 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Hi All,
I've got a Cube GTC Agree that I bought new back in Feb this year, not done many miles on it (~140 according to strava) since I bought it, but noticed last night that when out of the saddle climbing (it doesnt do it when seated) I hear a creaking noise coming from the non drive side bottom bracket area. It didnt make that noise last time I went out.
Havent had chance to look at it closely, but should I be concerned and looking for cracked carbon fibre , or is this more likely just a creaky bottom bracket?
Anyone got any tips for ridding myself of the creak?
New bikes are often poorly prepped and that includes those from lbs you could rebuild it yourself properly or ride it till it works.
Creak could be anything BB, Pedals, Seat, Seatpin, Skewers.
My Giant Defy started creaking (seemingly from the BB area) when I was out of the saddle or climbing a steep hill. I presumed it was the pressfit BB and removed it and refitted it twice (& secured it with Loctite the second time) and it still bloody creaked.
Eventually, discovered that the rear mech hanger bolts were not fully tight, so I tightened them and the creaking stopped.
HTH
Cheers chaps, I will give it a good going over now, and see if there is anything obvious going wrong
Remove pedals and clean/regrease threads. If that doesn't do it and there's nothing else obvious loose etc then take the crank off and do the same.
Also make sure the chain ring bolts are tight.
Also, try cleaning your freehub. I had similar, replaced pressfit BB and still had noise. Tightened mech hanger, stripped & regreased cranks/pedals and cassette. Finally took the freehub off & cleaned the springs and pawls & the silence returned!
Creak could be anything BB, Pedals, Seat, Seatpin, Skewers
Exactly this. I've had creaks from the BB area on a carbon frame caused by pedals, skewers, headsets and handlebars. Basically check anything on your bike that has two or more mating surfaces.
Also check your headset bearings aren't moving slightly in the frame. I went through 3 chainsets convinced it was a creaking bb, that I'd overtightened the preload - and having read how certain brands were more succeptible than others.
It turned out to be the headset bearing races moving on the bearing seats. A bit of studlock between the static surfaces cured it.
Eventually, discovered that the rear mech hanger bolts were not fully tight, so I tightened them and the creaking stopped.
Cheers slugwash 😀 Had a creak on my Canyon slx, tried everything but would never have thought of this. They were all a little bit loose 5 secs and an allen key creaking gone, amazing !!
1) start with simple things first (skewers before BB)
2) process of elimination; does it do it out of the saddle, yanking on the bars etc.
Noises can echo and travel so not always where you think its coming from.
And advising from experience- having had my crank, BB, pedals, chainring bolts, bar and stem off, everything cleaned, greased and correctly torqued, it turned out to be the front skewer 🙄
Check for loose spokes on the rear as well.
My creak sounded like the BB put turned out to be a poorly lubed headset!
Headset.
Had the same with the same bike: tighten rear wheel quick release.
My TCR was creaking good style in or out of the saddle, turns out it was the seatpost
I went over it with a fine tooth comb, I found a slightly loose stem, havent been out for a ride yet, but will see if its cured.
My recent one was the spokes creaking against each other, Gt85've them and it went away....ended up changing the rear wheel! Ps avoid oiling the rim if rim brakes or the disk 🙂
Also on a canyon slx. I had a creak coming from the front when climbing/sprinting thought the worst fork or headset damage. Got home checked everything and couldnt find anything. While leaning down checkin fork my sholder hits the bars and it creaks again thats when I realised it was the cable outers rubbing were they crossed.