Creak from BB area, anything I can tighten

[sevenfourate]

One of my bikes had a new Shimano Sealed BB fitted maybe 1200 (?) miles ago. It has been run through Winter, but never got jet washed / only washed by hand: and not subjected to horrific conditions. Thursday last week I heard the dreaded ‘click’. Slight, subtle, very low volume - but a definite click. Seemingly in time with crank 🙄

So I check pedals; and crank arms to BB interface (Gears are not bolted / interchangeable and so can’t be tightened or infant be loose).

Friday on the way in I THINK I still hear it once or twice. So I re-check everything at work. The ride home - silence ! The ride into work today - same again. I think 🤷‍♂️ But I stop in at the lbs tonight anyway.

Amazingly (I really rate these guys) he replicates the occasional click with the l/h crank arm just passed the peak of its arc and putting pressure on it (L/h side) a certain way. And has multiple tries at creating the click elsewhere in the stroke to no avail.

With that he whips off the l/h crank arm, manages to tighten the BB from that side, replaces crank arm, torques up both arms, checks pedal tightness, tries to replicate noise again (Which he now cant) and sends me on my way.

We’ll know by tomorrow night !

**Oh - and enjoy Googling ‘Lubricating square drive bottom bracket to crank” - another ‘classic’ cycle maintenance debate…. 🤦‍♂️

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

There’s special fitting to tighten those bottom brackets So you are buying a tool or taking it to a shop, but I wouldn’t let it rest. If the bearings are working in the frame it’ll get worse until it’s fixed or the frame is buggered. If you can’t figure it out get I checked out.

 

[silva]

Well in the case tomorrow night comes with creaks, I think I've read somewhere that Shimano after some CRACKs recalled some cranksets to check for beginnings of CRACKs, by using a magnifying glass with Specifications from Shimano.
It has been reported that definite CRACKs came after occasional creaks.
So a Thorough Cleaning + a magnifying glass may be needed to find it.
In case, but a picture here, so that we have something to talk about a while while tightening screws.

 

[presta]

If the bearings are working in the frame it’ll get worse until it’s fixed or the frame is buggered.

Dawes didn't fully tighten the BB on my Horizon when they built it, so I had the frame replaced under guarantee when it was 159 miles and two weeks old.

 

[PaulSB]

I've had many creaks on many bikes, none have been solved by tightening, servicing or replacing the BB.

 

[laurentian]

I've had many creaks on many bikes, none have been solved by tightening, servicing or replacing the BB.

This!!

I have had a BB out, fiddled with, re greased, put back and eventually found the noise to be coming from an incorrectly seated quick link. It definitely could be your BB but there are many other causes of a click/creak when pedalling and bicycles are notorious for their ventriloquistic tendencies.

Good luck!

 

[PaulSB]

I've had many creaks on many bikes, none have been solved by tightening, servicing or replacing the BB.

I'll mention one, probably the best. After months of unsuccessfully chasing a creak I went to collect the bike from my LBS.

The mechanic handed me a pair of cleats, "Paul, put these on."

Next ride, problem solved. I regularly lube my cleats.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

What I thought was BB bearings was in fact due to the front wheel QR clamp. This manifested itself whilst out of the saddle and on the downstroke of the left pedal. It took me ages to work that one out. No matter how tight I did the clamp in made no difference but a replacement QR skewer did. The BB whilst itself did become noisy and generally sounding rough but did not cause a creak or squeak. That was a square taper, not that should make too much difference.