creaky crank/bb

[noodles]

Hi

Recently ive been experiancing a creaking/clicking noise as I cycle my
mountain bike. Adjusting the Bottom Bracket bearings seemed to fix this for
a few weeks then it would reappear. I decided to buy a sealed cartridge to
replace the factory fitted bearings, this was OK for a while but I am now
experiancing the same problems.

The creaking noise seems to occur when I apply force to the pedals, so it
happens twice a revolution. It usually occurs when going uphill but also
happens after freewheeling down a gradient, when I start pedalling to to
continue my speed as the momentum runs out. It only only occurs when
pedaling.

The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on the
tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?

Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!

 

[Alex Potter]

noodles wrote on Tuesday 07 February 2006 19:11:

> Hi
>
> Recently ive been experiancing a creaking/clicking noise as I cycle my
> mountain bike. Adjusting the Bottom Bracket bearings seemed to fix
> this for a few weeks then it would reappear. I decided to buy a sealed
> cartridge to replace the factory fitted bearings, this was OK for a
> while but I am now experiancing the same problems.
>
> The creaking noise seems to occur when I apply force to the pedals, so
> it happens twice a revolution. It usually occurs when going uphill but
> also happens after freewheeling down a gradient, when I start
> pedalling to to continue my speed as the momentum runs out. It only
> only occurs when pedaling.
>
> The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on the
> tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?
>
> Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!

I had something similar a few months ago - I'd replaced bottom bracket,
re-greased and renewed wheel bearings and cranks were plenty tight.
Eventually all noises were cured by replacing a worn chain and
sprockets.

--
Regards
Alex
The From address above is a spam-trap.
The Reply-To address is valid

 

[Bob Watkinson]

"noodles" <noodlesUK*remove*@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> Recently ive been experiancing a creaking/clicking noise as I cycle my
> mountain bike. Adjusting the Bottom Bracket bearings seemed to fix this
> for a few weeks then it would reappear. I decided to buy a sealed
> cartridge to replace the factory fitted bearings, this was OK for a while
> but I am now experiancing the same problems.
>
> The creaking noise seems to occur when I apply force to the pedals, so it
> happens twice a revolution. It usually occurs when going uphill but also
> happens after freewheeling down a gradient, when I start pedalling to to
> continue my speed as the momentum runs out. It only only occurs when
> pedaling.
>
> The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on the
> tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?
>
> Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!
>

try removing your bottom bracket. Apply copper slip or similar to the
threads and then refit.

 

[Kenneth Clements]

"noodles" <noodlesUK*remove*@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> Recently ive been experiancing a creaking/clicking noise as I cycle my
> mountain bike. Adjusting the Bottom Bracket bearings seemed to fix this
> for a few weeks then it would reappear. I decided to buy a sealed
> cartridge to replace the factory fitted bearings, this was OK for a while
> but I am now experiancing the same problems.
>
> The creaking noise seems to occur when I apply force to the pedals, so it
> happens twice a revolution. It usually occurs when going uphill but also
> happens after freewheeling down a gradient, when I start pedalling to to
> continue my speed as the momentum runs out. It only only occurs when
> pedaling.
>
> The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on the
> tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?
>
> Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!

Use a torque wrench on the crank bolts.

Ken.

 

[Simon Bennett]

noodles wrote:

> Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!

Does it occur when standing as well as when seated? I only ask because I had
a similar experience a year or two ago; it took me _ages_ to find,
eliminating every possibility, until I tried greasing my saddle rails,
and -- bingo! A creak from the saddle is in time with pedalling which lead
me to think it was somethin in the pedal/crank/chainring/bb area. The sound
was difficult to pinpoint as well, as it travelled down the seatpost and
tube, especially on the aluminium frame I was riding at the time.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, noodles
('noodlesUK*remove*@gmail.com') wrote:

> Recently ive been experiancing a creaking/clicking noise as I cycle my
> mountain bike. Adjusting the Bottom Bracket bearings seemed to fix this
> for a few weeks then it would reappear. I decided to buy a sealed
> cartridge to replace the factory fitted bearings, this was OK for a
> while but I am now experiancing the same problems.

I once diagnosed a bottom bracket problem on a friends bike (symptoms
were noise when pedalling, none when freewheeling), and replaced his
bottom bracket for him with some difficulty. Problem persisted. Finally
took the back wheel apart and found the bearings in a hell of a mess.
Noises on a bike don't always come from where you think they do.

> The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on the
> tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?

DO NOT keep tightening crank-bolts on tapered square cranks - it's easy
to split the cranks that way. If the crank arms are loose, you can check
that by pushing down on the pedals with both hands as hard as you can
(best with the bike upside down), rotating the cranks through 180
degrees and doing it again. If they're loose, they'll click.

> Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!

I would check for cracks in the frame, especially around the drive side
chain stay, and for problems in the rear wheel bearing, particularly on
the drive side.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; better than your average performing pineapple

 

[Pete Biggs]

noodles wrote:
........
> The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on the
> tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?

It is possible for cranks to be tight enough to seem and feel OK except
when pedalling, sometimes a clicking noise/sensation results if they were
not fitted tightly enough. I agree with the advice not to repeatedly
tighten but it's worth a second go if you think they might not have been
correctly fitted in the first place. I'm not sure cranks "creak" though.

Leave the bottom bracket until you've checked/eliminated everything else
you can think of. Then be careful any further tightening of the BB
doesn't cause binding which will wear out the bearings quickly (test axle
by hand to feel for any increased friction) -- this can happen even to
cartridge BBs when the shell isn't perfect.

~PB

 

[Steve]

Last time I had this problem, I started taking glucosamine. Noe my knees
are better lubricated...

Steve

 

[Tom Orr]

Bob Watkinson wrote:
> "noodles" <noodlesUK*remove*@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Hi
<snipped>

>> The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on
>> the tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?
>>
>> Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!
>>
>
> try removing your bottom bracket. Apply copper slip or similar to the
> threads and then refit.

I agree with Bob - don't try using anything else. And get a proper crank
tool if you don't already have one.

Tom.

 

[POHB]

Shoes/cleats ?

 

[squeaker]

noodles wrote:
> Hi
> > Recently ive been experiancing a creaking/clicking noise as I cycle my
> mountain bike.
>
> Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!

2 odd-balls that I've discovered in the past:
- rear wheel reflector creaking as the spokes flex - remove...
- small movement between the front crank rings as your pedal torque
varies - silicone spray between the crank rings fixed that one (they
were riveted together, so not so easy to tighten up)

I'd also agree with the comments on saddles - the pressure on the
mounting varies as you pedal....

 

[John]

"noodles" <noodlesUK*remove*@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> Recently ive been experiancing a creaking/clicking noise as I cycle my
> mountain bike. Adjusting the Bottom Bracket bearings seemed to fix this
> for a few weeks then it would reappear. I decided to buy a sealed
> cartridge to replace the factory fitted bearings, this was OK for a while
> but I am now experiancing the same problems.
>
> The creaking noise seems to occur when I apply force to the pedals, so it
> happens twice a revolution. It usually occurs when going uphill but also
> happens after freewheeling down a gradient, when I start pedalling to to
> continue my speed as the momentum runs out. It only only occurs when
> pedaling.
>
> The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on the
> tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?
>
> Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!
>

Try taking the pedals of the cranks and greasing the threads before
reassembly. I find dry pedal threads can cause creaking/clicking noises.



John

 

[M-gineering]

John wrote:
> "noodles" <noodlesUK*remove*@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Hi
>>
>>Recently ive been experiancing a creaking/clicking noise as I cycle my
>>mountain bike. Adjusting the Bottom Bracket bearings seemed to fix this
>>for a few weeks then it would reappear. I decided to buy a sealed
>>cartridge to replace the factory fitted bearings, this was OK for a while
>>but I am now experiancing the same problems.
>>
>>The creaking noise seems to occur when I apply force to the pedals, so it
>>happens twice a revolution. It usually occurs when going uphill but also
>>happens after freewheeling down a gradient, when I start pedalling to to
>>continue my speed as the momentum runs out. It only only occurs when
>>pedaling.
>>
>>The only thing I can think it could be is the crank arms moving on the
>>tapered squares, but this all seems pretty well tightened?
>>
>>Any Ideas would be appreciated as its a tad annoying and noisey!
>>
>
>
> Try taking the pedals of the cranks and greasing the threads before
> reassembly. I find dry pedal threads can cause creaking/clicking noises.
>

Or pedal cage bolts or rivets on pedals so eequipped

--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl