i fitted a new headset about a month or so ago (FSA DH Pig Pro) and have recently noticed some noises coming from the general headtube area. mainly when i slam on the front brake but also noticed it yesterday when i lifted the front end and turned the bars.

i haven’t had the time to remove the forks and have a look yet (tonight) but before i do – any ideas what it could be??

…creaky stem bolts…?
…knackered bearings…?
…cups not in properly…?
…cables rubbing against the frame…?
…cracked head tube (ohmygodyouregoingtodie)…?

Strip it, clean it, put it all back together usually solves this sort of thing for me 🙂

noises usually come from dirt between surfaces or surfaces rubbing together. Also the wires I gear cable outer rubbing on metal ferrules or the stop.

Most of the above list is guess work.

I’d look at cleaning bar, stem and steerer clamp areas and checking the cables.

yup was comming from my rear QR/dropout until I replaced it with a bolt-through

…creaky stem bolts…hmmm, never thought of this. would they make such noises? will grease em all up

…knackered bearings…hope not, only a month or so old and it’s been dry for that month!

…cups not in properly…maybe, twas my first time…

…cables rubbing against the frame…made sure all cables were not rubbing when i turned the bars.

…cracked head tube (ohmygodyouregoingtodie)…i can’t entertain such a thought. even though it has crossed my mind lots. poooop.

Loose stem bolts, esp to the handlebar, are surprisingly noisy.

Can get these type of noises if you have a snapped strand in the gear cable. It tends to happen around the big loops at the bars. And you get the noise when you turn the steering. That’s harmless.

But if you’re getting it under braking, I’m not sure what it is. Spose you could quickly ensure that it’s not the bar/stem/steerer interfaces.

My creaking noises were cracks propagating from a couple of dents in the downtube. I had previously changed the headset because that’s what I thought it was.