Creaky cranks

I have always found the problem to be dirt getting down between the seatpost and seat tube. Grit gets throw up onto the junction by the rear tyre and works its way down between the two surfaces. The result is a creaking noise.

You can usually tell if this is the case by pedalling out of the saddle and seeing if it still makes a noise.

The bike frame is very good at transferring and even amplifying noises too, which is why it often sounds as if the sound is coming from the cranks.

Just clean out the tube and reinstall with insulating tape over the junction between post and tube.

Have you checked your shoes? (Not as daft as it sounds).

Its a pain to sort out. I recommend getting a grease gun and basically taking off everything and reassembling it with grease on every thread.

I've spent hours chasing creaks around various bikes. Like dunnoh, I've taken the cable guide off from underneath the BB before, slapped some grease on, and that has cured the problem.

Another good one is to check your chainring bolts, if you've not already done that. Take them out, grease them, sling them back in again.

If you have a turbo trainer, might be worth putting your bike on there and getting someone else to check where the noise is coming from as you pedal. Sometimes it turns out to be miles away from where you think - the headset or something.

If all that fails, turn up your iPod.

Have you checked the frame for cracks?

perhaps it's the pedal, since it's just one side

Have you checked your chain is under the right tension and that its not worn or the cassette?

When pedalling, if you are only getting in a certain points. Its more likely to be one of those

I had the same thing - it was the cable guide. Took it off, greased it and tightened it back up and no more creak