# The Brompton creak



## doginabag (17 May 2018)

I know this has come up here and all over the interweb, but I don't think I have ever found a conclusive answer. Does anyone know the source of the common creak that's associated with peddling, particularly down stroke on the left peddle?

I have checked and double checked, all bolts are done up tighter than a nuns chuff, but it still is sounds like Katie Price's bed springs!


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## mjr (17 May 2018)

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html#bottom but I'd check left crank, left pedal into crank and especially left pedal bearings first which shouldn't be done up too tight.


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## ianrauk (17 May 2018)

I may be wrong but I think @User10571 had a creak problem with his Brompton.


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## gizmo1994 (17 May 2018)

Mine creaks when the left pedal is upside down. Flip it over then the creaking stops. Swap them out for SPDs on weekends and no creaks at all.


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## chriscross1966 (18 May 2018)

User said:


> Mine doesn't creak - it clicks...


Probably the non folding pedal


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## Fab Foodie (18 May 2018)

Mine rattles like a skeleton in a dustbin...
You don’t then hear the creaks.


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## User10571 (19 May 2018)

ianrauk said:


> I may be wrong but I think @User10571 had a creak problem with his Brompton.


By a process of A Lemon Nation, that creak turned out to be the luggage block. 
Removing it and re-fitting it banished the creak. 
It didn't make much sense to me either.


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## CopperBrompton (19 May 2018)

A creak on a Brompton is usually the suspension block – just unscrew, grease and reassemble.


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## Kell (21 May 2018)

When mine developed a creak, everyone told me it was definitely the suspension block, but mine turned out to be the allen bolt on the drive side of the rear frame. It can come loose a tiny bit and meant there was some lateral play in the rear triangle. Cured it by tightening it - though you have to remove the chainring to get at it.

This was my bike: 
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RYbrBmqh0U


Although as mentioned above, I probably couldn't hear the creaks these days because of the rattling from the rear mudguard.


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## doginabag (22 May 2018)

Thanks everyone. I meant to take a look at this on Sunday, but enjoyed a stag do a little too much on Saturday and couldn't face it!



Kell said:


> When mine developed a creak, everyone told me it was definitely the suspension block, but mine turned out to be the allen bolt on the drive side of the rear frame. It can come loose a tiny bit and meant there was some lateral play in the rear triangle. Cured it by tightening it - though you have to remove the chainring to get at it.
> 
> This was my bike:
> View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RYbrBmqh0U
> ...



This sounds exactly the same, so will make it my first place to look. Cheers.


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## Kell (22 May 2018)

Just get the rear off the ground and see if there's any play in it before committing to taking anything apart.


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## doginabag (18 Jun 2018)

Never did find the source of the creaking sound, certainly nothing loose.
I was certain that it wasn't the suspension block ad it only happened when peddling. If i free wheeled and bounced the bike there was no noise. 

But today finally got round to another little job i have been to do and fot a couple of jubilee clips around tje suspension block 

The noise is gone!


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## cheys03 (18 Jun 2018)

doginabag said:


> The noise is gone!



Unfortunately, experience tells us it’ll be back!


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## Kell (19 Jun 2018)

Actually, what my experience has taught me is that you'll get exactly the same creak, only this time it will be something else that will take weeks to pinpoint.


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