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Bad BB/headset bearing?

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Old 08-04-19 | 05:08 PM
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Bad BB/headset bearing?

Hi All,

Would a bad BB bearing cause a tick/creak? Only does this when out of the saddle and pulling on the bars. I've cleaned and re-greased the headset bearings and all the stem bolts and it still happens so that kinda rules out the cockpit. BB is a praxis conversion that I had installed in order to use a Shimano crank. It was fine for a while so I'm wondering if the BB itself went bad. I've had it pulled and reinstalled...no change. When climbing and pulling on the bars I can relax my pull on the bar and it doesnt go away in the least which still points to the BB. Pedals re-greased, it's not the saddle or seatpost and headset checked as well. There aint much else to look at but the BB. What are the odds its defective?
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Old 08-04-19 | 05:54 PM
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When was the last time you changed it? Press fit definitely doesn’t last as long as some of the previous designed BB. Possibly a different brand might help. How it is installed also has a lot to do with wether you get creaking on
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Old 08-04-19 | 05:58 PM
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Originally Posted by jjferrante
Hi All,

Would a bad BB bearing cause a tick/creak? Only does this when out of the saddle and pulling on the bars. I've cleaned and re-greased the headset bearings and all the stem bolts and it still happens so that kinda rules out the cockpit. BB is a praxis conversion that I had installed in order to use a Shimano crank. It was fine for a while so I'm wondering if the BB itself went bad. I've had it pulled and reinstalled...no change. When climbing and pulling on the bars I can relax my pull on the bar and it doesnt go away in the least which still points to the BB. Pedals re-greased, it's not the saddle or seatpost and headset checked as well. There aint much else to look at but the BB. What are the odds its defective?
Check your skewers. Had an identical click under identical circumstances, thought it was my headset, then my BB, then finally pulled both skewers and greased them with chain lube. Creaking out of saddle was gone.
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Old 08-05-19 | 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Dan333SP
Check your skewers. Had an identical click under identical circumstances, thought it was my headset, then my BB, then finally pulled both skewers and greased them with chain lube. Creaking out of saddle was gone.
Many of us have found this the hard way.
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Old 08-05-19 | 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Dan333SP
Check your skewers. Had an identical click under identical circumstances, thought it was my headset, then my BB, then finally pulled both skewers and greased them with chain lube. Creaking out of saddle was gone.
That worked enough for me to decide to buy new skewers.
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Old 08-05-19 | 03:36 PM
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Try tightening the rear wheel skewer. The only time I had this problem, that was the culprit. Also, climbing out of the saddle should not be accompanied by pulling on the bars. If that's necessary, get some lower gears.
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Old 08-05-19 | 10:31 PM
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I recently replaced my creaking BB with a Praxis unit. It solved the issue for now. My LBS warned me that even with the Praxis it could still creak. It's the tolerances not being precise.
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