2008 CAAD 9 Bottom Bracket issues
 

I have a 08 CAAD9 6 with a Tiagra bottom bracket. How often do you have to regrease them. I have had it done twice so far. It is noisy again. I am 6'2" and 240lbs. Is it strong enough, so do I need a better quality bottom bracket? I guess I need to learn how to do it myself. The bike has 1500-2000 miles on it. It just seems like the repacking job should last longer than a couple months. It was ridden 40 miles on labor day in the rain.

A 2008 should be a sealed cartridge unit. If your LBS has told you that they repacked those bearings, they were only repacking their wallets.

What are the symptoms? Squeeks, clicks?? Is this a cartridge or external cup type? (Im not sure when Tiaga went to the external cup design).

In any event, it should require almost no maintanance. If the noise is from the bb cup threads, then grease, or teflon tape on the threads shold keep it quiet for a long time.

It is normal to take the cartridge out and regrease the shell + unit to prevent seizing when the bike is ridden heavily in crappy weather (e.g a long rainy season).

Thanks for the info. It has external cups. I think they took the cartridge out and put grease in it. I said they repacked them, but I guess they didn't. It is just squeeking. I guess, I need to get a wrench to take it apart and add some grease to them. The last time they used some sort of grease that was blue in color. There was some on my frame. I would like to fix this myself because the LBS is 70 miles away, so it takes 1/2 a day to get anything done.

Noises on a bike can be anything. If you're absolutely sure it's the BB, then a regreasing should've taken care of it. The rubber seals on the cup bearings themselves can also cause a squeaking noise.

I have 2004 cannondale CAAD 7 and had same issue with creaky BB when I first got the bike. Basically, as grease thins or washes away, friction between shell and cups increase and the slight imperfections in threading cause creaks. C'dales stiff CAAD alu and fat tubes seem particualrly prone to this problem because the tubes are just really efficient as transmitting sound (basically an echo chamber). You need something a bit more substantial that regular grease. I have used automotive antseize for several years and have had almost no creaking; it fills in the minute spaces between threads better and doesn't get washed away when riding in bad weather. Plumbers teflon tape also works.

Besmirch not the name of the Holiest bike on Bikeforums! Oh Caad 9 forgive them for they know not what they are doing! Do not strike them down in their ignorance. Show them the light of your even better bottom bracket for 2010! Amen.

Hey man, I can't speak to CAAD 9, but CAAD 7 was an awesome frame in 2004 and remains an awesome frame in 2009. So far be it from me to say anything negative -- a shmere of antiseize and poster's creaks go away.

SHHHHH I'm trying to mock.

Thanks for everyones help. I will have to order a wrench and take it apart and add grease or tape to the cups. It is so annoying.

Use two turns of tape, then grease and you will be golden.

This is a very belt-and-suspenders approach but it will certainly work. I like teflon tape for bb cup threads and, done properly, they remain completely quiet.

I've never actually come across a situation yet where grease or anti-seize hasn't solved a bb-related noise issue.