Bottom bracket creaks: Bikefanclub.com

Dear Super:

Clicks and creaks can be the most frustrating type of mechanical problem than cyclists have to deal with. The first thing to keep in mind that most of those noises, whether they come from the bottom bracket or not, sound as though they come from the bottom bracket. I will give you a few hints as to how you might start to track this one down.

If you can not get the bike to make the noise when you are standing, then you can be pretty sure that the sound is actually coming from the seat post, saddle, saddle rails, etc. Frequently, a saddle noise comes from the rails creaking inside their pockets in the shell. A little squirt of lube in those pockets will tell you if that is it.

If the sound goes away, even for a little time when you squirt water in the general direction of your pedal / cleat, then that is where the problem is. If you suspect that there is a chance of the noise coming from your Pedals / cleats / shoes, try the water squirt first to check. If that test gives you a heads up, you will need to work on isolating the real source. The most common source is the interface between the cleat and the sole of the shoes. The next most common is the interface between the cleat and the pedal itself. Look pedals, especially older ones, could not be fixed once the creaking started since it was a result of the aluminum of the hook rubbing off onto the back of the cleat. This caused an aluminum on aluminum interface and horrible noises. No amount of grease or anti-seize would cure the problem.

If the creaking ONLY comes when you are standing, the problem is most likely coming from the front wheel. Many modern wheels use aluminum front axles or axle lock nuts. These pieces will build up aluminum oxide dust on them which will make horrible creaking noises when you stand up. Just clean the area, apply a tiny amount of grease to the axle and lock nut and reinstall the wheel. The most consistent offender of this type is the Ksyrium. Rolf wheels also make horrible noises sometimes. This is usually from a wheel that is simply not as tight as it should be.

When you had the good folks at Phil Wood grease the crank bolts, did they do the chain ring bolts? All mating surfaces on all of the chain ring bolts need to be lightly lubed. They will creak or click otherwise.

In any case, if you did not hear a change in the noise after the work that you had done on the Bottom Bracket, you can be sure that it is not the Bottom Bracket or its interface with the frame. If it was, there would have at least been some sort of change in the noise for a while.

Let us know how you make out...

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Tom Kellogg
Spectrum Cycles
610-398-1986
http://spectrum-cycles.com/