Creaking / Cracking Noise

[wam68]

Folks,

Yesterday while out for a run my bike was making unusual creaking / clacking type noise when under load. This began after about 10 mile, carried on for about 5 mile then went quiet again. I initially thought headset as I had been pulling hard on it when accelerating so I took it apart, cleaned and lubed it. Today while out on a sportive run the noise returned after about 20 mile and gradually got worse. It would seem that maybe the problem is the Hollowtech BB but what puts me of that line of thought is the bike was quiet until later into the run on both days.

Has anyone ever experienced this ( ie quiet drivetrain and then clikety/ clakety and then quiet again) before I go and order a new BB. Merlin is doing the Ultegra for 13.00 at the minute but I don't want to change something that is not broken.

PS it's not the pedals, cleats

 

[Gatters]

have you checked the crank bolts torque ?

 

[wam68]

have you checked the crank bolts torque ?



They were tight but ehm , Would that explain the intermittent noise. Going to recheck now........

 

[shadow master]

Slip the chain off and lift the bike up spin the cranks at high speed with your fingers if its rumbling or laudable in anyway or you can feel feedback through the frame replace it,if not could be the cups slightly loose in the frame, if so this noise can come and and go depending on pressure applied and temperature a bit.

 

[wam68]

Heading out to the garage now to check as it is annoying me. Thanks for the ideas

 

[Hacienda71]

Sounds like it could be the bb, they don't last all that long. Might be worth greasing it and refitting to the correct torque to see if this resolves it.
All that said creaking can come from many different places, pedals, bars etc. So to a certain extent there is a bit of eliminate all possible causes to cure it.

 

[gbb]

Highly highly unlikely, but check around the welds for cracks in the frame. Mine went at the bottom of the BB, took me ages to find it.
Most unlikely but its not a bad thing to check out anyway from a safety perspective.

 

[Dirk]

I had an annoying creaking sound on my Defy 5 that started after about 50 miles from new. Couldn't figure out exactly where it was coming from. Took it to LBS and they couldn't identify where it was coming from either, until I left it with them. Turned out to be a collar on the steerer that had not been bonded on properly. Giant replaced the whole bike the following day. I thought that was pretty good service.

 

[mynydd]

I had a very similar problem, Drove me nuts. Eventually worked out it was the threads of the bb. I kept dismantling, cleaning and regreasing - only for it to return a short while after. Finally solved It with copper grease, no problem creaks since

 

[Yellow Saddle]

A worn BB usually doesn't creak, it just rumbles. @shadow master's advice is good but you may not get the chain to go completely out of the way. You may have to remove the chain in order to hear the BB.

However, if it is a screw-in BB, remove it and clean the threads in the shell and on the cups. Refit with copper compound on the threads. If it is a pressfit BB in a carbon frame, make friends with the noise, the two of you are married.
In this case, the intermittent noise comes from the difference between wet and dry threads/pressfit interface.

 

[jonny jeez]

Bars?

 

[lpretro1]

Check qrs done up tight. clean/regrease/torque handelbar clamp bolts & seatpost?

 

[bpsmith]

Rear hanger? Mine was loose and creaking sounded a lot further away.

 

[wam68]

That's everything tightened and greased. Took it out for a run. All quiet for about a mile and then the feckin clicking / creaking / clacking starts. Really peeved off. Ordered a new BB from Merlin and see if that does it. Even took the caged bearings in the headset out and replaced them with loose which in itself was a pain in the ass. Otherwise I have no idea. Tried all the hints the members have provided and indeed the BB sounds fine. It is only after a while and when under load that the noise starts and seems to be coming from the direction of the BB. New BB is a last gasp otherwise it's going in the bin............. Completely exasperated

 

[rb58]

I once solved a creaking by dribbling a tiny amount of oil onto the spoke nipples and at the flange. It was a last resort, but I only figured it was wheel related because the noise was still there when freewheeling.