vicyclist

I'm at wit's end with a creaking bottom bracket on a 2017 Diverse Elite DSW. It started with the usual "tick...tick" in time with pedal rotation and has progressed to a pretty obnoxious creaking when pedalling anything but a downhill. It's got a Praxis BB/PF30 press fit into the aluminum frame. The bearings weren't great and there was the tiniest...I mean absolutely tiniest...bit of play when trying to rock the drive side crank arm. I pulled the BB, took it to the bike shop, and they replaced the bearings. They said the BB and the crank looked fine otherwise. I reassembled with anti-seize as specified by Praxis. It creaked just as badly as it had before the bearing replacement. The guy at the bike shop suggested teflon tape. I didn't see how the tape would stay in place, but I decided to try and, sure enough, it just bunched up when I pressed the cups into the frame. I tried grease instead of anti-seize with no change. I have some Permatex Blue thread sealant and decided I might as well give that a try. It made no difference either.

I've checked and even regreased the wheel bearings. I've swapped pedals. I've checked the headset. I've greased and tightened the rear skewer (the front is a through axle). I've lubricated the pivots on the derailleur, torqued the mounting bolt, and removed, cleaned, greased, and torqued the hanger bolt. It still creaks when I'm off the saddle. So I'm reasonably certain it's the BB. Any help would be appreciated.

Bill

Kontact

Check the front end. I had a "BB creak" that was a stem.

vicyclist

Thanks. Like I said, I've checked the headset. I've ruled out everything I can think of: wheel bearings, derailleur and hanger, saddle and post, headset, etc.

bboy314

Have you checked that the cassette lockring is tight? Have a rear rack? If so, grease the mounting hardware.

Duragrouch

My guess, and only a guess, is pedal bearing(s). Assuming not cartridge bearings and conventional cup and cone bearings: Given the tiny balls and small race and spindle, they are particularly sensitive to adjustment; With any slack/play in bearing, the radial load is concentrated on 2 or 3 balls per race, which wears them quick, whereas with no slack, and preferrably the very slightest preload, they do better. If so tight that the spindle feels notchy when rotating in your fingers, back off slightly until that is gone, that is usually ideal for me. Try swapping a different set of pedals in place of those, and feel the spindles for smoothness of rotation before putting on. If better, and the pedals have some cost to them, I rebuild them, bearings are cheap on amazon. When disassembled, check the cones and cups for any spalling/pits. Use a quality grease.

shelbyfv

Isn't there an adapter available, both sides thread together? I never understood PF on metal bikes. Thankfully most mfgs seem to have moved on. Kudos for detailing your efforts so far, should save confusion.

TiHabanero

FWIW, my son's BB30 has never NOT creaked. Just the way they are. Alloy frame like yours.

bboy314

OP has already tried swapping pedals.

vicyclist

I swapped out the pedals with the pedals rom my road bike. No change.

vicyclist

I'm not sure I understand. The Praxis BB/PF30 is threaded together internally. The non-drive side is installed with a press and has a long, threaded sleeve that reaches to the drive side. The drive side cup is installed by screwing it into that threaded sleeve, which sucks it into the frame.

L134 

Have you checked the spokes of your rear wheel?

vicyclist

I hold out hope. It didn't start creaking until a year ago.

vicyclist

Yes. I know it's got nothing to do with the rear wheel. I've gone over the whole wheel and then tried swapping it out with a spare from one of my road bikes.

RB1-luvr

pretty sure you did, but just in case... you greased the threads of the bb prior to torquing?

If you hold the bike by the seatpost and stem, and place your foot on the center of the crank and push, will it creak? In other words, try to flex the frame a scoshe.

and you lubed all aspects of the front thru axle right? (water proof grease)

vicyclist

Yes. I've always done so with anti-seize per the manufacturer's instructions. Most recently, I've also tried grease, Loctite, and teflon tape. The front through axle is well lubed. I can't picture what you're describing with regard to flexing the frame.

vicyclist

So I went over everything again this morning: Removed, greased, and torqued chainring bolts; swapped out the whole rear wheel assembly with the wheel from my road bike; swapped out pedals with known good ones; lubed rear derailleur pivot points; removed rear derailleur and hanger, cleaned, fresh antiseize, reassembled with proper torque; checked front wheel bearings; cleaned and lubed front through axle; checked torque on stem bolts; checked, cleaned, and regreased headset bearings. Still an annoying creak when applying any torque to the crank. The only weird thing I encountered is that I can't get the bolt in the steerer plug beyond about 6Nm. The spec is 9Nm, but after about 6Nm it just turns in the tube.

bboy314

How’s the headset adjustment?

vicyclist

The bearings feel fine, everything has been regreased, and everything is torqued to spec.

Kontact

Grease the mechanism, put carbon paste where it touches the steerer.

Iride01 

Chain ring bolts?

If you wait long enough, maybe it'll become evident what it is. Many times the noise we think is coming from the BB isn't. Many times noise is just annoying and not a real issue other than the annoyance.

One that I had once was a new saddle that made a creaking noise when my bike shorts got a little sweaty and rubbed on it. But initially I would have sworn it was coming from the BB.

Barry2 

Are you referring to the Torque spec printed on the stem "9Nm" ?
That is the spec for the stem bolts, not the top cap that goes down into the steerer tube.

The top cap is there only to preload the headset bearings before you tighten the stem bolts to their correct torque.
It is the stem bolts that retain this preload setting and keep the stem and fork connected.
That top cap should be tightened to a not much over finger tight.

Barry

RB1-luvr

clearly, I think we can all agree that a new bike is in order. It's only right.

vicyclist

No, the 9Nm spec is for the steerer tube plug. The spec for the stem bolts is 5Nm.

vicyclist

Okay, well, I finally solved it and it turned out to be the very first thing I suspected: chainring bolts. I've removed, cleaned, and tightened those things to spec torque umpteen times with no change. I ran down the list of everything I've done with the mechanic at my bike shop and he kept coming back to the chainring bolts. Praxis specs them at 8-10Nm. He suggested tightening them *tight* by hand. So I torqued them to about 15Nm and the creak is gone. I guess on the positive end of this, my bike's had an overhaul and needed new BB bearings. Thanks, Everyone.

Barry2 

Yes, 9Nm for the steerer tube PLUG, that is the device inside the Steerer Tube.... 9Nm is NOT for the STEERER TUBE TOP CAP THAT SETS THE PRELOAD

Link to your bike here
Scroll down the page to Manual downloads and read the one for your FORK.... HERE

Then follow the instructions in the Doc to set the Preload correctly. Page 2, Tech Tips, #11 &#12

You've got the headset cranked so tight it's not a BB squeak, that's your frame & steerer crying for mercy !



Barry