Those annoying creaking sounds

[downfader]

Things that go bump in the night... well it started in the dark. Every couple of pedal strokes I'd get this "tick-tick!" sound. First time it happened I thought to myself theres a lot of muck being attracted to my chain. Will give that an oil and clean it out.

Did that. Same thing next ride. Even worse. Got home, inspected chain. Yet again covered in muck. I dont ride off-road so this was annoying me somewhat. It had also been dry out.

A little tweak of the adjusters on the dérailleur. Cleaned off a load of gunk on the chainset again.. dried and rode in to work the neck day.

Same creaking sound. Only louder. Upon inspection when I stop at work I find more of this thick, black scum all over the chain, derailleur etc. Give the chain a clean when I get home. Loads of this muck comes off.

Slightly p*ssed off with this one final ride in on thursday where it rains on me lightly. Not too worried about that, but that "click click" has become a stretching, prolonged creak. This is a new £30 connex chain, not used for more than 600 miles. I had this before but 2 of the LBS said "clean it and it will stop".

Took the chain off and scrubbed in the washing up bowl of slightly stronger FS10. Solution went from pink to black in 10 minutes of gentle toothbrush brushing. Poured the liquid off into a bottle. Put chain in a small plastic tub and more FS10 and gentle gyration for a couple of hours. That too, went black (but not as black).

Chain looked like new.

Got up today. Had left it on a paper towel over night in the warm to soak up any excess water. There's a little rust. Made the decision yesterday that I will go and buy some new chain as a back up. No wear on the sprocket, just grime. Will also buy a chain stretch measure tool if I can get one. Possibly some other oil. I have teflon at home but thats more for summer.

How far have you gone to clean a chain?

 

[YahudaMoon]

I agree in keeping your mechanics clean and changing your chain before it wears out the rest of the running gear. I doubt the noise is the chain ?

As for cleaning bike specific products I think its all a bit of a con and don't know anything about em. Ive been cleaning my chains the old school way for years with no issues of what is turpentine substitute or white spirit at £1 a bottle

 

[Mugshot]

I had the same thing myself, clunk click every trip, turned out one of my pedals had snapped!
(I'll fix it one day)

 

[YahudaMoon]

As for chain checking tools most measure incorrecly except one of what calibrates from the middle. Most chaain checkers calibrate from end to end of what are wrong.


Use a ruler :-D

 

[kishan]

try lubing the chain and front cloggs and cranks and clean any build up of road dirt near the peddle joints that join on to the frame see if that changes it? could be bearings are shot.

 

[downfader]

try lubing the chain and front cloggs and cranks and clean any build up of road dirt near the peddle joints that join on to the frame see if that changes it? could be bearings are shot.

Checked pedals and cranks with chain off, and rear wheel. No noise. Brand new pedals on there. BB is a Hope and is 2 years old now. Smooth as a spiv. Rear sprocket was only put on just before christmas, as with chain, iirc.

 

[BlackPanther]

I've had 3 hard to trace creaky noises.

1/ Front derailleur was just catching on the chain.

2/ A harder one to trace was my cleat creaking ever so slightly in the pedal.

3/ This one took ages to find. It was a very faint creaky noise every full rotation of the pedals, coming from the right side, whether under pressure or not. It lasted maybe a minute, maybe the whole ride, some days not at all. It went if I pedalled just with the left pedal.
It turned out that it was my right knee cap!

 

[CopperBrompton]

I had a really hard-to-track-down creaking that was (2), above: the cleat creaking on the pedal. Spray-lubed both cleat and pedal, sorted.

 

[daSmirnov]

My Tiagra crank arm is my main issue I've been fighting over the last few months. Pinch bolts start coming lose and it starts creaking after that. Faffing about with it so much had to get a new bolt as the head got warn away on one of them from me constantly re-tightening them.

 

[downfader]

I had a really hard-to-track-down creaking that was (2), above: the cleat creaking on the pedal. Spray-lubed both cleat and pedal, sorted.

I have sealed MSK pedals, non-cleated type. Actually has no way in to grease them. Only 16 quid iirc. Bargain imo.

 

[downfader]

My Tiagra crank arm is my main issue I've been fighting over the last few months. Pinch bolts start coming lose and it starts creaking after that. Faffing about with it so much had to get a new bolt as the head got warn away on one of them from me constantly re-tightening them.

Threadlock tape? I know its not ideal but is a temporary solution. I suppose over-tightening can lead to them wearing the socket out and loosening? Is this correct?

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

I had a squeak every time I pedalled, that was driving me insane on one commute. Each time I stopped to check what it was, I couldn't get it to happen. Eventually I realized that it was my new overshoes catching on the crank.

 

[downfader]

Chain now reinstalled and completely new looking. Also bought a new one today as a backup plan, same type in the end. Bought a cheap work stand. Will switch to teflon on the winter bike for now and see how it goes. Took a rag to the tripleset and managed to get more gunk off it before the chain went back on, too.

Oiled and (hopefully) ready to go.

 

[Rancid]

mega frustrating isnt it.
Got a click click on the downward stroke from my left pedal.
Bike is only 2-3 month sold so waiting on a replacement set from the manufature/shop.

 

[Arjimlad]

I had a squeak every time I pedalled, that was driving me insane on one commute. Each time I stopped to check what it was, I couldn't get it to happen. Eventually I realized that it was my new overshoes catching on the crank.

Nice one - mine was the ends of my shoelaces "tinking" against the crank arm !