Creaking bottom bracket on newish bike

[ClaireSaud]

The manufacturer fix was to dribble linseed oil into the top of the seat post, the thinking being it was runny enough to run down the tube, but thick enough to hang around when it reached the bottom.

And, as the manager told me, the bike smelled nice.

Might be worth a try with a creaking press fit bottom bracket if you cannot be bothered to dismantle and regrease it.

Thanks for the advice, will probably try that out if it goes again.

 

[chriscross1966]

Moving BB bearings outboard was a daft idea, and proving as popular as a fart in a space suit.

I dunno, having squeezed an Ultratorque setup into my Brompton, I'm a complete snowflake about the feel of the standard BB, even on a brand new one. Can't imagine I will ever leave one stock again...

 

[Drago]

Alas, the love affair won't last many miles.

 

[Kbrook]

I've just bought the same bike and I've read other reports about the BB. From what I can tell its on a similar line to the Praxis works converter in that it converts the BB30 bottom bracket on the Terra to accommodate a Hollowtech chainset.
I've only done a 100 miles or so on mine without issue but I took the chainset off and greased it last night, but as they are sealed bearings I don't actually think you can do much once it goes. If mine goes I will be replacing it with a Praxis works one which I have used before on a BB30.

Do correct me if I have this wrong but I don't think I have. Meanwhile here is my new bike.....

 

[jonny jeez]

Hopefully I don't sound daft posting this .............. I bought a new Orro Terra Via in September last year and it comes with a Token PF30 bottom bracket. Since December it has been creaking, steadily getting louder. I took it back to my LBS today and they removed it and regreased it. They thought I had jet washed the bike, definitely not! I am concerned because I've only covered 1600 miles on the Orro, commuting to work and back on roads. Should I expect more mileage before having to regrease it or is this something I will have to deal with every few months please?

I spent a lot of cash and considerable time solving my creaking BB (new BBx 2, new crank bolts, then new crankset including new crank arms and then new pedals...also new shoes but that was on the cards already) but it turned out, despite all evidence suggesting it was...to be nothing to do with the BB.

my symptoms were a gradual increase of a creak, made better by back rolling the cranks and sometimes would go altogether for a period.

when it returned it would get worse and worse and then go again altogether, once more.

for your own sanity check that your rear QR is actually tightening the rear wheel in place and not just feeling tight (grease the cam on the QR to be sure)

turned out that every time I got a puncture and removed the wheel, I cured the lose QR for a bit. One sploge of grease, never had another problem

 

[ClaireSaud]

I've just bought the same bike and I've read other reports about the BB. From what I can tell its on a similar line to the Praxis works converter in that it converts the BB30 bottom bracket on the Terra to accommodate a Hollowtech chainset.
I've only done a 100 miles or so on mine without issue but I took the chainset off and greased it last night, but as they are sealed bearings I don't actually think you can do much once it goes. If mine goes I will be replacing it with a Praxis works one which I have used before on a BB30.

Do correct me if I have this wrong but I don't think I have. Meanwhile here is my new bike.....

Nice bike! Orro's website does state that they are sealed bearings. My LBS did remove mine and showed me the bearing and it was "grindy". They told me that they would grease it and then grease it some more. I rode the bike this morning and evening and it has done the trick, for now. I'm not sure how long it will last especially with rain forecast for the foreseeable. I really hope you have better luck.

 

[Globalti]

Your PF30 BB could be creaking for the same reason that many BB30s creak - it's not the BB creaking in the frame but the crankset axle fretting inside the bearings. My FSA crankset did it until I smeared bearing fit compound on the area where the axle sits inside the bearing inner races and it hasn't creaked since. I've applied the same solution to other BB30s as well with 100% success.

 

[Milkfloat]

Your PF30 BB could be creaking for the same reason that many BB30s creak - it's not the BB creaking in the frame but the crankset axle fretting inside the bearings. My FSA crankset did it until I smeared bearing fit compound on the area where the axle sits inside the bearing inner races and it hasn't creaked since. I've applied the same solution to other BB30s as well with 100% success.

So you basically 'glued' the axle to the bearing? I like that concept as because there should be no way you destroy the crankset and you easily get to know when the bearing is on it's way out. I have been greasing the axle, but I might switch over at the next service. I assume you used some very light strength compound?

Can anyone think of an idea as to why this is a bad idea?

 

[Globalti]

Bearing fit compound is just softer super glue as far as I know. It takes up the microscopic gap but doesn't set so hard that it prevents you from dismantling the parts.

I'll search the forum for a thread on this.... hang on....

Edit: Here it is: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/cannondale-bb30-bottom-bracket.196684/post-4207483

 

[bonsaibilly]

Are you sure it is the bottom bracket, often it is the seat rails or seat tube.

Or pedals

 

[Milkfloat]

Or pedals

Or stem.

 

[bonsaibilly]

Or stem.

Or knees.

 

[raleighnut]

Cannondale released a technical bulletin to fix creaking press fit bottom brackets because they had so many.

If I recall they specified which grease to use, but that was all it came down to - grease it.

The manager of my local bike shop is no fan of press fit bottom brackets, but he says they give a reasonable service life on a road bike, provided you can put up with/sort/don't get the creaks.

Press fits are a dead loss on a mountain bike due to mud and grit ingress.

All of which reminded the shop manager of another brand which had a short bottom bracket locating tube which pushed into the bottom of the seat post.

Nearly every one creaked.

The manufacturer fix was to dribble linseed oil into the top of the seat post, the thinking being it was runny enough to run down the tube, but thick enough to hang around when it reached the bottom.

And, as the manager told me, the bike smelled nice.

Might be worth a try with a creaking press fit bottom bracket if you cannot be bothered to dismantle and regrease it.

Linseed Oil sets really hard on contact with air.

 

[chriscross1966]

Alas, the love affair won't last many miles.

Well I'm changing it over to a Chris King with an FSA Gossamer crank, just to match the Chris King headset I'm putting in it. The Campy setup is moving to the bike I'm building for fun rather than commuting.... I've worked out a way to put drops on a Brompton :-).... I tracked down one thing I thought was utter unobtanium, a Campagnolo 1 1/8" threaded headset (I want the fun machine to have a Campagnolo Groupset) .... Back when Campy made mountain bike stuff in the early 90's the Olympus set had a Brompton fitting headset... hurrah!

 

[smokeysmoo]

Don't know about PF30 but I converted my BB30 to Hollowtech II with one of THESE after umpteen BB30 issues, and it's been perfect ever since.

Press fit BB's are the work of the devil and an answer to a problem that simply never existed, IMO that is