cause the noise.
It's a black oxide that forms due to fretting corrosion.
Try riding your bike a bit more instead of working all the time. 😉
Fair point but my fork is a decade old and has been on 3 different bikes so I reckon it's had decent opportunity to start creaking!
Wot singlespeedstu said. The two parts should not move. Creaking is a precursor to total falure
@goodgreif
Out of interest what fork is it?
I know you said you were running an Ohlins shock but only ever seeing you when you're at work I have no idea what fork's on your bike?
I do though seem to suffer pretty bad from this problem and have given some thought to why but can't really find any answers.
I'm only 80KG so not exactly overloading them from that point of view. Though I'd guess you were a tad lighter than me?
I ride a lot more than most folks but that's spread over four bikes so can't really see that being a problem as it'll even out to normal wear.
I do use the front brake quite heavily on tight steep turns but again I'm not trying to stoppie down every trail so nothing abnormal there.
Only fork I've ever had that didn't creak was an EXT but I couldn't get on with the damper in that so sold it.
Just had word from Sram that they're sending me a new Lyrik as a replacement.
Also just received my Mezzer back from warranty at JTech too so I'm down to just one warranty creaker to deal with now.
Started life as a basic yari with motion control, now has a noviparts damper. Was at 140mm then 150, currently at 170 with a chickadee hill air chamber gadget. I love tinkering! I'm around 70kg and I don't think I'm particularly hard on the front brake, I tend to go through rear pads quicker.
And another Zeb CSU bites the dust.
I'm starting to lose count of them now it's happening that often.
Seems the only way I can keep them silent is to not ride.
Friend of mines zeb started creaking a few weeks back, it’s that loud that when I was following him it sounded like my bike had a problem!
Take the forks off, rest the lowers on the floor and the steerer on something higher so they're at a shallow angle to the floor (<45 degrees). Stand on the fork just below the arch.
Turn over, stand on the other side in the same place.
Creaking CSUs/forks: is THIS ^^^ the definitive test I can do to try and identify/isolate where creaking is coming from?
I'm at my wit's end. Tried different headset, stem and bar, including cleaning everything up. I don't think it's coming from elsewhere on the bike, but it's an ebike and there's potential there I guess. It'd be good to rule out the fork (or identify it as the culprit).
And another Zeb CSU bites the dust.
I'm starting to lose count of them now it's happening that often.
Seems the only way I can keep them silent is to not ride.
I did 3 pairs of charger 3's, everytime I had a new fork, 4th pair I sold them.
I’ve got a set of 2 month old fox 36 SL forks go with the creaky csu - mega frustrating actually started creaking less than a month in but just ignored it as I couldn’t be arsed deal with it being so new, now they are much worse on every descent and everytime I hit something square edge climbing
so frustrating!
"Creaking CSUs/forks: is THIS ^^^ the definitive test I can do to try and identify/isolate where creaking is coming from?"
I clamped the steerer to a stack of plywood with a load of quickclamps and then put all my weight on the axle end and oscillated it wildly.
Interesting thing regarding creaky CSUs:
"And what area of the bike did you see is experiencing the highest amount of stress during peak forces?
We don’t measure stress directly, but afterwards we can simulate the forces on the frames using the collected data and our FEA software. It then gives us an overview of the stresses in all areas of the frame. For Hardline one of the most stressed areas is definitely the headtube. There is a lot of force pulling away on the fork on harsh landings, and then immediately after the riders are hard on the brakes, which pushes on the fork very hard in the opposite direction."
I know we're not doing anything like Hardline but that little pressed alloy joint of steerer to CSU looks very feeble compared to a head tube / top tube / downtube section!
LOLz see what you did there
fwiw i have spoken to fox uk and they advised me it’s not common anymore with there new batch of forks
ummmm my 36sl are exactly that a new batch of the new forks and they lasted roughly a month before creaking - no idea if certain people just get unlucky or other just don’t notice/care about the noise ( ie there bikes already creaking and making racket elsewhere )
Seen as this has resurfaced.
One of my warrantied Zeb's that had a new CSU fitted lasted five rides* before it started creaking again.
Tightened the top caps which were very loose and it's silent again. Top work Sram warranty department...
Lets see how much longer it lasts.
* It's on my ebike so doesn't see that much action.
I'll stick my name on this list too.
I posted in a separate topic - Mezzer Pro, <6mths 500km use on my e-bike but no warranty (bought privately, old stock but new/unused). Definitely creaking.
I've currently got it inverted and allowing gravity to get some Loctite 648 into the stanchion/crown/steerer interfaces. Probably in vain but given the cost of a replacement CSU I'm willing to try. Haven't had time to look at it but plan to check the top cap tightness as well as generally checking the chassis alignment etc before contacting J-Tech. This is the same fork I've not found a happy setup on no matter what I try - my other Mezzer Pro on another bike is dialled in and feels sublime compared to this. Thought being if it needs a replacement CSU then I'll also ask J-Tech about 'enhancements' to get it feeling how I want.
Ironically the Zeb on my Geometron is silent. Anaaaaannd by typing that I've just cursed it 😀