BikeToWork

I recently replaced my entire drive train, bottom bracket, chain rings, chain, cassette and rear derailleur pulleys. However, since I replaced the drive train, the bike makes a loud creaking sound any time it is under load, such as climbing a hill. I've wasted time and money trying to rule things out. So far I've ruled out the chain, handlebar stem, pedals, bottom bracket, etc. I can reproduce the creaking with the bike stopped by putting heavy pressure on one pedal. My best guess at this point is that it could be related to the fact that my older Truvativ Stylo 1.1 crankset is not compatible with the SRAM GXP bearings I installed. Another thing, which I hate to think of, is a crack in the frame. I have not really checked it for cracks yet. Besides, there was no creaking before with my previous crankset, which had the original Truvativ bottom bracket. It only started to creak after I replaced the original bottom bracket with the GXP bottom bracket. I've just about run out of new ideas. I'd appreciate any advice from the experts.

SteamingAlong

creaks, squeaks, and ticks are really hard to diagnose.

You're probably right-on thinking it's a bottom bracket issue, I doubt it's a cracked frame.

I had a creaky BB on my Jubilee Sport that drove me nuts for a while.

Eric S.

I had a creaking noise on one of my bikes once. Removing the BB and greasing the threads took care of it.

AlbertaBeef

This is exactly what my sons bike needed last time we tuned it. I've experienced the same thing on some of my bikes before, also, especially on my cannondale or any aluminum frame.

Amazingly, I also had a seat be the source of a creak once... I lubed where the rails and the post binder join, and a creak went away...

Yes, they can be difficult to diagnose, but are usually easy to repair once you have.

redlude97

I had the same problem and based on some searching people recommended lubing the quick release skewer axles. I did this along with pulling my hollowtech II crank and regregreasing but not pulling the BB and the creaking went away. I don't know if it was the crank or the QR skewers but that's something else to try that is relatively simple.

seedsbelize 

c
Check the chainring bolts. My latest creak.

CACycling

Did you lube the shaft of the crankset where it contacts the bearings?

SER71

Check your derailuer hanger, make sure it has not come loose. That was the source of my latest creak.

Hoshnasi

I too am having this issue on my road bike. I have what I think is the right tool for the job https://www.parktool.com/product/cran...-cranks-ccp-22 but it looks like the inner rod (?) of the tool is wider than the square opening of the crank... Very weird since the tool works wonderfully on my square axel fixed gear and the dimensions "look" the same....

Asi

A common source of creaks is the crank connection with the spindle. If it's square the bolt may be loose and now the square may be a bit round and it wiggles in there, and for old timers cotter pins are immensely prone to creaks under load. (it's almost a trademark for old beaters with cotter pins to make such noise)

etw

You can try plumbers teflon tape on the threads.

BikeToWork

Nothing seems to work. Despite my best efforts, the bike still creaks exactly the same, any time it is under any load, such as climbing a hill. I tried adding the 2.5 mm spacers between the bearings and frame but that would not work because the crank spindle isn't long enough. The only theory that makes any sense (sort of) is that there must be a difference between the stock bearings that come with the Truvativ Stylo crankset and the SRAM GXP bottom bracket bearings that I replaced them with. That is the only theory that makes any sense. I'm about to give up on SRAM and try an XT crankset now. I would hate to plunk down $150 though, just to find out the problem is elsewhere...

davidad

I found out that the front QR on a friend's bike was causing the problem after we tried everything else. Making sure that it was properly tightened solved the creak.

DannoXYZ 

Hmm... Sram's website seems to say that the GXP BB is a match for the crank: https://www.sram.com/truvativ/product...-stylo-oct-11g

Did you grease the splines on the spindle?
Did you replace the aluminium bolts with steel ones?
What torque did you achieve when tightening the left crankarm bolts?

Jeff Wills

+1. My bike has an aluminum frame, and the bottom bracket threads are a little bit oversize. Even greasing the threads didn't make the creak go away permanently. I applied a layer of Teflon plumber's tape and it's stayed quiet for years.

Another bike had a creak that I couldn't figure out. I finally took off the pedals and cleaned and regreased the threads. That fixed it.

BTW: this is not a bicycle crank:

Asi

Of course it's not, I don't have 4 legs

An unusual creak that I just found today: spokes on a newly build wheel.. I didn't detension enough the spokes when I built it, and now from time to time it dings as the spokes seats themselves. (I will retrue the wheels after a while when it gets visible untrue)

Seatpost can creak, saddle itself can creak. (but on bumps not under load)
Cassetes on damaged freehub can creak (the splines are cutting into the body and develop play - mainly for aluminum freehub bodies)

krobinson103

I have a mystery creak myself. Checked the Bottom bracket bearings, replaced the rear derailer and hanger (they failed anyway), checked the tension on the bearings in the wheels, Set the QR skewers as perfect as they can be, set the discs brake alignment to perfection, Locked down the pedals, finessed the drive train to near perfect alignment (difficult on a triple), locked down the seat post and seat mounting rails. It STILL creaks. No problems riding, but it still creaks at certain cadences or under heavy load. Its not loud I've just given up as it doesn't affect how the bike actually rides.

catonec 

Lube all threads generously.

acidfast7

i have this issue on the gf's bike

what about the pedals? can they creak?

chisler

well, in my case it was more of a clicking, but yes. My bike is fairly new (800 miles) and it had developed clicking in direct relation to the crank/pedals turning. I used the stock pedals that came with the bike, and in that 800 miles 2 sets of pedals had been the source of my clicks. I replaced with aftermarket pedals and no problems since.

jethro56 

Does it make the same noise riding out of the saddle as when seated?

pmt

Your skewers are loose. Tighten them up; they need to be tighter than you think.

cny-bikeman

Great, another guessing game. Whenever you have a problem on the bike you can go on forever trying out the different "it happened to me" scenarios, or you can tackle it logically.

Forget the frame unless you have ruled out every other possibility, as any crack would have had to occur at the same time as the parts changes.

You could have ruled out the chain and pedals immediately, as only part of the chain and only one pedal is under pressure at any one time.

If you can reproduce the sound with force on either pedal when stopped and not in the saddle then it would have to be a part of the drive train that is always stressed under such circumstances. That would be the bottom bracket cups, the right crank arm to spindle interface, or the chainring bolts. If you have a triple and the creak is present on the granny it's probably not chainring bolts, as it uses a different set. Q/R skewers are unlikely but as it's easy to lube them go ahead.

Right crank arm to spindle: As long as they use the same taper the brand/style of BB and crank does not matter. Remove the crank arm, make sure the inner mating surface has no rust scale (from the old spindle) corrosion, foreign matter, etc. Some steel wool is enough to take care of any issues of that type. Clean the spindle flats as well. No need to really lubricate the flats in my opinion - the oil/grease on your fingers from working on the bike is enough. Remount, properly tighten and recheck.

Chainring bolts - Remove and lightly lubricate threads and seating area on the chainrings, install and recheck.

If the creak is still there then I would conclude it is the bottom bracket. Proper tightening, teflon tape, etc are good suggestions.

BikeToWork

I finally figured it out and I feel really stupid for not checking this before I went out and wasted $150 on a new bottom bracket and crankset, with exactly the same creaky results. The creaking was coming from the rear wheel. The non-drive side of the wheel had several loose spokes. I tightened these up but and the creaking sound is gone. Now the dish is wrong and I'll need to re-true the wheel but it sure is a relief to finally know what was wrong. By the way, nothing I read online about creaky bikes mentioned wheels or spokes. Live and learn!

Asi

Well some messages you may have overlooked.