Pulling up hard and occasionally riding along i get a distinct click/creak in the front end which can be clearly felt.
Bike has had a full strip down today, including suspension linkages etc, lovingly cleaned, regreased reassembled.
Put bike on side, lift up a bit by the bars, weight the pedal, i can track it to the front end. Repeat the same by supporting the bike from the fork crown, still there, isn't bars/stem, unlikely top headset cup.
Wedge front wheel between knees, twist bars, no creak there, so not fork crown/maxle/front wheel.
That leaves lower headset cup, which was freshly cleaned, regreased and reassemble, bearing is still smooth as and about 6 months old.
Am i forgetting anything?
Pedals? Wheel bearings?
Put earphones in.... Turn up.... Pedal.... 🙂
Brake hoses or cables loose or zip ties not done up tight - had this on one of my bikes, on another I was sure something was coming from the front end, I checked stem, headset, cables, checked cranks and BB ... it was the bloomin saddle in the end!
Your knees?