jruk, I suspected the rear linkage on mine. Since I did the seat clamp, it went a lot quieter.

I’ll report back after a day at Gisburn tomorrow.

@John – Just been tinkering again and it’s def the rear sus creaking. If I hold the top tube strut thing and push down firmly and quickly I get the crack / creak sound. Just hope it’s something simple like a pivot bold needing some grease rather than the shock. Will contact Bird and see what they suggest as they’ve been ace so far (what do we need to say for Ben to pop up on here like the shop keeper? Bird Aeris 3 times perhaps?)

Right,

Day out at Gisburn and I’ve found another suspect. The rear mech makes a creak that resonates up the frame when I wiggle it from side to side.

This make sense as it’s loudest when climbing and pedaling. The oval chainring is moving it all the time too so creaks then.

Mine was the seat rails. Sprayed wd40 into where the rails went into the seat. Sorted. I was getting driven mad checking headset, stem fork etc. I could of sworn it was coming from the front but no it was the **** seat.

@John – will try the rear mech tmw and see if I can get the creak without pedalling. Trying to remember if it properly creaks just coasting. Don’t think it does…

Mine did it a bit when coasting on rough ground as it must have been rattling, but climbing and pedaling was the most obvious.

When I put the bike on its side and moved the mech by hand I could feel it.

Seat tube again. Lubed up rear mech to stop it creaking, then pushed down in the middle of the bike only to get the cracking/creak noise back.

Undid a few bolts and tightened them back up (one was that tight it gave off a spark as it freed up!).

Finally undid the seat post clamp and it quietened down. Took the seat post out and tried without and there was no noise.

Re inserted seat post and it seems to have gone away again now.

Possible that the seat tube is ever so slightly out of spec?