My new(ish) latest shape Heckler frame developed a creak. One that only creaked when I put a bit of power down through the pedals but only when in the lowest 4 (i.e. largest cogs) gears on the rear cassette.

I hate creaks. They do my head in because

1) I hate creaks
2) It is a personal challenge to identify and fix said creak

After lots of googling and searching this website I tried the following in this order over the course of a few weeks and a ride after each which proved nothing helped:

1) Remove / clean / reseat the rear mech hanger
2) Remove / clean seat post and saddle clamps
3) Dismantled / cleaned suspension
4) Changed main pivot bearings

The last did help a bit. The bearings were slightly graunchy.

Last night’s ride I’m on the verge of throwing my bike on the floor and walking home in a huff as it is still creaking. A bit more investigation and I think it’s in the freehub mechanism. I get home and swap the wheel out for the one off my hardtail and yep that’s it.

Hope Pro II. Running lovely and smooth but obviously one of the freehub bearings making an annoying noise.

Apologies for the long message. Thought I would post to brag my awesome bike mechanic skills and record for posterity for anyone else searching for a similar solution.

My Heckler creaks 😳 its the bottom bracket (XT external) again 👿 – we have two bikes in the house currently (BB) creaking, still go round smoothly so cost is making me put up with them.. The SS s old Shimano square taper still quiet after years of loyal service.

Not had Hope II creak. Had them rattle when the bearings get worn down/loose.

freester – id seriously check for cracks around the flanges (where the spookes go into the hubs)

i had the same annoying creak – eventually thought it was the free hub bearings or pawls/springs ..and low and behold upon properly cleaning out the grease/oil/mud around the spoke holes there were two cracks!!!!

long story short – sent back to hope, everything replaced wheel rebuilt and posted back out free of charge!

result = creak now gone!

seriously check out your hub very very thoroughly! your story above sounds EXACTLY the same as mine – even to the point of throwing it down in a huff 😆

Ooh now you mention it – when I turn the bike upside down and put pressure on the forks it does sound a bit ‘spoke twang’ like.

Will have a look.

And its nearly always just the cables in the stops creaking, but you only find out after stripping the frame and putting in new everything.

On mine it was the replacebale drop out that needed cleaning and greasing very annoying.

A QR thats not clean or done up tight enough can cause the same effect

I’ve had a Pro II rear (singlespeed) hub creak on me on a number of occasions. I can normally cure it by doing the qr up a bit tighter (or installing the bolt on adapters) or by changing the axle bearings.

An update really for anyone searching for a solution…

The main creak was the Hope Pro II freehub bearings (no cracked flange in this case).

There were still some quieter creaks that were subsequently solved by the following (each step improved it)

– Complete clean of seatpost, seatclamp and rails. Spray rails with silicon
– Clean and grease rear wheel skewer
– Noticed the HTII crank not completely flush against external bearings – about 2mm of play. Tightened up.

Creak free brand new Heckler again 🙂