GeneO 

Hi,

Fairly new FELT F55X with BB30 and FSA Energy compact cranks. Riding yesterday started getting a little bit of creaking again. The crank was slightly loose again (torqued it to spec ~ 40 NM). Got the bike this year and this is the third time I had to do this in about 1000 miles. First time was moaning and groaning like a, well.

I thought I read somewhere that BB30 cranks tend to do this. Is this normal? break-in?

Airburst

Using a BB30 BB doesn't make cranks any more likely to come loose, no. BB30s do have a tendency to creak, but not to loosen.

GeneO 

Thanks that must be what I remembered. So I think this time the creak may be my clipless pedals. I lubed them tonight. When doing so I noticed the self extracting retaining clip on the non-drive side was loose. This is just there to allow the crank arm to be extracted correct? So I should just make sure it doesn't work loose and fall off until I can properly tighten it?

So the fact is my crank bolt has loosened a few times. Any ideas?

catonec 

Blue loc tite?

GeneO 

Was what I was planning for the retaining ring. Hadn't thought about it for the crank bolt though. Any drawbacks? I suppose I would remove the retaining ring, then the bolt, apply loc tite, then put it back together.

FBinNY 

Strictly 3rh hand, but I see many threads alluding to FSA crank loosening issues.

I would attribute this to spindle play, allowing the crank to rotate very slightly with respect to the spindle and thereby walk the bolt back. Cures include locktiting the bolt, and others find loctiting the crank/spindle more effective.

ZippyThePinhead

I don't know about BB30 only, but I have an Energy compact with the Mega-Exo BB and had a similar problem a few years ago. My mechanic friend lubed & torqued the chainring bolts, but that wasn't the cause. It was cured by applying Ti-prep to the BB threads.

But before we fixed it we tried various things: greasing the NDS crank arm (where it clamps to the spindle), making sure the crank bolt was torqued to specs, etc.

Do a Google search, you'll find tons of threads...

fietsbob

So what was the Dealer Feedback, when you asked?

GeneO 

The first time it loosened, I brought it to the dealer and told him it was creaking like crazy and I could grab both crank arms, rock them and feel the play. he then proceeded to ignore me and tighten the chain ring bolts, which were not loose. After riding it outside of the shop and still creaking, he looked at the crankarm and discovered it was loose He said they try the best to assemble the bike correctly but things work loose so I might have to bring it in again. That wasn't the only assembly issue I had so I haven't been back.

demoncyclist

Every time it loosens, the crank bb interface gets a little more hosed. I would talk to the LBS manager and ask them to replace it at their expense before it gets completely knackered and someone gets hurt. If they don't know how to properly torque a bb before they deliver a bike to a customer, they shouldn't be selling bikes.

GeneO 

Yeah, it started making a clanking noise today.

fietsbob

New Knock down bikes are usually shipped with the crankset already on..
the LBS should have done a quick Check with a wrench to see that they were on tight enough..

But distractions happen.. like getting a Customer walk in needing Attention..

HillRider

Perhaps it was overlooked during the original assembly but there is no excuse for not doing it correctly when the bike is returned with that specific problem.