colnago62

There is a very good chance that the shop ate the cost, which in the grand scheme of things pretty cheap to keep a good customer happy.

colnago62

They have a customer service number that I called with questions about bb90 (You think bb30 is a pain, 90 for the win) issues. Man, those guys know their stuff. He talked to me for 30 minutes explaining the pros and cons of the press fit revolution. He gave me a much better understanding and now I know what to ask for when I have a shop install my bearings (Some shops won’t use Loctight. My local shop for example).

SundayNiagara

Robert A

Who has a customer service number?

bruce19

I bought this CAAD 12 about 3 months ago. And, yes, it had the BB creak. Took it back to the shop and they rectified the situation. No charge. My impression is that it is because it is a press fit BB not threaded and it will happen again. Small price to pay for this bike IMO.

ARPRINCE

This CAAD model uses a PF30 and not a regular BB30 bearing install? What brand?

Banzai

BB30 was always a solution in search of a problem. But the solution to press fit bottom bracket creak is a threaded bottom bracket.

I have a BB30 bike, and did all the work with loctite and curing to stop the creak. While I did get it stopped, I’ll never buy BB30 again; a modern system shouldn’t force me to do all that nonsense.

Especially not when 68mm English threaded HT2 bottom brackets are so elegantly simple and work so well.

redlude97

...that is comprised of pressed in bearings using a retaining compound like loctite

Banzai

And yet doesn’t require the consumer to go to measures like those commonly prescribed for BB30 in order to get satisfactory results.

Also, you are oversimplifying in your effort to create an equivalency.

redlude97

You don't think shimano workers perform a similar procedure to press in bearings into the cups? Cannondale and other manufacturers sells thousands of bikes with pressed in bearings and not all of them creak. There is nothing inherently wrong with pressed in bearings and loctite is the industry standard for pressed in replaceable bearings for various applications outside of the bike world. Not sure why that is considered going out of the way in terms of installation.

Banzai

You’re missing the point, and really stretching the false equivalency here.

I own both, and have installed both. Guess which provides more trouble free performance while also being much easier to install.

But you just go on claiming they’re the same.

shelbyfv

You certainly don't hear much about HT2 bottom brackets creaking as soon as they leave the shop. Isn't Specialized going back to threaded bb on the Roubaix, maybe others? That has to have cost them some $.

Robert A

So I just got word that Cannondale will replace the BB bearings. Any idea what they chose this approach?

FWIW, I have under 2,000 miles on my CAAD12.

colnago62

The reason Manufacturers went to press fit is that it allowed them to lower the weight of the frame and increase the stiffness of the bottom bracket. What the industry did not account for is the large number of consumers who just want a maintenance free bottom bracket. I would be more than happy with a heavier frame with less maintenance. I am replacing bearings 3x a year.

SundayNiagara

Hard to believe press fit would be stiffer than threaded?

Robert A

So is creaking caused by bearing wear? And if so, how much do bearings cost to replace?

loimpact

The bearings don't need to be replaced unless the cups/races have been damaged in all the removal/reinstall. (but they're usually still fine if under a few thousand miles)

The BB30/PF30 solution is just problematic.

The creaking comes from the BB/BB Shell interface

Praxis Works with a Shimano crank is a good solution.

Wheels Mfg threaded BB is a good solution for 30mm dia cranks. (Cannondale, FSA, etc.)

If at first, Loctite 609 doesn't succeed (and there's a good chance it won't).......remove all again, lightly sand 609 surface inside the shell, apply more 609 and try again.


More than you ever wanted to know ------------> https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...read-sigh.html

Banzai

So, with original BB30, there was a thriving market of threaded “sleeves” that could be glued or fitted to the bottom bracket shell to convert to 68mm English threaded.

Then, Cannondale came out with BB30A, which changed the width of the bottom bracket shell. The conspiracy minded part of me says they did it to prevent consumers from retrofitting their bikes with conversion sleeves.

topflightpro

Loctite works perfectly when installed properly. This means applying Loctite, pressing in the bearings. And then leaving the press on the bearings for a full 24 hours as the Loctite cures.

Too often shops press in the bearings and remove the press. As the Loctite cures, it pushes the bearings out a bit, allowing them to move and creak again.

I only ever knew of a handful of people who used those sleeves, which were permanent. I think more people opted for the Derlin adapters from Wheels Manufacturing.

Banzai

Or the Praxis bottom bracket.

You know what I don't have to do with a threaded BB? Keep a press on it overnight while it cures.

I say this as a person who has done all those things to solve the creak on my CAAD9. It still makes me mad. When it gives out, I'll probably sleeve it and get a new crank.

redlude97

You also don't have to buy praxis specific tools for their BB. And bearings cost $2-3 each

bruce19

smashndash

Don’t believe the hype. The Cannondale Creak™️ isn’t just caused by bad installation. Several bikes have been known to be out of spec. There are tolerances regarding shell diameter, diameter ovalness, parallel alignment and face alignment (I’m sure those are not the correct technical terms but hopefully you get the idea). If your bike shop were truly competent, they’d use some very precise tools that I know nothing about to determine whether your bike was out of tolerance or not.

400 miles and you got a creak? You’re probably out of tolerance. People say you need loctite to get rid of creaks and they’re right to a certain extent - a poorly fit BB will stay in place with loctite, but that doesn’t mean your bearings aren’t getting crushed or loaded poorly. Try spinning your cranks without a chain. How many times does it spin? Less than one revolution? 2 or 3 revolutions? Garbage. People will say spin tests don’t mean anything but I assure you that your BB isn’t supposed to have that much drag even when unloaded.

Unless you can somehow prove that your BB shell is out of tolerance, you’re probably SOL in terms of warranty. Cannondale would go bankrupt if they replaced every out-of-whack frame. If nothing of the sort happens, I would look into aftermarket BB solutions, and there are plenty. The best ones are one-piece aluminum BBs. They add a tiny bit of weight relative to plastic cups but they add a lot of stiffness and get rid of a lot of drag. My crank with no chain spun for about 13 seconds, and I think the main limiter was the weight asymmetry of the crank/pedals. Look at BBinfinite and Hambini - they’re not much more expensive than thread-together types and they’re definitely cheaper than constantly going into your bike shop and getting work done.

EDIT: Also if you’re using a crank with a 30mm spindle you are SOL too because there would be no room for a sleeve. If you have a shimano drivetrain, I would recommend going to a shimano crank and then getting an aftermarket BB if the issue isn’t resolved by warranty and loctite.

EDIT: For the record, I don’t think pressfit is inherently bad. A buddy of mine has a cervelo BBRight that uses sleeves around the bearings, and he didn’t have creak for (I assume) thousands of miles... until one day when his BB bearings had completely rusted out. His BB spun almost as well as mine until that.

fooddestroyer

Hi guys

My CAAD 12 is running well apart from the recent 'tick.. tick e-day tick' sound when putting pressure on in in the 'granny gears' going up hills.

And yes, I've checked through everything from seat to skewers and back again - the A to Z.

I didn't purchase new, and the bike was running perfect (zero 'ticks' from BB area) until recently. I'm not much of a mechanic, but I think that I have an 'MFG' BB. Which type, I do not know.

With all said, debated and concluded in this threat/forum, what is the most efficient resolution for this issue? (apart from sell, burn, or break the bike )

Many thanks!!

Robert A

I'm no expert on BB30A ticks, but my 2019 CAAD12 had to be serviced three times in the first year for this issue (under warranty). The most lasting fix was when Cannondale replaced the BB bearings. Now, nine months later, I'm getting a little noise again, but it sounds more like a creak than a tick. Just pulled my chain off for an unrelated reason and the crank spins smooth.