Help... Bottom Bracket Creak

[lejogger]

Took part in a long, wet club run on Sunday, and noticed when commuting yesterday that I've developed an irritating creak from the bottom bracket.

I know it's a bit late but I haven't done my usual clean, dry, lube etc yet as I've been up the wall ever since I got back... that's for tonight, but I'm thinking it might be a bit more than just a dirty bike noise.

A couple of questions:
I'm hoping that it's just from that wet ride and now the BB is in need of regreasing rather than anything more serious? Sound about right? BB has done just short of 3,000 mostly dry miles - no maintenance of it as yet.

I'm assuming this will be a proper dismantle and thick grease job, not just a few hopeful squirts of GT85?

If I was to tackle myself what tools will I need? I.e. crank removal? BB removal? any more?
Many thanks in advance for any helpful input.

 

[goo_mason]

I've had a number of creaky BB incidents on my last two bike frames - been due to the BB not being tight enough (frame replacement & Halfrauds hadn't put it back together again properly - I could remove the BB with my fingertips rather than using a tool!) and also to wet rides and water/grit working their way in to the threads. Now keep the BB nice and tight and the threads nicely greased and all is well.

Best to pull the cranks off and get the BB out to check, clean, grease the threads and put back in again. You'll need a crank puller, a decent allen key to take out the crank covers (if you have them) and a BB removal tool for your specific BB type. Mine's a bog-standard Shimano splined BB, so the tool that came in my Edinburgh Bike Coop toolkit works fine in conjunction with a big monkey wrench so I can get some leverage as they're done up nice and tight.

It's a very simple job, but can sometimes require a lot of strength and effort!

 

[fossyant]

PS what pedals are you using ?

The pedals/cleats might need a good clean. If the cleats are Look for example, I find you need to rub off the black residue from the pedals (alloy) as this causes creaks. This happens on me if I've been on a long wet ride. I then need to clean up the cleats with a bit of sandpaper romoving all the black alloy deposits. Squirt of Mr Sheen after as well.

If that doesn't sort it, I'd disassemble and re-assemble.

 

[lejogger]

I've had a number of creaky BB incidents on my last two bike frames - been due to the BB not being tight enough (frame replacement & Halfrauds hadn't put it back together again properly - I could remove the BB with my fingertips rather than using a tool!) and also to wet rides and water/grit working their way in to the threads. Now keep the BB nice and tight and the threads nicely greased and all is well.

Best to pull the cranks off and get the BB out to check, clean, grease the threads and put back in again. You'll need a crank puller, a decent allen key to take out the crank covers (if you have them) and a BB removal tool for your specific BB type. Mine's a bog-standard Shimano splined BB, so the tool that came in my Edinburgh Bike Coop toolkit works fine in conjunction with a big monkey wrench so I can get some leverage as they're done up nice and tight.

It's a very simple job, but can sometimes require a lot of strength and effort!

Cheers Goo. I'll have to investigate the BB then to make sure I get the right tool.

 

[lejogger]

PS what pedals are you using ?

The pedals/cleats might need a good clean. If the cleats are Look for example, I find you need to rub off the black residue from the pedals (alloy) as this causes creaks. This happens on me if I've been on a long wet ride. I then need to clean up the cleats with a bit of sandpaper romoving all the black alloy deposits. Squirt of Mr Sheen after as well.

If that doesn't sort it, I'd disassemble and re-assemble.

Using Look Keo 2 Max Carbon.

Used a different pair of shoes on the Tuesday than I did on the ride... Older cleats on those and they're not in the best condition.

I'll check pedals/cleats as first port of call before I start taking everything apart.

Cheers Fossy

 

[fossyant]

Look delta here.

What happens is that as you use them, the cleats pick up aluminum residue on the contact points (the black marks). In the wet, this gets a bit 'polished' and then causes terrible creaks. I take a bit of sand paper to the cleats to clean them off, especially after a wet ride, and I'd advise a good clean of the contact points on the pedal. A squirt of Mr Sheen on the pedals and cleats and a quick wipe sorts it.

 

[Hacienda71]

My Look Keos creak occasionally, tiny smear of grease stops it for a few months.

 

[lejogger]

My Look Keos creak occasionally, tiny smear of grease stops it for a few months.

I'm hoping it's the cleats as that would be an easier fix, and I was having a bit of cleat creak during the club run as it was commented on as we made our way up the Bwlch y parc.

I'll blast it around the block with my slippers on tonight and see how it sounds!

 

[camtheman]

Are you sure your pedals are screwed in tight enough? I once had a creak that I was absoluely convinced was coming out of the BB only to find it was a bl00dy pedal - the creak was throwing its voice like a ventriloquist straight into the BB!

Other creaks that do similar things can be from where the shifter cable ferrules fit into the adjuster barrels on the down tube. Also, seat pins and bottle cages are all worth checking. I wouldn't rule out a creaking stem either. A mate of mine had a creaking BB back the LBS several times. Each time it was changed but the creak came straight back. I got his bike on a turbo trainer one day and happened to tweak the rear skewer - silence - all it needed was tightening up!

I'd check everything else that has screw thread before I started messing with the BB. I've wasted hours with BBs and allegedly creaking chainrings only to find the culprit is a much less obvious candidate.