Mystery creaking/clicking

[Chislenko]

I had similar recently, stripped, cleaned and regreassed the SPD-SL pedals and that sorted it.

Strange as it may sound I wouldn't discount the cassette not being tight enough either.

 

[figbat]

Strange as it may sound I wouldn't discount the cassette not being tight enough either.

Or the rear wheel not being tight in the frame.

 

[ColinJ]

Strange as it may sound I wouldn't discount the cassette not being tight enough either.

I had that recently on the 1 x 11 bike that I keep in Devon. I had tightened the lockring as much as I reasonably could but the cassette still creaked. Then I discovered that an 11-speed MTB cassette (such as the 11-42 on the bike) needs a 1.85 mm spacer on an 11-speed road freehub (such as on my wheel).



I fitted a spacer, refitted the cassette, tightened the lockring and...



... the creak was gone!

 

[normgow]

Could it be that the rear mechanism hanger needs tightening?

 

[berty bassett]

personally I would check the easy things first , standing up to pedal can eliminate saddle , putting hands close together while pedalling might eliminate handlebars and stem , take wheels off and put back on ( tighten cassette while off ) could eliminate cassette and skewers - wd40 cleats as might be shoes creaking ,bit of oil on pedals might stop them creaking
once you find out where its coming from then anyone of them is an easy fix - wouldn't attack the bb straight away as its the hardest thing to fix and might not even fix the problem
also there's the bolts on the chain rings to tighten - its a pig to find a creak but it is nice when you are silent running
I have found that if there is a rhythm to the creak then it could be any of the above as you put pressures in different places when pedalling , if there is no rhythm then more chance of bearings on way out
a tapping noise was sending me mad once and I was convinced it was bb - only to find it was a long zip pull tapping on the zip
good luck
and at worse , if you've gone all over your bike tightening all things and checking cable ends aint catching at least you have given your bike a good looking at

 

[cyberknight]

i find threaded BB where a cup screws into the frame like square taper HT2 etc that putting a layer of grease inside the non drive cup where the BB sits inside it but its not directly joined ( if that makes sense ) has solved creaking whilst pedalling on a few bikes

 

[iwantanewbike]

If not the BB or pedals, the next culprit is likely to be an under-tightened chainring bolt

 

[Svendo]

QR drop outs: all the bikes/frames I’ve had need a layer of grease between the drop outs and the wheels or it can sound like the BB is about to explode, esp going uphill etc.
No experience of thru axels so YMMV in that case.