What's this called and how do I get it off?

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contadino

Veteran
Location
Chesterfield
I want to get in to service the bottom bracket on my bike. It's making creaking noises. So step 1 would be to ping off the cap covering the crank bolt. Except I don't know how to do that with this thing. I tapped it with a screwdriver, tried shining a torch in the hole, scratched my chin, then thought I'd best ask you lot...

Any ideas of what it's called would be a help. Do I need a special tool to get it off?

Many thanks.
IMG_20150512_112211401.jpg
 
yeah , a screw driver, its then that you start to need other tools, lol
 

ayceejay

Guru
Location
Rural Quebec
A word of caution: I would say that when looking for a creak the bottom bracket would be the last port of call especially if you have neither the tools nor the knowledge as another creak then comes to mind - the one you don't wanr to be up without a paddle.
 

w00hoo_kent

One of the 64K
From experience, if the dust cap is giving you pause for thought, everything beyond the dust cap is going to send you screaming to the bottom of the garden. Do you know anyone who has experience of doing this, if you do I'd ask them to sit in. If they don't bring tools with them, then they are intending to laugh at your misfortune repeatedly. When I first tried this in anger, I think I ended up making two trips for tools from the LBS as first time, despite telling them exactly what I was doing, and what I didn't have (anything specific) they still neglected to sell me all the tools I needed.

If you are determined, consider local 'bike maintenance' classes. Or sit down and watch a lot of youtube (about bike maintenance, not kittens).
 
OP
OP
contadino

contadino

Veteran
Location
Chesterfield
Thanks. I'm now fairly sure that it's the bearings in one of the pedals that are the fault. It creaks for the first 7 or 8 km, worst when I leave home, and feels like bearings.

The pedals are 520s. New as of a few hundred km ago, and given a clean bill of health by the bike shop although I'm confident he didn't service them as the chalk line I put on them was still in tact when I got the bike back.

Just watched this and it looks like I need to strip my padals back myself.


View: https://youtu.be/utLU4kAHk_Q
 

subaqua

What’s the point
Location
Leytonstone
Thanks. I'm now fairly sure that it's the bearings in one of the pedals that are the fault. It creaks for the first 7 or 8 km, worst when I leave home, and feels like bearings.

The pedals are 520s. New as of a few hundred km ago, and given a clean bill of health by the bike shop although I'm confident he didn't service them as the chalk line I put on them was still in tact when I got the bike back.

Just watched this and it looks like I need to strip my padals back myself.


View: https://youtu.be/utLU4kAHk_Q



admirable you want to take em apart but for the cost of new SPD against your time and materials and tools . just buy new
 

compo

Veteran
Location
Harlow
Nearly always when I have had a creak in my bottom bracket it has turned out to be either my handlebar/stem joint or my seatpost or saddle rails needing a wipe of grease.

That's not to say it couldn't be your BB.
 

ayceejay

Guru
Location
Rural Quebec
Before dismantling pedals or bb check your cleats and then tighten chainring bolts to correct torque then make sure your pedals are attached correctly (torque, clean thread, grease)
 
OP
OP
contadino

contadino

Veteran
Location
Chesterfield
Thanks. Did the cleats this afternoon and found one of the screws loose. It had stone wedged in the hole but it's limestone around here so I put it in some vinegar and watched it fizz for a bit.

Ill give it a try, but it does feel like a bearing problem though.
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
I recently solved a creak that *could have* come from the BB by tightening the left hand side crank, it was indeed a bit loose :smile:
 
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