Just spent the last couple of hours tracking down an annoying click/creak from my bike, only happens when pedalling, in and out the saddle so nothing seatpost related. Gets worse when putting in more power. Bloody annoying on long climbs which I'll be doing a lot of in a week.
Gave the bike a proper clean first so I knew it wasn't dirt.
I was 98% sure it was the shock mount bolts creaking at the sag point - whipped off the shock, gave the contact surfaces a clean, as well as the bolts etc, re greased and back together. Still there.
Checked all the pivots, all fine. Without a shock the linkage moves nice and freely.
Swapped pedals. Still there.
Crank was fitted recently, and without a chain it spins forever, so it can't be that, right? As the last thing to check before I gave up, whipped off the crank (so nice to not have to resort to a rubber mallet, freeze spray and a lot of 'persuasion'!), cleaned it up and regreased then refitted, and...
No more creak! 😁
Replaced my dropper cable and fitted a barrel adjuster that had broken too, as well as sorting my rear brake pads that were rubbing slightly.
Bike is all ready for 2 weeks of abuse in Scotland!
It's always the crank.
Got one on mine that’s been there months. Front end, when pushing down on the bars. Headset has been off and checked and greased 3 times. All controls off and cleaned etc, fork csu replaced. Still there. Going to change the stem as a last resort and if it’s still there after that just live with it!
First few pedal strokes today right pedal feels like it’s running on square bearings!
I hate bike maintenance
^^New bike time n+1 🙂
I had that. ?Swapped out the saddle and then the pedals and it turned out to be the cassette. I've a garbaruk 11-50T on rear and you have to Loctite 222 it to the freehub to stop creaking. now silent.
I had a random creak from the front of the bike and I finally traced it down to worn headset bottom cups plus cheaply remedied
Just spent most the afternoon doing the same. Removed and regreased cranks and bottom bracket. Flip chip and Fox roller bearing (had problems with that before). Eventually traced to seat post clamp and pedals/crank interface. Didn't expect the seat post to be a problem on a carbon frame but there you go.
I did this recently, bottom bracket, crank bolts, saddle, and Seatpost turned out, in the end, it was just the ISO speed bolt on the Procaliber that just needed tightening.
Pedalled to mates house accompanying Fazzini jnr jnr as he was going for the day. Bike was clanking and rattling, rear disc rubbing all the way. Looked at bike once there - inspected chain, cassette, derailleur etc. All looked wrong. Then noticed the back wheel wasn't in properly 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
If it's anything like mine you pull everything apart, grease and torque it properly, you get an hour of blissful silence, then the bloody click comes back again.
I think mine may be a Shimano 12 speed direct mount chainring coming loose by itself, no idea how. It's driving me crazy...anyone use loctite on these?
Just done the same with my flaremax. Not a creak but an annoying tick/click when weighting/unweighting the frame. Greased up all the pivots one by one. Assumed it it would be the main pivot, not one of the chainstay pivots. Obviously the last one I tried.
Spent weeks trying to track down a creak on my old RFX, then one day the seatpost/top tube weld failed and seat tube broke. Creak found and fixed.
Was really old to be fair.
No more creak! 😁
Guaranteed to be back within an hour or two
I was 98% sure it was the shock mount bolts creaking
It's never the thing you're 98% sure that it is, eh?
I was convinced the bearings were shot in a secondhand frame I built up recently, awful creaking noise that sounded just like shot bearings.
Turned out to be a worn chainring and new chain failing to mesh properly.
I think mine may be a Shimano 12 speed direct mount chainring coming loose by itself, no idea how. It’s driving me crazy…anyone use loctite on these?
What did you use to tighten it with?
I found they come loose if you bodge it with the small Shimano BB tool, but stay tight with the correct tool. I grease the lockring thread, not loctite.
I hear you loud and clear.
Finally tracked down the creak on my gravel bike yesterday. Thought it was pedals so had tried some from another bike. BB is very new. Chainring bolts tight. Cleaned thoroughly twice in the hope of finding a crack and this justifying a new frame/bike 😄 Noticed a slight creak from the "good" pedals on another bike. Swapped a definitely good pair on. Fixed 🙄