Creaking bottom bracket...What's the big fuss about ?

[Linford]

Well ????

Reading some of the threads absolutely filled me with dread at the prospect of sorting mine out. It had started to creak over the last couple of weeks when putting a bit of effort in, and had started to bug me a lot.
I was warned by one of my LBS's that they can get a bit of grit in them which causes this. I was advised to whiz it apart with the right tools, clean it with a degreaser and then apply a light film of grease on reassembly...ot stump up £40 and they'd do it.

Well, I've got a big can of brake and carb cleaner, and I invested in an Aldi cycle tool kit a few weeks ago...which has now payed for itself

You would have to be a total mechanical numpty to mess this bit of the bike up.

So that is that then

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I wish creaks on bike were always that simple, the one on my Verenti has been bugging me most of the summer and I've still not totally cured it, it normally occurs when leaning hard into my stroke. New bottom bracket, shell faced, checked and tightened every fastening on the bike, twice, removed chainrings cleaned them and put them on tight, tried different pedals and shoes, tried new cleats, removed saddle and post lubed and retightened, checked mudguards, checked frame, forks and handle bars for damage or cracks, and all I've done is reduced the noise a bit, I'm now waiting for something to fail.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I must admit to getting nervous about bottom bracket problems.

 

[Globalti]

Just examine the axle and you might see signs of a change in the surface texture on the "pressure" side where it passes through the bearings. This is your clue; it means there has been tiny movement and the surface of the axle is beginning to wear. Smear with grease, refit and forget.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I wish creaks on bike were always that simple, the one on my Verenti has been bugging me most of the summer and I've still not totally cured it, it normally occurs when leaning hard into my stroke. New bottom bracket, shell faced, checked and tightened every fastening on the bike, twice, removed chainrings cleaned them and put them on tight, tried different pedals and shoes, tried new cleats, removed saddle and post lubed and retightened, checked mudguards, checked frame, forks and handle bars for damage or cracks, and all I've done is reduced the noise a bit, I'm now waiting for something to fail.

Me to on my croix de fer, yesterday I stripped the bb, greased the seatpost and tightened everything up including the spokes. I'm optimistic it'll be squeak free today, but I won't be surprised if it's not.

 

[Biker Joe]

I wish creaks on bike were always that simple, the one on my Verenti has been bugging me most of the summer and I've still not totally cured it, it normally occurs when leaning hard into my stroke. New bottom bracket, shell faced, checked and tightened every fastening on the bike, twice, removed chainrings cleaned them and put them on tight, tried different pedals and shoes, tried new cleats, removed saddle and post lubed and retightened, checked mudguards, checked frame, forks and handle bars for damage or cracks, and all I've done is reduced the noise a bit, I'm now waiting for something to fail.

You didn't mention checking spokes at the cross over points or where the spokes enter the wheel rim (drop of oil on these points).

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

You didn't mention checking spokes at the cross over points or where the spokes enter the wheel rim (drop of oil on these points).

This will be done before I set off today...good idea.

Edit: used the Brompton 2 speed instead as a colleague was heading into uni early as well. It'll be interesting riding home up them thur hills.

 

[Linford]

There is a fairly strong school of thought that the bottom bracket to crank interface should be left dry. Either way though do not permit any play on a square section one. It buggers the crank very quickly.

I've got a screw in 'cone' with a bearing in each side of the BB with an O-ring sealed plastic tube to keep the crud out between the bearings,and the non drive side has a tapered spline with a retaining allen bolt (Truativ) so a very positive location on it. There is a bit of wear on the spline edges which is where I suspect the creaking was coming from. Anyway, I took it up my training route last night which is about 800ft in 6 miles and it was as solid as a rock.
It is a very simple piece of technology in comparison to my PTW.

 

[Globalti]

I had an annoying rattle on the new bike when I rode it last weekend - put it down to the internal cables and decided I would probably have to live with it. Then last night I moved the bike in the garage and the rattle was terrible. Cue five minutes on my knees, tapping the bike and trying to work out where inside the frame the noise was coming from.... until.... BINGO! I realised that the ali lockring on the FSA self-extracting BB axle bolt was loose! Tightened it up with a small drop of threadlock and.... blissful silence!

 

[Bromptonaut]

I must admit to getting nervous about bottom bracket problems.

And rightly so I think. The old fashioned type with fixed/adjustable cups were easy enough to service. Even if the fixed cup was seized or you lacked the tool to remove it it could be cleaned and re greased in situ.

The Lad's uni bike had nearly seized cartridge jobbie. Not a wholly sealed unit but it would have needed a special tool to remove the nut locking the outer cone into place. Replacement involves a bewildering range of spindle types/lengths, shell sizes, threads etc. Modern cartridges made of cheese light alloy are frighteningly easy to cross thread and don't even begin to get confused about which fitting has a LH thread.

 

[TheJDog]

My bottom bracket creak turned out to be a crack in the frame

 

[Biker Joe]

My bottom bracket creak turned out to be a crack in the frame

Oh ,that was unfortunate. Did you have to get a new frame or was it fixable?

 

[TheJDog]

Oh ,that was unfortunate. Did you have to get a new frame or was it fixable?

Frame is back with the shop now.. I'm assuming they will send me a new one. Carbon, and only a few months old.

 

[Biker Joe]

I bet you felt right sick when that happened.
I hope the situation is resolved very quickly for you.

 

[Linford]

I just foundoutthat my BB is called a 'Hollow Tech' or summat like that