Creaking headset after 700 miles?

[dude7691]

Hi all,

So I've got a B Twin triban 520 flat bar which I use fairly regularly now and I've put 700 miles or so on it. When hill climbing, and rocking the bike (pulling on the bars) the headset creaks every time I alternate between left and right pedal strokes. I can replicate the noise when the bike is standing still as well by holding the top tube and pulling up and down on the handlebars with some force. I've tightened all the headset bolts as hard as I can with a multi tool and it's made no difference from what I can tell. There are 5 spacers as well, so not sure if that's possibly causing it. I'm not sure if the bike has always done it as when I started out cycling again I never really stood up on the hills, so I didn't notice it. After reading round a bit I've heard that lack of grease on certain parts of the headset can cause issues like this. I'm just curious if this noise is indicating anything that would be potentially dangerous? The creaking doesn't actually bother me at all, it's just I don't want to one day have my steerer tube pop out and to have a serious crash. I would take it to a bike shop but will mostly likely get ripped off so ideally I'd want to fix it myself or not bother fixing it if it's not going to cause any issues down the line. As I said, it's only when climbing and pulling on the bars hard or when stationary I can get it to make the noise with some effort pushing and pulling on the bars.

Cheers

 

[Ajax Bay]

Sounds like the stem/bar interface to me.
Remove the stem plate, clean (bar clamping area and screws) and , grease and refit, torquing the 4 screws correctly.

 

[dude7691]

Sounds like the stem/bar interface to me.
Remove the stem plate, clean (bar clamping area and screws) and , grease and refit, torquing the 4 screws correctly.

Will do this if the creaking doesn't cease next time I ride, I've loosened the steerer tube bolt a little and it seems to have stopped it while stationary but we'll have to see what happens out on the road. Thank you

 

[iluvmybike]

If it has internally run cables they can creak where they enter the frame - cured by a smudge of grease more often than not

 

[fossyant]

Cables can cause it, and one thing to check is the pre-load split washer in the top of the headset. These help load the bearing. On my commute bike, I would fine every so often, the alloy on the washer was 'blackened due to the alloy steerer and washer rubbing. cleaning the streerer and washer with wire wool, then re-greasing stopped this. This was the only bike that did this - not had any other issues.

Check where the cables enter the frame (or the cable bosses) and make sure they are clean. furniture spray can help, or silicon lube/finish line shine and protect spray.

 

[ColinJ]

I've tightened all the headset bolts as hard as I can with a multi tool and it's made no difference from what I can tell.

I'm assuming that you mean the bolts on the stem?

Doing up bolts as hard as you can is NOT a good idea. Ignoring noises isn't either, so make sure that you get to the bottom of this...

I overtightened the bolts on a stem once and one of the threads subsequently pulled out while I was riding. Fortunately for me, I had just slowed after a warp-speed descent and was able to stop without falling off when my bars suddenly rotated through 90 degrees. I tendered my resignation to the BTTSC*** as soon as I got home ...

*** BTTSC - B@st@rd-Tight Torque Settings Club

 

[cyberknight]

i had a new headset fitted by lbs that has a cup that sits below the spacers that started creaking a week or so after it was fitted , a splodge of grease cured it.

 

[robjh]

I've just cured a very hard-to-find rattle in the headset area by regreasing the cassette bearings that sit at the top and bottom of the tube - take them out, gently prise open the rubber seal and pack in as much grease as it will take. My symptoms don't sound quite like yours, but if all else fails it could be worth a go.

 

[dude7691]

Update to this thread:
I missed a few bolts just above the spacers on the horizontal plane, tightened those up and it appears to have cured the issue So nice to ride a silent bike again!