Hi all. Ive got a 18 month old ally bronson that has developed a loud creak whilst putting heavy preasure on the pedals, I originally thought it was the bottom bracket so fitted a new one. Ive also checked the pedals the seatpost chain ring bolts and frame bearings and all seems fine. Is there anyone on here with experience of this problem and if so what was the cause?

Get someone to sit stationary on the bike and reproduce the creak.
Get a foot long ish solid shaft (quiet at the back) dowel big screwdriver etc. place one end to your ear and trace the other end around the frame until you locate the creak.

Chased one on my Spicy Team, not totally sure as I changed/ cleaned and re-torqued everything but a little grease between the carbon stem spacers may have done the trick.

I have this on a Whyte T129S and not sure what it is, only seems to happen when I’m hoofing it up a hill and the suspension moves so I suspect a dodgy bearing.

Are you running Pikes ?

No im running fox 34s. Somouk thats when it happens with me and tends to be worse in higher gears.

check stem spacers, I just replaced shock mounting bushings and pivot bearings after same time heavy use, could be seat rails or seat

Could even be rear mech hanger, I try and keep my shock bushings lubed with a squirt of GT85, same with under seat rails and the bits where it moulds into seat base.

Just had all my pivots out, lubed with grease and then nipped up any play.

One tip I discovered by accident
When tightening up the shock bolts wind them in and when near to taking up slack swap from front to rear mount bolts gently taking up any play an eigth of a turn at a time until the last bit where I nip up one by a mm then other etc, if you wind in one and nip it up then tother all way in you “might” get the chain stays mis aligned and this will squeak, it will also blow your shock. “Apparently” ahem.

You may know this but I didnt

oooops double post

Ok thanks guys, I’ll check all that stuff.

squoglybob – Member
Are you running Pikes ?

Sorry to hijack the op, but I am running 160mm pikes now 6 months old and they have developed a creaking noise, has anyone else had this?

Am I the only one to open this thread and come away disappointed that a creaking bronson turns out *not* to be a euphemism?

tweedviper – there’s a 4 page thread on creaking Pikes. Known issue with the assembly compound used to seat the stanchions in the CSU being eroded due to washing/water ingress. SRAM will replace under warranty.

Wolfrider – my Bronson can make noises when too much dust gets in the linkages, between the bearing covers & frame. Given the unprecedented dry spell we’ve been experiencing, it would be worth removing, cleaning & reinstalling these ime.

Shock reducer/bushings often creak badly when worn. Known issue on some vpp

I’ve just replaced the shock mount hardware and DU bushings on my bike to stop an annoying creak only to decide it’s the BB as it only happens when pedals have force applied. So try that

Bb was my first thought, but fitted a new one to no avail

Follow the bearing overhaul instructions without actually replacing the bearings unless they are feeling rough I.e. clean and grease pivot axles, bearings, caps, bolts and tapered washers…
http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en/us/node/409
…and make sure you put a layer of grease on the outside of the tapered washers step 6 e. I think this may have been the source of creaking on mine at one stage.