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ok... so firstly, i've never owned a FS and am somewhat "lost".
went down south with the GF yesterday for a pleasent pootle in the hills. it was a lovely day, but one thing annoyed me; her bike (Boardman FS) has developed a creaking noise. ok, so it has been on the balcony for about 4 weeks without being ridden, but prior to that the bike was as good as gold.
the noise occurs when she puts a lot of power down (ok, doesn't happen that often) or stands up to pedal.
i thought the creaking was coming from the BB/cranks. i pulled out the cranks and gave the spindle a good coating of grease and the bearings are fine, yet the bike still creaked.
i think i've narrowed it down to the main pivot bearings above the BB. it'll creak when a lot of pressure is applied to either of the cranks (i.e. side ways movement).
i've got a few hours today to piss about with it and see if i can eliminate the creaking.
what shoud i do? pull out the bearings and grease them up? surely it doesn't need new bearings already. the bike hasn't been ridden very much since purchase.
help appreciated.
If you stand on the pedals stationery and bounce up an down does it creak?
My pivots used to creak if I hadn't washed the bike after a muddy ride.
Try giving it a good clean first.
Take it out, clean and regrease.
However, check the tension on your spokes, all of them.
ok... looks like a clean in is order.
i've not washed my HT for over a year and i only did so last time because i was boxing it up for a flight.
try chain ring bolts too.
def not the spokes or chainring bolts.... but cheers anyways....
My best advice would be to work through everything systematically greasing and tightening up. I had this problem on an old marin and it turned out to be the mech hanger when under load... Last place I looked but my bike was well serviced by that point!
Grease rear axle/QR spindle, and the main pivot bolt/bush
take the linkage apart grease anywhere that moves. also could be pedals. are they serviceable. if so service them usually very easy
hmmm....
so i've: popped the cap on the pivot bearings, re-newed the grease and greased the spindles; taken off the cranks and re-greased the FSA BB (non-drive side was a bit scratchy but now fine) and greased the crank spindle; and i stuck an old set of pedals on (current ones are brand new) and yet the bike still creaks. not as bad as before, but it is still present.
annoying.
BB threads a possible culprit.
creaking is generally a surface or thread moving (i.e. NOT bearings)
when you say "re-greased BB" what do you mean?
re-greased the BB - opened up the bearings and pumped them full of new grease (the white stuff with PTFE bits in it as recommended by mechanic friend).
i'll whip out the BB and spit some grease on the threads....
as mentioned above.. rear QR. Give it a quick greasing, Might do it