Creaking SCR.

[Panter]

My SCR has an annoying creak which is starting to drive me mad

The first time it happened, I cured it by removing the bar clamp, applying copper grease to everything, and reassembling.

The second time was much harder to track down, but I finally cured it by greasing the seatpost. It seemed that this was creaking but transmitting the sound to the front end of the bike.

This time however, I just can't cure it.
It only happens when riding, if I push down hard on the bike in different places whilst not sitting on it, it's completely silent.
It's also silent when honking out of the saddle and when seated on fast descents.

Any ideas what I can try next? it's really starting to spoil my enjoyment of riding.

 

[Johnny5]

Could be the front wheel not being attached to the front fork tight enough. Try and tighten the quick release bolt and see how it goes.

 

[Panter]

Thanks Johnny5, I've tweaked it up a bit and I'll report back when I get home)

 

[fossyant]

Can also be the saddle - either rails / clamp interface, or where the rails interface with the saddle 'body'.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Can also be the metal ferrules at the end of the gear cables where they enter the frame stops on the head tube, a blob of grease here can remove errant squeeking!

 

[redjedi]

It only happens when riding, if I push down hard on the bike in different places whilst not sitting on it, it's completely silent.
It's also silent when honking out of the saddle and when seated on fast descents.

Any ideas what I can try next? it's really starting to spoil my enjoyment of riding.

Does fast descents mean when your not pedalling.

So it's only noisy when sitting and pedaling?

If so it could be your seatpost. Try greasing the pole where it goes into the frame and aslo the saddle rails.

 

[Panter]

Thanks guys Right, I've been busy with the grease again and all those contact points have been covered (literally)

Redjedi, Yes it is only when sitting and peddaling. I've greased the seatpost twice but have now done the rails as suggested above.

Interestingly, there was a fair bit of Black paste in the rail clamps, which I guess suggests that there has been movement there?

 

[Panter]

As well, it was exactly the same on the way home.

I'll try redoing the bars and clamp again.

 

[Panter]

Quick update in case anyone has the same problem and searches on the subject..........

Nobbled it

A quick Google seach revealed that most creaking problems on the SCR are down to the seatpost shim rubbing against the frame so no amount of grease on the seatpost itself will cure it.
You have to pull the shim out, then grease that, and reinsert it.

I've done that and the creak has gone

Thing is, because I've greased and retightened virtually every single nut and bolt in the quest to find the creak, it means the bike is now completely and utterly silent, it just glides along.
Even when it didn't have "the creak" it still used to squeak, tick and crack occasionally, but now, there's just a quiet purr oh, and my puffing and panting but no amount of grease is gonna cure that

 

[Johnny5]

My Giant Defy has started to creak as well. I went out for a fast 25 miler and the creaking just did my head in! I thought it was either the chain, the cranks or the bottom bracket so I regreased them once I got home last night. I haven't rode my bike since all the regreasing but I kinda think that it'll still be creaky due to the seat post which I've over looked. Gunna grease the seat post and saddle rails and I think it'll sort out the problem. Thanks for the heads up about the seat post other wise, it would have done my head in.

 

[MadoneRider1991]

Can also be the saddle - either rails / clamp interface, or where the rails interface with the saddle 'body'.

+1

 

[Panter]

My Giant Defy has started to creak as well. I went out for a fast 25 miler and the creaking just did my head in! I thought it was either the chain, the cranks or the bottom bracket so I regreased them once I got home last night. I haven't rode my bike since all the regreasing but I kinda think that it'll still be creaky due to the seat post which I've over looked. Gunna grease the seat post and saddle rails and I think it'll sort out the problem. Thanks for the heads up about the seat post other wise, it would have done my head in.

No problem, good luck

I only found it was a known problem by Googling. The sound seemed to be coming from the bars somewhere but it was that seatpost shim all along.

You might need a pair of pliers or something to get it out, mine actually came out with the post a while ago but it seemd to have fixed itself back in place as it needed a good tug with pliers to get it back out this time.

 

[Johnny5]

I don't think my bike has shim!? My seat post just goes straight into the frame and then you tighten it with the clamp.

 

[NickM]

...oh, and my puffing and panting but no amount of grease is gonna cure that

This stuff:

http://www.tacx.com/producten.php?language=EN&lvlMain=18&lvlSub=66&ttop=Carbon assembly compound

is really good for assembly of parts which don't (or ought not to) move relative to each other, like seatpins and handlebar/stem junctions. It has little "balls" in it which squash when compressed (Mike Burrows calls it "gritty grease"). You don't need to use gorilla strength to make things stay put, which has got to be a good thing with lightweight components. And it's not just for carbon fibre!

 

[redjedi]

Glad you got it sorted. I can't stand little squeaks and have to find the cause before I go riding again.

Didn't know about seat post shims, learn something new everyday.

Can you put a bigger diameter seatpost in and get rid of the shim?