Bike cracking up after installing new chain ring and bottom bracket?
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
1 Post
Bike cracking up after installing new chain ring and bottom bracket?
Hi all. I'm going crazy here. I just installed a new chain, new cassette, new bottom bracket and new chainring (on a road bike, with shimano r7000 groupset). I had 3 great one hour rides, but yesterday, it felt like the bike was going to stop at any time.
Hard to describe exactly how it felt or what I heard. Felt a bit like when a bottom bracket is broken or failing, as it was creaking, squeeking and rattling. At some point I thought there was sand in my chain or the cranks had become loose.
Super weird.
Any thoughts???
Thanks!
Hard to describe exactly how it felt or what I heard. Felt a bit like when a bottom bracket is broken or failing, as it was creaking, squeeking and rattling. At some point I thought there was sand in my chain or the cranks had become loose.
Super weird.
Any thoughts???
Thanks!
#2
Mother Nature's Son
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sussex County, Delaware
Posts: 3,122
Bikes: 2014 Orbea Avant MD30, 2004 Airborne Zeppelin TI, 2003 Lemond Poprad, 2001 Lemond Tourmalet, 2014? Soma Smoothie
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 854 Post(s)
Liked 1,445 Times
in
822 Posts
Either non compatible components were installed, or they were installed improperly. A bit more info and pictures would be helpful.
Likes For delbiker1:
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2023
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 584
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 380 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times
in
182 Posts
My thoughts? That's bad!
I agree with delbiker1 above. The chance of incompatible parts or improper installation is much greater than the chance of a component failure in my opinion.
Go through the obvious. Slip the chain off of the front cog and verify that the bottom bracket turns correctly and that the cranks are tight. If that checks out, it's probably not your problem. Put the chain back on and try to reproduce the problem. Look and listen for where it comes from.
I agree with delbiker1 above. The chance of incompatible parts or improper installation is much greater than the chance of a component failure in my opinion.
Go through the obvious. Slip the chain off of the front cog and verify that the bottom bracket turns correctly and that the cranks are tight. If that checks out, it's probably not your problem. Put the chain back on and try to reproduce the problem. Look and listen for where it comes from.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Golden, CO and Tucson, AZ
Posts: 2,844
Bikes: 2012 Specialized Elite Disc, 1983 Trek 520
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 678 Post(s)
Liked 750 Times
in
434 Posts
Align the left crank with the seat tube and alternately squeeze and pull them apart. That should quickly point out a bottom bracket problem.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,114
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4222 Post(s)
Liked 3,910 Times
in
2,332 Posts
It's not uncommon to have a bike that has had only some service done to revel the other needs soon after riding after the first service.
The first thing I thought of was a loose rear wheel that was shifting about in the dropouts when pedaling hard. But with so little info I can't say more specifically what it might be. I do suspect that if someone with experience were to look at the bike you'd have a far better idea. Is there a LBS near you (no location listed in OP profile..) Andy
The first thing I thought of was a loose rear wheel that was shifting about in the dropouts when pedaling hard. But with so little info I can't say more specifically what it might be. I do suspect that if someone with experience were to look at the bike you'd have a far better idea. Is there a LBS near you (no location listed in OP profile..) Andy
__________________
AndrewRStewart
AndrewRStewart
#7
Bad example
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Seattle and Reims
Posts: 3,127
Bikes: Peugeot: AO-8 1973, PA-10 1971, PR-10 1973, Sante 1988; Masi Gran Criterium 1975, Stevenson Tourer 1980, Stevenson Criterium 1981, Schwinn Paramount 1972, Rodriguez 2006, Gitane Federal ~1975, Holdsworth Pro, Follis 172 ~1973, Bianchi '62
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 847 Post(s)
Liked 265 Times
in
123 Posts
Another possibility if your bike has long horizontal dropouts: the rear wheel got pulled out of position and the tire was rubbing on a chainstay. It happens to me on occasion when I did not tighten the skewer quite enough. Happened recently on my first ride on an old Bianchi Record.
__________________
Keeping Seattle’s bike shops in business since 1978
Keeping Seattle’s bike shops in business since 1978
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,687
Bikes: too many sparkly Italians, some sweet Americans and a couple interesting Japanese
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 569 Post(s)
Liked 596 Times
in
412 Posts
Did you remove the chain and all these events "bottom bracket is broken or failing, as it was creaking, squeeking and rattling." were heard? If so you should hear and feel to determine where the problem is in the crankset or BB and start disassembling.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,976
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7053 Post(s)
Liked 11,106 Times
in
4,742 Posts
I think incompatible parts would've caused problems before the fourth ride.
Did you use a torque wrench? Even if you did, check the torque values in everything that should've been torqued properly -- the BB, cassette, chainring.
Did you use a torque wrench? Even if you did, check the torque values in everything that should've been torqued properly -- the BB, cassette, chainring.
Likes For Koyote:
#12
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 4
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
1 Post
Thanks everyone!
Thanks for the fast and helpful replies everyone! I already thought of some of your suggestions, and will just go back and sort of reverse the process. I'm pretty sure I took the utmost care and precautions when installing the components, so I'm not sure what could have gone wrong, but maybe it's indeed just a very small issue such as proper torque setting and alignment.
Also, about the components : I reinstalled everything the same as it was. Same cassette, same (threaded) bottom bracket, properly lubed and very carefully installed after cleaning the area and inside of the frame), the same chain (cut to exact the same size), same chainring. (all from the r7000 105 groupset). One thing I didn't replace is the inner chain ring as I hardly use it, but surely this can't be causing it.
(didn't replace it as sadly, there are little or no hills where I live. The Netherlands. They call it "the low countries" for a reason.... 🤔.
If the problem still exists after reinstalling everything, I will definitely go to my LBS.
Also, about the components : I reinstalled everything the same as it was. Same cassette, same (threaded) bottom bracket, properly lubed and very carefully installed after cleaning the area and inside of the frame), the same chain (cut to exact the same size), same chainring. (all from the r7000 105 groupset). One thing I didn't replace is the inner chain ring as I hardly use it, but surely this can't be causing it.
(didn't replace it as sadly, there are little or no hills where I live. The Netherlands. They call it "the low countries" for a reason.... 🤔.
If the problem still exists after reinstalling everything, I will definitely go to my LBS.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 3,700
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 850 Post(s)
Liked 1,082 Times
in
754 Posts
A longshot but a possibility. Did you possibly over torque the BB tension nut on your non-driveside crank arm? BB would work fine for a while but over time could ruin the bearings if over torqued. Nut should be finger tight.
#14
Senior Member
On a different thread a few weeks back, someone reported similar bad sounds under pedaling force on a recently assembled bike, took to the local bike shop, said it took the mechanic five seconds to diagnose a bad bearing, either in the bottom bracket or rear wheel, can't recall.