mx_599

Bike: Steel HT

Seat post: Masterpiece TH

Clamp: Salsa liplock bolt

Lube: Tacx assembly paste


Setting the stage - Yes, definitely the right post size for frame. Definitely enough inserted into frame.

Their is a fair amount of length exposed with regard to seat height...but I'd say far from excessive.

I am pretty sure the occasional creak is from the seat post...unless maybe near the seat rails and clamp?

Any thoughts? or just live with it?

thanks

Terrapin Ben

i was going to suggest that the squeaking may actually be coming from the saddle/rails. try putting a dab of lube on the rails where they contact the saddle or clean where the seat post holds the rails. it doesn't make sense that the post would be creaking...

and, excuse me MX, i believe i requested the hand job.

mx_599

Yeah, I kind of thought about the seat rails after I was halfway done with the post. I will investigate this aspect more. I probably should have never posted the thread...

Anyone else have this problem and had the squeak lead to the rails or post and what did you do to stop it?

My bike needs a good overhaul from the Cohutta race. I just ordered bearings and brake pads and stuff.

When I clean it all up I can look at the seat rails more closely...

dminor 

Where's that Tomac, man? Is it in the same limbo-land my Yeti is in?

BTW, ya gotta LOVE Cove's naming. Ever been to this site? https://www.moarshimz.com/Articles/co...h-bike-a4.html Check the Cove "news" article

mx_599

Just talked to Tomac today! I might have it next week

However, it might be cutting it too close for my race on the 15th. In that case, I will just wait until the next race at the end of May.

Glynis27

If I were you, I would start over completely.

Removed saddle from post, post from frame and seatpost clamp from frame. Clean all areas of contact. Turn bike upside down, and clean inside seat tube. Next, apply grease or heavy lube to all contact points. I put grease on the seatpost and underneath the seatpost clamp where it squeezes the seattube. I use Finishline XC Wet on the saddle rails, but grease would likely be fine too. I also put lube on all the parts of the seatpost. Anywhere anything touches anything, lube. I won't take much, just a thin layer, and doesn't need to be messy. Make sure everything is tight enough too.

I can't stand noises on my bike, especially creaking. I've fixed many creaks by doing this. The only one that isn't as easy to fix is if it is the saddle itself. You try dropping some lube into the holes where the saddle and rails meet, but I would do that as a last resort.

Maelstrom 

I've always wanted a shocker and a hummer while riding a hooker and getting and std in the future...

true, its a goal

Al Slick

Hey mx, where in the black hills are you?? My dad's from Spearfish and I've spent quite a bit of time in South Dakota. Just curious

mx_599

Rapid City!

Al Slick

Awesome, my cousin and his wife live in RC! That's a pretty part of the country with some extreme weather.

victim

Nice bike! I agree on the rails being the culprit, do you have another saddle to swap out? I just had to retire an old BG saddle that I loved because it creaked so bad I was creaking out nusery ryhmes while I was riding.

mx_599

I don't actually move until mid June. It sounds like this area has great mtn biking.

Oh man, I thought the weather was somewhat protected by the hills?? and not as severe as other regions in that area of the country? I hope it has a decent amount of sun.

mx_599

I think it might be the rails now. I had a chance to flex the seat around and it does seem like that is where the noise is.

Al Slick

Well I've lived in southern CA half of my life, and middle TN half of my life... In the heat, humidity make all of the difference. 105F in CA feels better then 85F in TN. The black hills of South dakota is always nice and dry. I was in RC three summers ago and the temp hit 100F and it was slightly breezy and quite nice. As far as cold goes... The black hills are cold. maybe some people get used to it, but it's cold. I road the trails all winter this year in middle TN. It would be about 20F on average and not really all that bad. But I was in Spearfish, SD in Feb of '09 and it was the coldest week of my life. I almost cried because I was cold as heck for like eight days.


So basically, not that hot, but sooooo freaking cold imo

Al Slick

Oh yeah, and I thought of a sarcastic solution to your creaky seatpost...

Get out of the saddle. It will stop creaking!!

mx_599

awwhhh, come on man. the race just took me 11.5 hours to finish. I was soaking wet...I had to sit sometime!

oh yeah, no chamois butter for that whole time...must mean I stood enough

hahahaha

Al Slick

Haha alright, I'll give you that.

bikingsoul

I dont have anything to contribute as far as an answer, but, that is one beautiful bike!!!!!!! Did you build it yourself or purchase it complete? Beautiful just beautiful......

mx_599

well thank you very much. It is just you typical steel hard tail. It is Columbus tubing...I hear they changed to Tange. Does it matter? I don't know?

I enjoy building all my bikes...I do everything pretty much.

I am going to change a few things on it in the future. Overall look will be same, but I can drop the weight with some more appropriate XC parts. I think it weighs about 25.5 pounds now. I think I can get it to about 23.

Its done well for me, definitely a keeper.