Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Oh, that's what that noise is

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Oh, that's what that noise is

Old 08-04-09, 04:04 PM
  #1  
Wilma!!
Thread Starter
 
Randallissimo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 361
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Oh, that's what that noise is

At about 20 miles into 50 mile ride today I am aware of a creaking sound with each pedal stroke coming from what I think is the bottom bracket. It's a carbon frame and cranks, so I figure it's just the frame amplifying whatever it is, and make a note to check it out after my ride.

Then I get a little lost 5 miles later, and stop at the only garage I've seen for a long time to ask for directions. While I'm there I take a look and find that my left crank is coming loose. Yikes! I don't have a wrench large enough to deal with it. I ask the mechanic if he had a wrench I could borrow for 30 seconds. He was really nice about it, and loaned me his wrench set. I tightened it about 1 1/2 turns, got my directions, thanked him kindly and was on my way.

But, wow, that could have ended so much worse. Today I got lucky.
Randallissimo is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 04:11 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Tapeworm21's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Berkeley
Posts: 2,265

Bikes: 2010 Tarmac SL, 2013 Fairdale Weekender, 2013 Fairdale Coaster, 1995 Specialized M2 Pro, 1972 Schwinn Heavy Duty, 2014 Surley Long Haul Trucker

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
FSA cranks?
Tapeworm21 is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 04:12 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 1,151
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
This happened to my brother last summer, except that his crank actually did come off at around 35 mph.... He did come off fine, but almost crashed since his foot was still attached to the left crank (imagine the surprise at first.... then the oddness of trying to stop while stepping on your crank). Yes, dangerous stuff, but user error - having built up the bike himself. Glad you found the problem first before it found you.
Bike enthusiast is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 04:23 PM
  #4  
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
Ygduf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 10,978

Bikes: aggressive agreement is what I ride.

Mentioned: 109 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 967 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Aren't cranks reverse threaded so when you're pedaling forward, you're torquing the threads tighter?
Ygduf is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 05:15 PM
  #5  
Wilma!!
Thread Starter
 
Randallissimo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 361
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Tapeworm21
FSA cranks?
Indeed.
Randallissimo is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 05:20 PM
  #6  
Wilma!!
Thread Starter
 
Randallissimo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 361
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Ygduf
Aren't cranks reverse threaded so when you're pedaling forward, you're torquing the threads tighter?
You're thinking of pedals. Cranks are splined, the bolt holds it in snug, but has little to do with rotational force.
Randallissimo is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 07:10 PM
  #7  
Keep on climbing
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Marlborough, Massachusetts
Posts: 2,193

Bikes: 2004 Calfee Tetra Pro

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
It's probably still pretty loose. Crank fixing bolts are put on pretty damn tight. It's pretty difficult to reach recommended torque with a little T-handled allen wrench set. FSA crank bolts, for instance, are supposed to be tightened to around 400 inch pounds.
KevinF is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 07:20 PM
  #8  
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 25

Bikes: Blue w/ white Trek 1.2, Yellow/Gray Trek 4300 HT MTB

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I'll have to take a note of this as I notice the same issue with mine. Thanks for the heads-up
laxrider is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 07:26 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 62
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Had the same issue happen to me while on a ride just 2 weeks ago. At first i thought it was my cleat that was coming loose then when i looked down to unclip it the whole crank moved. had to ask some guy that was working on a tractor if he had a allen i could use. lucky for me he did and I was on my way.
Mysta316 is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 07:28 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Tapeworm21's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Berkeley
Posts: 2,265

Bikes: 2010 Tarmac SL, 2013 Fairdale Weekender, 2013 Fairdale Coaster, 1995 Specialized M2 Pro, 1972 Schwinn Heavy Duty, 2014 Surley Long Haul Trucker

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by Randallissimo
Indeed.
Damn I'm good.
Tapeworm21 is offline  
Old 08-04-09, 10:50 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
martinus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 939
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 6 Posts
Yes... but, did you give him a couple of bucks ?

.
.
.
martinus is offline  
Old 08-05-09, 08:29 PM
  #12  
Wilma!!
Thread Starter
 
Randallissimo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 361
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
No, but I did ask the right way. I grew up in a garage from a family of auto mechanics, so I know my way around that area.
Randallissimo is offline  
Old 08-05-09, 08:56 PM
  #13  
Junior Member
 
Tagged's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Victoria, Tx.
Posts: 20

Bikes: Airborne Valkyrie

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Okay, give it up.

I didn't grow up in a mechanics family. I have no idea what is the right way to ask. I didn't even know there was a right way.

Now I'm all paranoid I'm gonna be stuck on the road right next to a perfectly stocked service station, and not know the code to get the tool I need.

Let us in. Let us in.

Tag
Tagged is offline  
Old 08-05-09, 09:04 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 160
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by KevinF
It's probably still pretty loose. Crank fixing bolts are put on pretty damn tight. It's pretty difficult to reach recommended torque with a little T-handled allen wrench set. FSA crank bolts, for instance, are supposed to be tightened to around 400 inch pounds.
I've been hearing some pretty serious creaking sounds from the BB on my commuter bike, after I put in a new BB and FSA Vero crankset... I'll definitely be looking more into this now. Thanks for posting!

I'm also feeling inclined to double check the FSA Gossamer cranks on my main road bike
fusatia is offline  
Old 08-05-09, 09:19 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
Georgebowen's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Valencia, CA
Posts: 261
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Happened to me. I was hearing a creak, and I swore my BB was going bad. Then I washed my bike and decided to check ALL bolts for tightness and sure enough my left crank arm was loose.

Tightened it up and I'm all good now.
Georgebowen is offline  
Old 08-05-09, 09:37 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 75
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Torque wrench.

/thread.
ModeratedUser26092018 is offline  
Old 08-05-09, 09:44 PM
  #17  
Wilma!!
Thread Starter
 
Randallissimo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 361
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Getting a little lost turned out to be a fortunate thing this time. I'm going to pay more attention to this from now on, as opposed to once a year. And I think it's reason enough to invest in a nice torque wrench instead of the old, slightly bent one I inherited years ago.

And come on Tagged... the "right way" to ask is simply showing you respect that a working man's tools are his livelihood, and that you really appreciate that. No payment will be necessary or probably accepted in that case.
Randallissimo is offline  
Old 08-06-09, 07:03 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 349
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
In addition to the previously posted torque wrench advice . . .some FSA cranks require the use of Loctite 641 installation compound (not to be confused with Loctite threadlocking compounds) on the left splines. Might check the latest installation instructions on FSA's website in case it applies to your particular crankset.
DSchlichting is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.