Bottom Bracket got a soaking

[Haffers]

Last week on Winton 100K audax, we encountered a flooded road - going through this (we couldn't go around) meant the water went above the cranks. Since then my bike is making creaking/clicking noises when I pedal. Well i think it is my bike and not me

Could the bottom bracket be knackered and what is best course of action? Can I strip and relube or is it a replacement?

 

[MattHB]

Are you sure it's not a dry chain?

 

[accountantpete]

Depends on what BB you have - sounds like the water may have got in and washed the grease away.

I'd check the pedals first though - they can also suffer in the same way.

 

[Haffers]

Thanks both, I cleaned the bike after the ride and degreased/relubed chain as usual - swapped SPDs for my SPD-SLs as popped SPDs on for Audax. I cannot even guess where the noise is coming from, never seems below me but sometimes in front and sometimes back!!!

 

[betty swollocks]

Keep It Quiet.
I keep on recommending this link.
Because of all the many posts about annoying bike noises, I really think it should be made a sticky.

 

[cbs]

Get the bike upside down, drop the chain off the chainrings and hold it out of the way as much as you can, then turn the crank by hand. If you hear any noises or feel any rumbling or play, then you may need to do some work on the BB. I had this recently with a kids Ridgeback I was preparing to sell - the pedals were incredibly stiff to turn and I thought it was the chain/gears until I did the above. Found that the BB was really stiff, and although a squirt of WD40 loosened it, there was loads of play and it was rough as anything. Took off the non-drive side and found that the bearings (wasn't a cartridge type) were knackered, with one of the carriers having rusted to almost nothing.

On the other hand, a friend of mine has a Boardman Team road bike and he had a noisy BB (BB30 on that model), which turned out to be an incorrectly fitted seal/spacer.

 

[Haffers]

I get no noise when it's in the workstand. I have removed both bottle-cages, saddlebag, pump-clip, removed wheels and greased stays, removed and greased brake bolts. Tomorrow will tell :-)