Bicycle Mechanics - Cannondale v400 - Strange Noises

Hi all,

My '99 Cannondale Super v400 has been making a lot of creaking noise coming from the rear shock/pivot area. I sprayed the areas with Tri-Flo, but the creaking is still there. Does anyone have any experience with this bike, and is this a common symptom or a common problem?

Also, when going off-road and jumping/riding over rough surfaces, the front assembly makes a clunking sound. I have been told my several people that this is a "normal" Cannondale noise, but I would love to get a second opinion on that.

Any pointers/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Have you tried removing the seatpost, wiping it off, greasing it, and reinserting? A wide variety of noises can be solved this way.

Paul

I did that last night, in fact I removed the whole seatpost to avoid any additional noise interference. It still creaked when I would push down on the frame, so I am pretty certain that the creaking is coming from the rear suspension. Could it be the pivot bearing making noise, or are there any other parts that need additional lubrication?

Also, the headshok clunking noise is just a complete mystery. Unless someone here knows what the noise is, I might end up biting the bullet and taking it in, which totally sucks because I just spent a lot of $ on disc brakes and don't have any more to spend on these repairs, and was really planning on doing it all myself. :(

Hi,
I would systematically lube each thing that looks like it is from the general area of the noise one by one. Use WD40 to get it in place quick but once you discover the location strip it, clean off the WD and use a more suitable lubrication. If its not a lube or loose part shifting under strain then it well may have to go to the LBS or perhaps a call to Cannondale themselves.