Bicycle Mechanics - Riding creaky BB

My BB started creaking out of nowhere today (at least, I assume it's the BB). I don't have a spanner wrench, so I'm going to have to order it. If it's just a matter of taking off the retaining rings, wrapping them w/ teflon tape and then putting them back on, will I be doing any damage if I continue to ride while I wait on the wrench? I've already checked the crankarms and chainrings and they're not the causes. The creak happens even when I stand up, so I don't think it's the seat post either...

Did you check the pedals maybe they are the culprit..

The best I could. They're new and are supposed to be sealed. I ran teflon tape around the threads and screwed them back into the crankarms. Creak is still there.

I had a creak from the nether regions of my bike and it turned out to be from the cleats on my SPDs and the clips on the pedals. Worth giving them a grease if you have them.

I appreciate all the thoughts. I'll check them out. Still, my original question remains unanswered: can I keep riding or is it bad for the bike?

As for the SPD, I tried riding w/ regular shoes and still got the creak... :P

It may drive you insane causing you to pitch your bike from a high place, but short term you should be ok. The creak you hear is the noise made from two parts rubbing against each other so eventually some damage would happen but the movement is so slight it would take a long time and I have never seen the BB messed up because someone rode it creaky (A cartridge that is loose ball is another tale)

Another thought. Sometimes saddles immitate creaky bottom brackets. Does the BB creak when you are standing? If not, 2 things might be the reason not.
1) The change in the loading of the bottom bracket does not allow for the creak. They tend to make the most annoying of sounds underthe most specific circumstances.
2) You need to grease the saddle rails and post.
Hope this helps.

I, too, suffer from a bottom bracket creaking. the folks i've asked (bike shops, not just random folks on the street) tell me it's: a) the point where the crank arms and the bottom bracket "shaft" come together...metal-on-metal slight movement...causing the creak (this was mentioned before); b) lack of grease on the bottom bracket cups (why this would cause it, i don't know...but i greased mine and still had the creak); c) non-flexing components (higher end stuff) on a frame that does have some flex. the flexing is imperfections in the welds (again, back to the metal-on-metal). i worried about this one, but the mechanic assured me it's pretty common on some steel frame bikes.

the bike is now at the shop being looked at...to put my mind at ease.

thanks

Hmmm... Doubt this is right but i had that aswell... along with all the other troubles on my bike... i figured it may just be dirt and continued riding because i forgot my tools... i did a 2' drop and the whole went away... hasnt come back yet

do u have an alu frame? ive learnt that 1 of the flaws of alu is creaking? might be true. might not....who knows.......

Yeah. It's alu. The creak wound up beaing a loose pedal, but there have been others :P