Creaking frame

fletch

The frame on my bike is creaking and it's driving me absolutely mad :mad: Is there anything that can be done to stop it???

Ryaner

Dependings on where it is coming from.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html

petethedrummer

fletch wrote: »

The frame on my bike is creaking and it's driving me absolutely mad :mad: Is there anything that can be done to stop it???

What sort of bike?

fletch

petethedrummer wrote: »

What sort of bike?

Flat bar racer....did have an encounter with a car a few months back...hopefully the frame hasn't been damaged

Lumen

fletch wrote: »

Flat bar racer....did have an encounter with a car a few months back...hopefully the frame hasn't been damaged

Check for cracks, including on components like the stem faceplate (I've read that these can creak shortly before they fail).

fletch

Turned out to be the seatpost creaking...that's a relief.
Amazing how annoying a squeak can be...hated cycling into work all week cause of the noise. Got the creak sorted yesterday and it was such a nicer cycle in this morning.

blorg

It can be very difficult to identify the source of a creak, often it is somewhere completely other than where you think.

Canis Lupus

My (what I believe is called a) bottom bracket is clicking when I apply pressure. I released the crank bolts to make sure it wasn't them but the cranks were totally not coming off (it's times like this that I miss living on a farm and having access to **** like lump hammers) so it may in fact just be clicky cranks Will try again this weekend when I have more time and if no joy will take to bike shop.

Clicky bikes are no fun.

fletch

blorg wrote: »

It can be very difficult to identify the source of a creak, often it is somewhere completely other than where you think.

Yeh I would have never said it was the seat post...was sure it was coming from around the front derailleur area...sorted now anyway

ednwireland

Canis Lupus wrote: »

My (what I believe is called a) bottom bracket is clicking when I apply pressure. I released the crank bolts to make sure it wasn't them but the cranks were totally not coming off (it's times like this that I miss living on a farm and having access to **** like lump hammers) so it may in fact just be clicky cranks Will try again this weekend when I have more time and if no joy will take to bike shop.

Clicky bikes are no fun.

do not hit cranks with lump hammers if you do you and they come off throw them away, there are things called crank pullers to get them off. it sounds like you have square taper bottom bracket this is a steel axle your cranks are relativley soft alloy. you also need special tools to get the bottom bracket out, they are normally on newish bikes sealed units (throw away and replace)

Canis Lupus

ednwireland wrote: »

do not hit cranks with lump hammers if you do you and they come off throw them away, there are things called crank pullers to get them off. it sounds like you have square taper bottom bracket this is a steel axle your cranks are relativley soft alloy. you also need special tools to get the bottom bracket out, they are normally on newish bikes sealed units (throw away and replace)

Ooooh, crank pullers eh? Glad I didn't try too hard to get them off then

Quigs Snr

I was all set to replace a headset today. Had an FSA Ceramic one in my shopping basket on CRC. Turned out that one of the bottom bracket cups needed a bit of grease. Bloody carbon bikes, they are all ventriloquists I swear.

fletch

My head is still wrecked with this creak...a day or so after I thought the seat post had stopped creaking, it started again. Read somewhere that hair spray normally solves it....sprayed that on but it only stopped it for about a mile or so....bought grease and spread it over the seat post, that stopped the creak for about 30km or so. Could it be that the seat post is too long? Could I saw it down?

I also got it into my head that it was the headset so I took that apart tonight. In doing so I noticed that the bearings weren't sitting correctly, see below. I somehow managed to get them all back into place and greased them up. HAven't had a chance to take the bike for a spin yet, hoping it will be all sorted in the morning for my commute but I'm doubtful.

Do the bearings look okay? Should the unit be sealed or should I have been able to see the bearings? Sorry I'm totally clueless, just learning as I go along.

qbasic

Replace it. The bearing should have a full compliment of balls, in your pics it looks like have have fallen out.

Harrybelafonte

I'm gettig a craking in my headset especially when going over bumps. I've read Sheldon but doesn't seem to be much in what he says bar tightening the binder bolt, which I've done

Húrin

Canis Lupus wrote: »

My (what I believe is called a) bottom bracket is clicking when I apply pressure. I released the crank bolts to make sure it wasn't them but the cranks were totally not coming off (it's times like this that I miss living on a farm and having access to **** like lump hammers) so it may in fact just be clicky cranks

Cranks are not meant to come off when you release the bolts. Square taper bars are very good at holding onto things really tight which is why a crank extractor is needed. a bike shop will remove the cranks for you or sell you the tool for about €12

fletch

qbasic wrote: »

Replace it. The bearing should have a full compliment of balls, in your pics it looks like have have fallen out.

No there is 19balls and 19gaps in the plastic where they all pop into. Anyway, crackling and creaking was worse than ever this morning! :mad:

fletch

Should the bearing actually be able to be separated in two? The bottom bearing doesn't appear to be but the top bearing(pictured) is in a few pieces.

fletch

Please somebody help....I think this might tip me over the edge :mad:
If anybody is good with this stuff and willing to help some evening? I don't want to drop it into the shop cause I want to know what the problem is for sure and how I can fix it the next time.

fletch

Took the headset completely apart the other day....degreased everywhere and then greased up anything that looks like it touches anything that moves....not a single squeek or clicking for 2 days! Delighted!