Bicycle Mechanics - BB woes

I have had this horrible creaking getting progressively worse. I thought it was my pedals originally, but when I lubed them up and cleaned them the creaking still persisted. It has now manifested into this incredibly loud cracking creaking sound, despite completely taking the crank and bb out and cleaning/re-lubing it all.

It's a megaexo, but is it safe to ride? I don't want it to potentially ruin anything if it completely falls apart on me, but I dont' think it will. Should I just buy another FSA one, or should I get a Shimano BB. Thanks

Matt

EDIT: The reason I ask if it's safe is because I am far from a bike shop and I didn't know if I should order one from the internet and ride the crappy one, or just take the 1.5hr drive to the nearest shop.

Check your frame over carefully before you go buying new parts. It could be cracked. I don't mean to scare you, but frames can make some nasty noises and are usually the last thing people look at(wishful thinking). I hope it isn't that.
good luck.

Check your frame over carefully before you go buying new parts. It could be cracked. I don't mean to scare you, but frames can make some nasty noises and are usually the last thing people look at(wishful thinking). I hope it isn't that.
good luck.

I appreciate the concern. I don't think it is my frame, I have checked every inch of it and it looks great. Plus the creaking really starts to happen when I am in the saddle and spinning higher cadences. The odd thing though is that it does not happen when I am out of the saddle at all.

My carbon seat post creaks, originally I thought it was my BB, but when I realized it didn't creak when out of the saddle I started looking at other things and determined it was the seat post. Not sure if this applies to you, but just look over everything and make sure things are tight etc...

grease your seat rails.

It's most likely not your BB. Your seat tube should be greased up a little to I'm pretty sure.

My carbon seat post creaks, originally I thought it was my BB, but when I realized it didn't creak when out of the saddle I started looking at other things and determined it was the seat post. Not sure if this applies to you, but just look over everything and make sure things are tight etc...


grease your seat rails.


It's most likely not your BB. Your seat tube should be greased up a little to I'm pretty sure.

I am pretty sure it is not my seat. When I freely spun the pedals with my hand it will do it, although not with the consistency. It didn't do it while I was not seated on the trainer, but on the road it did creak if the cadence was high enough and I was out of the saddle... sorry for the confusion. Because it seems to be directly related to cadence, and I can hear it in crank/bb area, I am pretty sure that is what it is. What kind of miles are you expected to get out of these?

Check your rear derailleur dropout (if it's removable). As a quick test just spray lube in the area where the dropout meets the frame, wipe off actual dropout area, and secure rear wheel firmly. IIRC you have a Specialized (?) and they had some not-well-fitting dropouts come out with their frames.

I second checking for a cracked thing, frame (check joint areas as well as any place you may have a decal etc that may cover up a crack) or crank or whatever.

Also, as a shotgun approach, check your chainring bolts, derailleur pulleys, cassette lockring, and cassette-freehub interface. The latter only if you have 10s or earlier Campy and you don't have grease between the cassette and freehub body.

Not sure of expected life of your BB but it should be close to forever, pending conditions (moisture, dirt, etc).

cdr

Others seem to have had issues with the megaexo:

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/drivetrain/bottom-brackets/fsa/PRD_335456_2479crx.aspx

To eliminate the saddle possibility, can you try and reproduce it while sitting on the top tube? Tough to get the cadence...

+1 to the ring bolts, freehub body/cassette. Strange that it doesn't happen out of the saddle.

Ok, I found the solution... it ended up being quite odd though. I had two different creaks. One was a cracked spacer on my cranks and the other was my right side pedal. It is broken on the back plastic part (shimano spd-sl) and it is flexing and popping at the crack. This also explains why I have accidently clipped out several times while sprinting and climbing.