cthenn

So I have this creak coming from somewhere in the drivetrain area of the bike(?), but the weird thing is it goes away when I am pedaling harder, and seems to reappear when I soft pedal. That's 180 degrees opposite of most of my other creaking issues I've had on bikes before. The sound is more like a tick or click, not very loud, but I'm a stickler for a quiet bike. It happens in the same crank position every revolution (right crank arm forward and parallel to the road. It goes away once I go over, say 200 watts or so. But if I'm just soft pedaling, it returns. In fact, if I'm literally just turning the cranks and not putting any force onto the cranks, it still occurs. Happens in any gear combo, so that seems to rule out specific cassette cog, and I'd imagine the nature of it only happening during soft pedaling rules out something like loose QR, BB creaks, chainring bolts, chain, etc. Not the saddle/seatpost either because it happens out of the saddle too. So I'm at a loss as to what could be causing this. The only thing I recently changed was the chain, and yes, it's installed correctly. I'm not sure if it was happening before the change. Besides, if it was the chain, the creak wouldn't always happen in the exact same crank position. Next steps I might try are to re-lube and re-tighten chainring bolts just in case, and grease the crank spindle.

If it matters, it's Shimano DA 9000 series components. 2015 Trek BB90. Anyone ever experienced a creak that goes away when pedaling hard, but returns when soft pedaling?

masi61

Random Tandem

Try changing the pedals to others that you know are quiet and confirm that the creaking is not in the pedals. My experience is that this is 95% of the time, and most pedals are easier to replace than digging into creaky crank town.

-Will

caloso

Pedals or cleats. That was also my thought.

79pmooney

+1 Mine too.

Trakhak

Or saddle.

reburns

Sy Reene

If it's a pedal or cleat.. it's likely only one of them especially as you're always hearing the click in the same crank position. Try pedaling some time with just one leg, and the other clipped out, and then swap legs. Also check if you perhaps have the end of eg. the FD cable sticking out so that your heel hits it during the rotation... just an oddball possibility.

djb

getting yer keester off the seat will show right away if its a seat rail or whatever.
before replacing pedals with diff ones, remove them and put on a good amount of grease on the threads and put back in, making sure they are good and tight.
cleat bolts check
push pull on handlebars to see if something is doing it

may the mystery be solved Monsieur Poirot

dsbrantjr

Clean both pedal and crank threads before greasing and reassembly. And substitute known-quiet platform pedals if available to rule out cleat noise.

SalsaShark

If, by chance, you happen to be riding a Brooks Cambium saddle, I have had to disassemble and grease where the rails enter the seat frame on all of mine to rid creaks from these saddles. Took me awhile to figure this out.
if you're not running a Cambium, remember to grease your seatpost, and sorry for wasting your time!

canklecat

Yeah, but mine was so silly it's almost embarrassing to mention.

My '92 Univega hybrid developed a pesky creak, mostly while pedaling easily including some climbs I took in the easiest gears.

I checked and re-checked everything: saddle and seat post (yup, really); chain (new); cassette (new, retightened the lock ring); fenders; crank arms; lock rings; pedals; etc. Finally re-did the entire bottom bracket.

Creak kept coming back. But only while pedaling easily on the trainer or around town. When I'd gear up and put in a little effort, no creaking.

Finally realized I'd forgotten to remove the plastic dork disc. A friend gave me this old but functional wheelset, including the dork disc. First thing I did was replace the 7-speed 13-28 cassette with an 8-speed 12-32... but now the slightly larger diameter cassette covered the dork disc and I forgot about it. Until it started creaking.

Apparently one of the four plastic fingers holding the dork disc to the spokes wasn't quite holding. So the chain rubbed slightly but only while in the 32T cog... which only happened when I was climbing a couple of hills where I just loafcycle around 6-8 mph while on this bike. And occasionally I'd get into the largest cog while also in the middle 40T chainring, also pedaling with little effort. So the creaking was only intermittent. And it didn't sound like rubbing. That's what threw me. It sounded like creaking. Just that plastic finger eeking against the spoke junction.

Check behind the cassette. Maybe a cricket took up residence in there and is complaining when you gear down.

robertorolfo

Another vote for pedals...

fietsbob

... or the saddle..

cthenn

Good idea, I'll try this test.

cthenn

Thanks for the consensus. I'll try fiddling with the pedals, change them out, etc. I'm pretty sure it's not a cleat, but I'll try another pair of shoes as well. If by chance it is the pedals, does that mean they need replacing, or is there a way to service them? Never taken a pedal apart before. (They are Shimano DA pedals).

Oh, and it's not the saddle, as I can get it to happen out of the saddle.

djb

re IF its the pedal, often a pedal sound can be simply from the threads, ie not tight enough. As someone else said, take off both pedals, clean out threads of both pedals and crank with a rag, then put a good amount of grease on the pedal threads and put back in, with a good amount of tightening. ive had a noise go away from this, but no promises here. You just basically have to eliminate things step by step. This one is an easy try.

have resolved a bb square taper creak also from simply removing bb, cleaning out the crud, greasing threads and putting bb back in, it was simply the gunk and loosening over time. Any old thick grease works. White lithium for pedals as I have a tube of it that goes back 30 years, and for bb stuff, I use the thicker Phils green stuff I use in hubs, again just cuz i have it, although your bike prob has outboard or pressed in bb bearings.

reburns

robertorolfo

What interface, exactly? This is the first I am hearing this advice...

djb

re creaking, or anything for that matter, Ive only ever just wiped dirt off the dropouts of mybikes, never had any issues, never lubed.
Not tight enough qr, thats another thing,but never anything else.

reburns

djb

that is where i was referring to, Ive never had this problem with my "only occasionally, very occasionally wiped with a rag" dropout surfaces...in all my years riding on diff bikes.

robertorolfo

Right, but I thought that possible slippage is more of an issue than creaking, corrosion or stiction. I don't want any reduced friction there...

Jon T

Try lubing the lock levers on the qr's. Oil them 'til they're dripping wet then wipe off the excess, adjust, and lock in place.
Jon

cthenn

Welp, I've tried everything I can think of and it still persists. I have isolated it to being on the right side, by doing one-leg pedaling. But I tried different pedals and shoes, still persists. I checked the chainring bolts, they are fine, lubed everything I could think of, including the interface between the spider and the outer chainring and bolts, nothing. Took the crank off, checked the bearings in the BB, feels smooth and free. Cleaned everything, greased the spindle... So weird I can turn the cranks just enough to keep the pawls engaged on the rear hub, basically putting no power into the pedals and still "TICK TICK TICK TICK" but when I am doing like 500w climbing my 25% driveway, total silence. Can't understand why it would go away under heavy load and return when I'm basically coasting. Oh well, until something breaks or it gets much worse, I guess I'll just have to live with it!

Edit: I replied before reading the last comments...will try messing with the QR's, lubing, installing different ones, cleaning the area, etc. I know it's not a cassette issue because it happens in any gear combo, at the exact same point of crank revolution. I suppose it could be a QR issue, but again, would think if it's something not tight enough or needing lube, it would get worse under heavier load, not disappear!