Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Santa Fe, New Mexico & San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
Bikes: '72 Colnago, 84 Trek 600, 87 Specialized Sirrus, 87 Specialized Rockhopper, '04 Cannondale Optima, '06 Motobecane 600HT, 08 Motobecane Single Speed
Well, it was one of those things - the squeeek - that just bothered me.
I checked the saddle & seatpost by swapping them with ones known to be quiet. Still squeeeked.
Took off the crankarm - left side, cleaned, greased, torqued back on. Still squeeeked.
Took off the right crankarm and chainrings, cleaned, greased and saw the bearing cup with the two flats on it. I have a 15" crescent wrench I hadn't used in a while and thought "why not"? I fitted the wrench on the two flats and probably applied 75lbs force x 1.25' = about 90ft/lb. The cup turned about 1/8 turn right away w/maybe 20ft/lb, then firmed up quite a bit. Altogether it turned a little less than 1/4 turn. That felt about right.
I put everything back together. NO MORE SQUEEEK even after almost a year. So I don't know, I'm just saying....
This bike is an old Colnago w/ a steel frame. I'd have let up on the torque sooner if it had been Aluminum.
I hope this helps in some way!
Cheers