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Morning all
Giant TCR 2019, carbon frame and standard Shimano press-fit bottom bracket. Been ridden for 3-4 years, some winter miles and still has original BB, I'd guess it's done maybe 10,000 miles but not sure really.
Anyway, long story short I noticed a really annoying creak when riding it a few weeks ago which got progressively worse- it creaked only under power and with every pedal rev and was pretty loud. I actually abandoned my ride it was doing my head in so much.
I assumed the BB was shot, but having got home I couldn't find any play in it at all if I wiggled the cranks with my hands- it seemed totally fine.
The mystery deepened a little bit as I took it to the shop to replace the BB but they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it and in fact couldn't hear any creak- only a faint one from the seatpost and/or seat rails which I think they silicon sprayed.
The creak actually disappeared for like 2 rides and now has come back. Though, if I freewheel and shift my weight on the seat I can't hear any noise at all, no creaking whatsoever. Definitely happens only under load and louder when I press harder on the pedals.
Anyway long story short, I've asked the LBS to replace the BB- if nothing else, so I can eliminate it as the source.
But I'm wondering if BB's generally creak when then there is nothing discernibly wrong with them? In the past whenever I've had BB problems it has been obvious that it was at the end of its life and there was play in it, but this one does definitely seem fine on outside inspection.
On the other hand, if its not that then I'm stumped as I'm pretty sure its not the headset or anything else.
<p style="text-align: left;">I've experienced a similar creak , turned out to be the cleats</p>
On my giant (older, not the same model). I think the bb shell ended up slightly oval after a few years. BB felt smooth and fine just inspecting it but creaked dreadfully when riding it.
Fixed it by swapping out the frane.
Try different pedals…maybe stick a pair of flats on and ride it in your trainers?
On my giant (older, not the same model). I think the bb shell ended up slightly oval after a few years. BB felt smooth and fine just inspecting it but creaked dreadfully when riding it.
Fixed it by swapping out the frane.
The same happened on my old YT Jeffsy. Ovalised bb cup, fixed with a new bike.
OP - my road bike creaks because of the chainring bolts loosening.
My TCR did exactly the same and it was the seatpost. Took out, applied carbon assembly paste and torqued the silly wedge clamp to spec and it’s been silent ever since
Giant did a rolling change to a longer wedge clamp a couple of years ago, so you could look to see if it’s worth upgrading to that
Cheers all, some food for thought to try!
Having listened to it for 4 hours on saturday I think maybe the chainring bolts could be worth checking as it did feel like it was coming sort of from the right crank, but hard to say.
I don't think its the pedals but they will be easy to swap so I will try and eliminate them.
Greasing the skewers has also been suggested so think we'll do that too.
I think maybe the chainring bolts could be worth checking
Don't just check them; remove each one, clean and grease it, reinstall.
Same with the QR, take the whole lot to bits, spring and all, clean and grease each bit.
I assumed the BB was shot, but having got home I couldn’t find any play in it at all if I wiggled the cranks with my hands- it seemed totally fine.
You can have completely shot bottom brackets with no discernable play.
I've currently got 2 fitted to bikes that i don't use often. I'll sort my shit out eventually and change them.
I think it's fairly common with press fit BBs in carbon frames, notably Giant but other brands too. My Defy has had it occasionally and the Propel has it intermittently at the moment - first ride in four years on it last week and it still creaked. Club ride in damp and grit cured it for a while. It's not the seat post on mine (both integrated SL's). Nor pedals/cleats as also renewed. Option 1) replace BB. Nuclear option 2) replace BB with bonded threaded insert and standard BB.
I have a the same and worse in a CAAD8 alloy BB30 frame. Option 2 is the likely way forward there.
I've had this with my commuting bike recently. It's bloody annoying. I've done the pedal swap thing, had the cranks off the BB (square taper) and greased them plus re-tensioned the belt drive. BB was new a couple of months ago, is silky smooth still and an expensive one that should outlast the frame. All bolts checked for security, (except the chainring ones TBF, I'll do that). Last thing I've done is to lubricate the saddle rails and the seat post but I've not ridden in today so don't know if that worked. I don't think it'll be the hub gear because I serviced that in April, so not touched that yet.
It's going to be the hub gear isn't it. 😖
I just changed a BB with the exact same symptoms, it felt fine with the chain off, but the new one is totally silent, so it was definitely the issue !
My Revolt had a creak for one ride, it was still fairly new at the time so I was a bit annoyed and checked the BB, pedals, and seat post which had all been culprits on my previous CF bike.. turned out the rear thru-axle just needed nipping up.
Creak gone..
QR skewers have caught me out before and I'd have sworn it was the BB. Another annoying creak turned out to be where the spokes exited the hub on my Kysriums - BB creaks can be super sneaky!
Replaced my BB without curing my creak. Started going through everything... got to the rear thru-axle and thought "that could be a little bit tighter... and a little tighter again..." would have saved me the cost of a Hope BB!
If you have an Ultegra or DA crank, absolutely check all around the spider for cracks on inner and outer faces. 105 level and below is fine, but the two part bonded ones are known to fail - though Sh will still not acknowledge it. I know so many riders who've cranks have snapped just riding along that it's not even funny... as the face to floor potential is high. Most of them creaked mysteriously around that area before letting go, which is usually assumed to be the BB.
I think it’s fairly common with press fit BBs in carbon frames,
I don't think it is TBH, I think it's fairly common for folks to complain about PF BB, which is not quite the same thing. I've had PF in both steel and carbon frames with zero issues.
I have a similar creak and it was 100% the PF bottom bracket.
Mine was bearings direct into a CF frame and I cured it with Loctite on the bearings.
Spray SF7649 activator onto the frame, then 641 retaining compound on the bearing outer races. Allow to cure for 24 hours. Silence for the last 2-3 years.
<p>Worth checking the back wheel is nice and tight. My BB was unfairly blamed for some time…. Doh</p>
My gravel/commuter/road bike had also been driving me potty for about 3 weeks with a creaky squeak.
It happened all the time, but would go away if I did any of these.. a)took my hands off the bars b)bum off saddle c) feet off pedals. I was convinced I could hear it at the front end, headset, stem, cracked fork, hub bearings etc, but couldn't find anything wrong at all. Eventually I found I could get the squeak to happen whilst sat still by applying one brake hard, pushing the pedals as if trying to ride away, and pushing the bars forward. I got son #2 to come and have a listen and it was the seat collar after all of my front end dismantling
and it was the seat collar
I chased a creak around my bike for ages until I found out it was my shoes
Had similar with a new PF carbon road frame.
It was actually coming from the stem/steerer interface. Cleaned and applied carbon paste. Creak gone. Try pressing hard on the pedals WITHOUT pulling/pressing on bars! 😂
And just for general knowledge, I ruined a set of aluminium forks on an old commuter by fitting a crown mounted cantilever brake hanger (common upgrade to reduce judder). I overtightened the bolt through the crown which must have ovalised it or put a funny stress on the weld. Either way it creaked REEEEEEEALLLY badly. I think I must have loctited or copper greased every possible other location on the bike before I figured it out 🙄
On one ride my bike developed a loud click every pedal rotation. Turns out it was my shoe lace end hitting the crank.
Culprits have also been seatpost, rear dropout and saddle rails amongst many others.
I've just resolved a creaky PF30 BB in my Cannondale. The old bearings had about 15,000km on them but felt like new with no play, silky smooth. I took them out, greased the cups and put them back in but the creak was still there.
I decided to completely replace it with a new PF30 and the creak has gone. I did use some Loctite retaining compound this time though.
So yea, old creaky bearings can still look and spin as good as new. I was reluctant to replace them but new bearings were the answer after all.
Thanks all, some really helpful comments here.
BB is being replaced tomorrow so I'll report back if I have any luck after a couple of rides!