Brompton creaks and squeaks

[SteveCon99]

I've been commuting with my Brompton for over a year.

I love the bike but recently I've been driven mad with creaking sounds when I pedal hard :
Just want to share what I did to eventually find the source :

Creaking only happened when pedaling hard.
Creaking happened when I pedalled standing up, so not saddle or saddle post issue.

Greased the internals and other rubbing surfaces of the suspension block : no difference
Lubed chain and got some oil into pedals, no difference.
Check that both crank bolts were tight and there was no play.
Replaced both pedals with some spare ones : no difference.
Replaced chain for new one : No difference.
Tried pedaling without the chain on. Bottom bracket appears perfect, no play or roughness, no creaks either.
Removed suspension block and inserted a wad of paper, pushing down on the frame made the creaking noise !

Squirted some thin lube/water-displacer at the nylon washers of the rear triangle hinge.
At last success , no more creaking !!

Happy cycling.

Regards
Steve

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Good to hear you tried the suspension block first. Source of many a mad squeak!!

 

[Brommyboy]

Quite a lot of the squeaks and creaks come from the suspension block: not the outside, but the inside! Remove the bolt through the centre of the block and grease that.

 

[Twanger]

I bet it does turn out to be the bottom bracket despite everything. I bet you anything you like (that's rhetorical!) that if you replace the BB the creak will go. Lots of peoples bottom brackets go. Mine went after two years and my God did I grease everything on the bike before I just though sod it I'll change the bottom bracket. So I did and goodbye creak.

 

[Brommyboy]

If the noise comes from the BB then it could be just that the spindle is not clean: remove the cranks and wipe the spindle with a dry rag. Do not grease. If rusty, just wipe with oily rag and then dry. Replace cranks and tighten with normal spanner, not huge one.

 

[Cheakamus]

I encountered a similar issue with my Brompton. After a year of pretty hard riding (I'm not a small fellow and I often ride with some luggage) it started creaking when climbing hills. I thought it was the bottom bracket but when I took it in to my local shop (not Brompton experts) they identified it as the rear hinge. They squirted some chain lube over the nylon washers and it went away, only to return about 100km later. I just reapplied chain lube and the creak went away - we'll see how long this lasts...

 

[T4tomo]

Mine was squeaking like mad last week, and I greased everything to no avail.

My daughter then solved the problem when she spotted I'd run over her pet hamster and got it caught up in the rear triangle.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

The rear hinge might need re-doing if you are riding hard. Mine shows no sign of strain but I think hubby's has been done.

 

[Brommyboy]

On my latest tour I had creaking when pedalling: this actually came from the frame hinges, as the bars are pulled on when pedalling! A small amount of grease under the clamp bracket and on the rubbing surfaces of the hinge completely cured that.

 

[Ganroon]

Wow, all this information has been really really useful. I set off for the train yesterday morning and could hear this infernal creaking sound. As I am quite a big chap and also carry a large-ish rucksack on my back, it sounds like the poor bike is struggling under the strain which can be quite embarrassing. Fortunately, I took some of the advice on this thread and the creaking has stopped, for now. Thank you to all the contributors for their very useful advice.

 

[Kell]

I went through a similar process of about a fortnight trying to figure it out.

Mine turned out to be the rear hinge, but it was because the drive side bolt had come loose and it was moving laterally. I actually found that out by accident as the bike was on the workstand and I was greasing the suspension block as I'd been told by almost everyone that it was 'definitely' that. ;-)

So even if you think you've solved it, check for side-to-side play in the rear triangle.

I took mine out, put thread lock on it and retightened. It's been fine ever since.

 

[chriscross1966]

There are two things i find squeak on stock Bromptons in well-maintained order, the rubber bung suspension (I found that the silicone assembly grease you use on push-fit guttering fixed it nicely and it can't attack the rubber.... the other thing is the pretty wretched bottom bracket they fit... unfortuantely barring the Shimano UN55 and the Miche Primato there aren't many good , cheap replacements... personally I go full-retard and bin the crankset as well and fit second hand Campagnolo bits.... not cheap, but lovely to pedal.... which reminds me, greease the folding pedal occasionally it can be weird and noisy too

 

[e-rider]

great help here as I have a creak. I suspected that it might be the rear triangle so I'll oil/grease it and see what happens

 

[Adgatez]

I had this problem and thankfully for this original post it has solved my creaking which has been bothering me for a couple of weeks. It too was the rear pivot triangle joint requiring a little lubing. Coincidentally it started creaking after I washed the bike, perhaps that washed away the grease that should have been there.

 

[12boy]

I was concerned about hinge lubrication and so bored a small hole in the frame above the hinge spindle through which I could squirt a little oil from time to time
Had to have a new bushing installed eventually and had the shop thread the hole for a 2 mm bolt. Now I just add a little oil ocassionally, knowing the bolt keeps dirt from entering the hole. The oils seeps out slowly but it's easy to add more.