Help me with my creak

[Dave Barter]

My Specialized Crux has developed a creak under load. It sounds like the bottom bracket area and is present seated and standing. So far I have:-

- checked bb bearings, they are nearly new and have never got wet. Buttery smooth with chain removed
- cleaned chain of grit and checked entire length
- removed pedals, checked spindles, all fine, greased and replaced
- tightened mech hanger
- pinged spokes all seem tight enough
- checked cassette mounting, very tight
- checked wheel bearings which are very smooth

I’m now at a loss as to what it is? Bit worried it could be the PF bottom bracket. Any other ideas?

[Bearlegged]

Clean and retighten chainring bolts?

[voodoo_simon]

Had this recently, replaced my wheels and the creaks disappeared over night Also replaces the BB at the same time.

To be fair, the wheels were ~8 years old and had a lot of side to side movement

[woodsmith]

Seat post? Saddle rails? Does sound like its probably a press fit BB issue.

[Dave Barter]

Clean and retighten chainring bolts?

Ain’t none

[Dave Barter]

Had this recently, replaced my wheels and the creaks disappeared over night Also replaces the BB at the same time.

To be fair, the wheels were ~8 years old and had a lot of side to side movement

They have < 1000 miles on them

[Cyclepeasant]

Bottom bracket bearings are regularly culprits. If threaded type,unscrew them clean threads and regrease threads and re-install. Press fit same applies, except,tricky to remove and various cures ,from greasing outer and inner races ,to applying carbon grip paste to outer race,or paste to plastic cups on pf30 types.
Also check chainring spider mount on right hand crank is not loose.
Pedal spindle threads are greased and screwed correctly in crank arm.
The pedals themselves can also creak.
Cleats creak too!
I have found alloy bottom bracket inserts in Carbon frames also cause creaking....can be expensive to rectify.
Loctite bearing fit can sometimes cure it. And it works with some presfit bearings too!
Sorry to be vague Dave,but there are a lot of variable causes.
Good luck!

[Dave Barter]

Sorry to be vague Dave,but there are a lot of variable causes.

Don’t be. All useful stuff. I’m slowly eliminating causes.

[RIP]

Also had this recently. Tried all sorts including tightening the crank bolt. Nothing worked. In the end took crank right off, cleaned the little gasket thingy in the bolt gap and the bolt and everything else. Sorted! Don't think anyone else mentioned that yet?

Probably used all the wrong terminology etc because bike fiddling holds little interest for me I'm afraid.

[Al]

Happened on my road bike. Had pedals, cranks, bottom bracket, seatpost all off regressed and re fitted but no joy. Eventually tracked it down to the front qr not being tight enough

[fatbikephil]

If its one of those press fit BB's with a plastic shell, they can creak randomly. Only sure fire way to fix is to hammer it out and hammer it back in again with high strength loctite bearing fit. I've never removed a PF41 bb yet without knackering it completely so leave this until a last resort!

[Bearbonesnorm]

It's yer knees.

[Cyclepeasant]

Just lost another lengthy post grrrr!
The gist of it was that on one creaking job , I found the rear wheel ran smoothly,but upon dismantling the freehub and cartridge wheel bearings,I discovered they were corroded. Once replaced , the creaking was cured. (Only after doing previous stuff to cranks,pedals etc!)

[lune ranger]

I cured a long standing ?BB creak a while ago by pouring 50ml of warmed linseed oil in through the seat tube.
It was a tip I saw on t’internet. Not sure it really needs to be hot but I figured it wouldn’t harm anything if it was, and I do like to follow instructions
I had literally already done everything else I could to stop it to no avail.
The article was claiming the creaks can be down to tiny movements in poorly mitred tube junctions.
The reasoning might be absolute tosh but the fix worked for me.

[Dave Barter]

I cured a long standing ?BB creak a while ago by pouring 50ml of warmed linseed oil in through the seat tube.
It was a tip I saw on t’internet. Not sure it really needs to be hot but I figured it wouldn’t harm anything if it was, and I do like to follow instructions
I had literally already done everything else I could to stop it to no avail.
The article was claiming the creaks can be down to tiny movements in poorly mitred tube junctions.
The reasoning might be absolute tosh but the fix worked for me.

Got any left ;-)

[Cyclepeasant]

Obviously not a cricket guy!

[Cyclepeasant]

Castor oil should work if you were a British bike or classic vehicle racer! .....smells good too when you warm it up!

[Wotsits]

It's your arse cheeks

[Dave Barter]

It's your arse cheeks

Will linseed oil work on them as well?

[Wotsits]

It's your arse cheeks

Will linseed oil work on them as well?

Fold one of the new plastic notes in half, then slip it in there with a smear of your favourite oil
Works every time!

[Wotsits]

Seriously though Dave, if you’ve checked your bb & all the usual suspects but your wheels are fairly new, I’d been checking the rear is all ok. Seen a few creaks caused by rear hubs, from QR’s not tight enough, to snapped axles..

[lune ranger]

I cured a long standing ?BB creak a while ago by pouring 50ml of warmed linseed oil in through the seat tube.
It was a tip I saw on t’internet. Not sure it really needs to be hot but I figured it wouldn’t harm anything if it was, and I do like to follow instructions
I had literally already done everything else I could to stop it to no avail.
The article was claiming the creaks can be down to tiny movements in poorly mitred tube junctions.
The reasoning might be absolute tosh but the fix worked for me.

Got any left ;-)

For sure. I always have loads. I’d happily send some your way. It’d also be available in your local DIY/hardware shop for a few quid - I have the fancy cold pressed Swedish stuff though, wonder if that makes a difference
If it fits with you I’ll be near Buckfast in Hembury Woods on Wednesday. I’m dropping off my kids for forest school and going for a moderate MTB ride around the Avon dam and Abbots Way for a few hours.
I could give you some then if you fancy a ride.

[Dave Barter]

Thanks Luke was only kidding. Let’s meet up on the Moor one weekend. Weekdays are never good for me

[JohnClimber]

Tighten up your rear QR or bolt through.
Worked for me trying to save weight with a QR made of cheese and couldn't fine the creak, put an old school industrial one of that weight 4 times more, locked it and the creak went.

Also (embarrassed to admit) I bought and fitted a new BB to the tandem becuse of a creak when looking down trying to find the creak....... The creak was still there even with the new BB.... I took the bike up the streat without my new helmet on and the creak was gone....
The bloody creak was the MIPS part of my new POC helmet creaking whenever I applied pressure to the peddles while looking down for that fecking creak. The sound sounded like it was coming for the BB area not my frigging helmet

[Jurassic]

I've only had one bike with a PF bottom bracket and it used to creak randomly from time to time irrespective of what I did to it (including replacing the bearings). I eventually got rid of the bike and have ensured that any subsequent bikes or frames have been screw in type. Probably not what you want to hear, sorry.