Originally Posted by
yangmusa
... and I don't want to spend any money on the Birdy until I can get the blasted thing to stop creaking
I feel a bit fickle to sell a bike because it creaks, but it really annoys the hell out of me.
This weekend we rode over the Golden Gate Bridge, which is basically a traffic sewer where you can hardly hear yourself think. Afterwards, my wife asked if that was my bike creaking - yes, she even heard it over the sound of traffic!
My Birdy has picked up a few creaks after the tour of Kangaroo Island. The creaks are only there when I stand on the pedals; that's when there is more torque on the frame. I haven't yet spent effort to trace it, but this is what I intend doing:
Checking the Birdy for creaks:
crank arms on BB spindle (RH side done)
BB spindle in BB shell (a likely suspect)
pedals in crank arms (I greased those on installation, so not likely)
chainring bolts (done)
handlebar in stem clamp (likely)
stem in stempost clamp (I see the anodising under the QR has rubbed off a little bit; I think this indicates micro movement)
stempost hinge (small chance)
fork clamp on steerer tube (fair chance)
headset bearing cups loose in frame (small chance)
seatpost in frame (not likely since it happens when I stand)
saddle rails in seatpost rail clamps (ditto)
seatpost tilt clamp (ditto)
wheel quick releases (small chance it's the rear one, since I have removed the front wheel since)
spoke crossings especially rear wheel (confirmed on my Swift rear and Connie's Reach front wheel - both times I first thought it was stuffed bearings)
loose spokes
cassette lock ring (unlikely)
crack in frame
crack in seatpost (this once caused a very persistent creak in my Swift - that adapter I made, see my Swift essay last pic, cracked where the seatpost ended inside it. I would grease the frame's seat tube interfaces, and tighten the QRs, with little success, until I one day found the crack when I wasn't looking for it.)
rear swingarm on spindle clamps
spindle bearings dry or moving in frame
The method that works for me is to twist things around until I find an action that can reliably produce the noise. Then I get my son to do the action while I listen and feel around on the frame for the loudest spot.