[veseunr]

So that old recurring problem: creaks and squeaks in the bottom bracket area.

Probably looking for sympathy as much as advice:

Once my bike warms up (or I do), I have a click or double click on every crank revolution. It stops when I stop pedaling and occurs at the same pedal position on every revolution. Hence I have concluded it is pedal/bottom bracket/chainset problem rather than wheels or drive train.

Took pedals off – greased everything put them back on. Noise recurred (it also occurs when I unclip and pedal with just one leg on either side).

Took cranks off, removed BB, greased everything put it back together: Noise.

Repeated above, fitting a new Dura Ace bottom bracket: Just the same noise.

Nothing catches (e.g Front mech wire), chainset bolts are tight.

It is so annoying!!! Any other suggestions (pretty sure it is not my knees)??!! I think I may go mad.

Topic

[Cooks]

I had this problem, it turned
I had this problem, it turned out to be a split chainring bolt. Swapped it out and it was fine. That was after buying a new bb…

[Swami Dave]

Had the same problem and it
Had the same problem and it was the magnet on my rear wheel hitting the cadence/speed sensor as it passed. The tolerance was very tight when I was seated (so looked OK when I was stopped, trying to diagnose the source!) but a wee bit of flex on the frame caused it to clip when standing up and hammering it. Was positive it was the cranks/BB…

[lazyusername]

It was the pedals when I had
It was the pedals when I had a similar problem, what helped was cleaning the threads on the pedals with a little GT85 effectively taking a little grease off if anything then the thread sat more snugly in the crank and no clicking which I think must have been over greased and working loose. Check the QR’s as well, it doesn’t sound like them but it never does

[shishman]

Just had my 9 month old Giant
Just had my 9 month old Giant Defy 1 frame replaced under warranty because of the same noise.

Went through all the cleaning greasing stuff and then took it back to the LBS and they diagnosed a dodgy frame.

[Mat Brett]

All been there! Always worth
All been there! Always worth checking chainring bolts. I’ve even had ticking from an external bottom bracket cable guide – but you don’t have one on your bike.

I’m going to make my fortune by inventing an audio device that you stick at different points on your bike to tell you where the noise is loudest, in order to identify where the creak is coming from.

Actually, I’ll probably never get around to it so can someone else do it for me?

[veseunr]

I’m rechecking the chainring
I’m rechecking the chainring bolts and greasing pedals, headset and QRs just as soon as I get home …… aaah: tinkering, will my wife never understand why blokes need garages?!

[Hector Ch]

daffyavfc wrote:Are

daffyavfc wrote:

Are chainrings all tight?

This. I had the same on my old Ultegra 6600. Thought it was the wheels or BB. Turned out I needed to remove the crankset and tighten the chainring allen tightener thingies, both front and back (I know the word in French, not in Engrish…).

[acjim]

I’ve also found QRs to be the
I’ve also found QRs to be the culprit on this, especially the rear one!

Clean and grease, it may do the trick.

[daffyavfc]

Are chainrings all tight?
Are chainrings all tight?

[cortina]

I had the same problem with
I had the same problem with the exception that mine only occurred when out of the saddle. Tried the same fixes but eventually tracked it down to a dry headset bearing seat.
I would have bet a large chunk of cash that it was drivetrain related though..

[Chuck]

veseunr wrote:
Not QRs …

veseunr wrote:

Not QRs … only occurs on pedal stroke.

That doesn’t rule them out in my experience!

[mooleur]

How does it feel through your
How does it feel through your feet when you put the hammer down? I had the same problem for aaaages and tried everything, eventually when sprinting I found that the strokes felt “sandy” almost.

Turned out it was the bearings actually inside the BB, just popped a new one on and problem was solved. Only thing that creaks for me now is the saddle and that’s only when I’m on the turbo! (random)

Sounds silly too but how old are your cleats? You sure you’re not just wearing down and causing a spot of friction on your pedals?

[veseunr]

Dobbsy wrote:What’s your

Dobbsy wrote:

What’s your frame made from?

Does the noise change when pedaling hard vs spinning?

I had a ti Litespeed with a mystery tick when pedaling under very similar conditions to yours, I even went so far as to replace the bb and the chainset and that but that still didn’t solve it.

Turned out to be a metal fatigue crack propgating around the bb shell / down tube interface.

Unfortunatley even after repair the frame let go with a pretty spectacular failure all the way round the down tube / bb shell.

Carbon (Canyon CF SLX) frame. No hint of any structural problems (e.g hairline cracks in the paint).

Happens from anything accept really light turning … any pressure up to full sprint …click clicketty click: usually two clicks a pedal revolution.

Not QRs … only occurs on pedal stroke.

[Chuck]

Try looking at your QRs too.
Try looking at your QRs too. Take the wheels out, give the contact points/dropouts a wipe, and if possible try some different skewers. I’ve been caught out by this a couple of times, and in both cases I would have sworn it was the BB.

[Dobbsy]

What’s your frame made
What’s your frame made from?

Does the noise change when pedaling hard vs spinning?

I had a ti Litespeed with a mystery tick when pedaling under very similar conditions to yours, I even went so far as to replace the bb and the chainset and that but that still didn’t solve it.

Turned out to be a metal fatigue crack propgating around the bb shell / down tube interface.

Unfortunatley even after repair the frame let go with a pretty spectacular failure all the way round the down tube / bb shell.

[Author]

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