Creaking from handlebars

[willhub]

Hi.

When I pull on the handlebars I hear like a creek, well sort of like a tapping sound, not the usually creaking. Any ideas what it could be? I took the handlebars and stem off and it still does it.

Thanks
Will.

 

[Bigtwin]

Headset bearing I would guess. Hard to be sure without seeing and hearing it.

 

[ColinJ]

[I know that this isn't the problem you've got because you still get the noise with the bars and stem removed, but it might serve as a warning to other people...]

I had a strange creaking noise from the front end of my MTB once at the start of a ride. I decided to ignore it and made a mental note to take a look at the bike when I got home.

I did a tour of the local bridleways and then headed for home down a steep rocky bridleway which had a big drop-off to the side. As I was bombing down, the creaking was getting louder and louder. I'd just got off the steep technical stuff when I decided to stop, take a drink and investigate. At that moment, the bolt in the stem pulled the thread out of the stem and the handlebars rotated through 90 degrees, almost dumping me off the bike!

My advice - never ignore funny noises from your bike! Oh, and don't overtighten bolts in alloy stems...

 

[willhub]

I worded it wrong, I meant, I took it off, and when I put it back on it was still doing it, I had weird clicking noises when I turn the handlebars, thats the cables so it's ok.