have i been jipped... oh and my chain is creaking and jumping under pressure

[Fab Foodie]

Bicycles always need a little TLC and most of the tweaking needs to be done when new, after a while stuff seems to 'bed-in'. Learn to love a little fettle!
Better (more expensive) kit seems to require less adjustment, maybe it wears less.
Squeaks and rattles come from all kinds of places and not always the most obvious!

There's a lot of online help from the likes of the Park Tools website.

 

[splreece]

Many thanks for all the advice...

From an obvious noob.

 

[Tim Hall]

Could also be a loose BB. Grab the cranks and see if there is any movement in them other than circular, ie http://www.madegood.org/bikes/repair/check-a-bottom-bracket/

I've had a squeak from a cartridge BB before without discernible movement. Cured it by removing the BB, putting a wrap of PTFE tape on the threads and re-installing it.