I've posted my share of these. I've replied to numerous other threads giving my opinion about a noise. I know it's hard to guess over the internet, but what the hell? Here's my latest issue: It's on my Speed Concept. At first, most folks may say it's the bottom bracket. I replaced that and the chain last week. It's an awful creaking. Does it standing or seated, so it's not the seat post. The skewers are tight. I know noises can sound like they are coming from somewhere and are actually coming from another area all together.

The real confusing thing is that it doesn't start until the 8-10 mile point of the ride. I'd bet my house it's coming from the drive train somewhere. It's a 2011 with not that many miles on it-maybe 2,000. The LBS says everything is torqued to spec (crank bolts, crank arms, etc.). To further confuse you, after the noise starts, it doesn't do it all the time. It will sound like hell for a 1/2 mile, then quit for 60 seconds or so. I'm about to toss it into the Chattahoochee.

Let me know when you throw it in the river. I'm in Cobb County and would like to go fish it out, put rack on it and use it as an beater/grocery bike for running to Publix.

It could be many things but my guess is the BB90 bottom bracket is creaking. Trek sells "V2" oversize bearings for shells which have become ovalized.
-Tim-

a loose nut above and behind the handlebars....

Post GPS coordinates of where you toss it in, ok?

I called it first.

just helping ya out... gps will limit the odds of bad directions or non-existent landmarks causing confusion... ;-)

besides, the drive there is a bit far for me.... and the scenery in florida/georgia is not what i'm into, so....

Does the noise happen if doing only 1-legged cycling (ie. try cycling with only 1 foot clipped in and on the pedal, then try the other)?

pretty sure what Tim and i are saying is: diagnosing random noises on a bike is hit and miss at best, and nearly impossible on the interwebs...

start thinking and testing... see if you can get the noise to happen when NOT riding... balance against a wall and twist around... push and pull on EVERYTHING... tap some parts with a screwdriver handle and listen for the SAME TONE in the noises, etc... good luck... and voodoo rituals might help? I've tried a catholic exorcism, no luck with that...

my DB does the creaking chain rings thing fair regularly... grease and extra torque on the ring screws helps, but it still returns at some point... FSA rings on a Shimano crank... they fit "loose" on the spiders' shoulders......

ooooooo... plus 1... i like that idea!

My guess is pedal/cleat interface.

No idea, but I will posit that aero-bikes have convoluted headset assemblies, so in searching for an all-the-time noise, I would start there.

I know that the speed concept involved removing a shroud, the wheel, using two wrenches, etc, etc, to adjust it. It is not intuitive as a normal threadless headset.

I will take into account all the suggestions. I do remember one time my road bike had a creaking headset and it sounded like it was coming from somewhere else. I haven't tried different pedals/shoes yet but I will. I swear, this one sounds like it's coming from down low somewhere, but who knows?

Try this: remove the crank arms and rotate the crank 90 or 180 degrees and re-install in a different position from what you have now, and then try it out just to see if it is not a creaking noise from the aluminum on the steel taper. I had this with an older Miyata...

Did the problem start when the bottom bracket was changed or before?

The Speed Concept doesn't really have a bottom bracket but bearings are pressed directly into the bottom bracket shell. It doesn't use cups.


-Tim-

Update: The LBS discovered the other day that I had a broken rear derailleur hanger. Got it fixed but haven't had a chance to try it out yet. If that doesn't work I will try the suggestion about rotating the crank. The noise was there before and after the bottom bracket was replaced.

How do you not notice a broken hanger?

Sure it's not your knees?

I'd make a sensible suggestion but I struggle to diagnose my own bike's noises

At 55, it could be my knees.

When it's cracked but still in one piece.

Exactly. And by the way, that wasn't the solution. Rode it yesterday-same noise. Back to the drawing board. It's coming from the crank. I can feel it in my feet when the creaking starts.

Have you done the 1-legged cycling test yet (alternating to try with each leg solo)?

I have not, but I will try it. I will try anything at this point. I'm going to go back through this thread and try anything that has been suggested, because I sure as hell don't have anymore ideas.

Try it.. my anecdotal experience was similar. Found it was just one foot, and was my forefoot rubbing against the crank arm, generally only when I wore toe covers. Probably not your issue, but my solve was simple (1/8" longer spindles for my speedplays).

Update: After considering and actually trying just about every suggestion made in this thread, we finally located the culprit of the creaking. It was the bearings in the headset. I had this same issue years ago with my road bike. I had already suggested that to the LBS. He said he didn't think that was the problem. He went out of town during the holidays and the mechanic completely disassembled the bike and checked everything. The bottom set of bearings felt rough. He ordered the part and started putting the bike back together, lubing/greasing everything as he torqued it all to specs.

When the bearings came in today, he put them it and called me to say he thought the bike was fixed. A test ride later by me confirmed his suspicion. Needless to say, the bike rode like a brand new one. I could've sworn the noise was in the crank area, but apparently the noise was resonating down the downtube.