Bottom Bracket Creak/Click

[andyt1980]

Had the BB replaced with a SRAM PF30 by LBS been a ride today and noise is still there!!.
The noise sounds exactly as it did before so I cant believe a new BB would produce the exact same noise, this would suggest it must be something else.

Next I'm going to try lubing my chainring bolts and removing pedals and lubing crank/pedal interface.

Anywhere else I should check?

 

[User6179]

Had the BB replaced with a SRAM PF30 by LBS been a ride today and noise is still there!!.
The noise sounds exactly as it did before so I cant believe a new BB would produce the exact same noise, this would suggest it must be something else.

Next I'm going to try lubing my chainring bolts and removing pedals and lubing crank/pedal interface.

Anywhere else I should check?

I would try with different pedals if you have another pair .

 

[JtB]

Is it only in certain gears? Just wondering if the chain is rubbing on the front mech? Also, are the spokes tensioned correctly? If they are too loose they could be creaking when rubbing against each other.

 

[andyt1980]

I would try with different pedals if you have another pair .

Yeh I can take off my MTB SPDs and try them, not sure why I didnt try that before, I think I was just so convinced it was the BB.

Is it only in certain gears? Just wondering if the chain is rubbing on the front mech? Also, are the spokes tensioned correctly? If they are too loose they could be creaking when rubbing against each other.

Pretty sure it happens in any gear, I know what chain rub sounds like and its not that. Also tried different wheels and it makes no difference, no loose spokes that I can find.

 

[Smokin Joe]

As I said earlier, undo the stem clamp, give bar and stem mating surfaces a wipe and re-tighten taking care to torque all bolts evenly. If it is still there see if the shifter bodies will tighten a bit more. Those things are the most likely cause because that's here you are putting the stress when you are out of the saddle. Sodding about replacing headset bearings is a job for when all the simple things fail.

 

[bikeman66]

Even though you have a new BB, is it not possible that the actual BB shell has worn and started to oval slightly? A friend of mine had this kind of issue (on a Cannondale if I remember correctly). The nylon cups went in perfectly well when the BB was replaced, but there was the most minute wear on the shell, meaning the cups were able to move very very slightly. This did actually prove to be the source of the creaking!

 

[mjr]

Even though you have a new BB, is it not possible that the actual BB shell has worn and started to oval slightly? A friend of mine had this kind of issue (on a Cannondale if I remember correctly).

What was the solution? New bike?

 

[fossyant]

Check seat and seat clamp - clean and pop on some grease before refitting.

 

[andyt1980]

Even though you have a new BB, is it not possible that the actual BB shell has worn and started to oval slightly? A friend of mine had this kind of issue (on a Cannondale if I remember correctly). The nylon cups went in perfectly well when the BB was replaced, but there was the most minute wear on the shell, meaning the cups were able to move very very slightly. This did actually prove to be the source of the creaking!

I certainly hope that, never heard of this happen before.

What was the solution? New bike?

If everything else I try doesnt work, I will likely just have to live with it and maybe sell it for something else next year.

Check seat and seat clamp - clean and pop on some grease before refitting.

As mentioned at the start of the post it only happens when im out of the saddle.

 

[woosey]

Just another random suggestion as i had a 'clicking' i just couldn't get rid of (seriously it went on for 6 months driving me mad!), went mad servicing the BB / cranks / headset etc. Turned out to be the pedals (SPD-SL's) clicking! Removed them from the cranks, Bit of grease on the threads (checking for any play in the shafts), re-inserted and torqued back up and bingo, it's gone!

 

[Smokin Joe]

I
As mentioned at the start of the post it only happens when im out of the saddle.

Which is why I keep saying to look at the bar and stem area.

 

[andyt1980]

Which is why I keep saying to look at the bar and stem area.

I've now greased all the stem bolts and the stem/handlebar interface as well as the top cap bolt. Went a test ride around the block and noise is still there, i'm not 100% sure but it does seem slightly quieter.
Something that does concern me slightly (and I was already aware of) is that however tight I do up the top cap I can still quite easily spin the headset spacers and maybe its this thats causing the creak, but however hard I try to replicate the noise with the bike stationary by pulling on the bars and side-to-side with the brakes on I'm not able to. I'm sure I was doing it correctly by ensuring the stem bolts were loose while tightening the top cap bolt before then tightening the stem bolts.
The headset is a FSA No.42/ACB W/15MM STANDARD TOP CAP.

Tried to change pedals, after wrestling with the non-drive side pedal for half an hour I wasnt able to remove it despite using a decent quality pedal wrench (I'm aware its reverse-thread), I've now sprayed the pedal/crank interface with WD40 to see if that will help but I've run out of energy/strength for the moment.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Something that does concern me slightly (and I was already aware of) is that however tight I do up the top cap I can still quite easily spin the headset spacers and maybe its this thats causing the creak, but however hard I try to replicate the noise with the bike stationary by pulling on the bars and side-to-side with the brakes on I'm not able to.

You should not be able to spin the spacers. Either the top cap is sitting on the steerer tube or if they are full carbon forks you have not tightened the bung properly.

 

[andyt1980]

The bike was not originally assembled by me so the bung wasnt put in there by myself. I was able to turn/tighten it a little before I put the top cap bolt back in, I didnt want to overtighten it and damage the fork, unfortunately I dont have a torque tool to measure this, should I try tightening it a little more?.
I'm pretty sure there is about 5mm of stem above the steerer tube so top cap isnt touching steerer tube, I will check this though.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The bike was not originally assembled by me so the bung wasnt put in there by myself. I was able to turn/tighten it a little before I put the top cap bolt back in, I didnt want to overtighten it and damage the fork, unfortunately I dont have a torque tool to measure this, should I try tightening it a little more?.
I'm pretty sure there is about 5mm of stem above the steerer tube so top cap isnt touching steerer tube, I will check this though.

When you tighten the bung use the long end of the Allen key on the bolt head and give it a firm turn. Carbon fibre isn't Waterford Crystal despite what some people will have you believe and provided the veins in your arm are not bulging you'll be ok. If the spacers spin the only reason can be that the top cap is unable to torque down on them because the steerer is too long or the bung itself has not been tightened into the steerer tube and is pulling upwards as you tighten the top cap.