Okay, I tightened the crankarms and rings in the front but it was still making a creaking noise. I didn't think my tools were good enough so I took the bike to the LBS to see if they could help me out. They also tightened the crank and said it wasn't tight enough...

So I go for a ride today and it still makes the noise! So I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure out what it is...

I suspected that it was either the pedals or the front wheel/fork. So I took the Look 5.1 pedals off my Univega and took off the front ghay wheel off the Univega(some lame 38spoke non-aero wheel).

I first thought it was the wheel because it always coming from around that area. I didn't take off the pedals and tried step by step. I put on the ghay wheel and took out the bike for a ride.

IT STOPPED~! I was stunned. I was pretty happy to find the cause of this issue.

Its basicly making a loud clicking noise when I apply lots of downward force on the bike. If I am out of the saddle it makes the noise and if I wiggle the bike left/right really fast it makes that clicking noise.


The question is...What are the possible causes of this noise? I don't see any cracks anywhere and I actually couldn't tighten the inner hub anymore(I couldn't get to it with my tools, It needs a super thin wrench).

Anyone?

I will go to the LBS to see if they can give me some advice, Its nice working only a few blocks from them

Thanks all

Maybe uneven spoke tension that allows a spoke to flex when the wheel gets a side load and it then taps against a crossing spoke.

I thought about that because I was the dumass that trued the front wheel when it went out of true . Still though, I did that over a month ago and it got pretty bad now. I can hear the noise everytime I get out of the saddle.

Thanks for the input!!!

Are all the spokes roughly the same tension? Nothing terribly loose?

What kind of hub on that wheel? Sounds like it's a cartridge-bearing hub. What happens in this case is that you can have the axle inserted and it'll be tight vertically/radially. However, you can have lateral axial play due to not having the axle-end caps tight-enough on the bearings.

To test, remove the skewer & springs from the hub. Use a block of something soft llike wood and tap on the axle from one side to the other, back and forth. Does it slip? Makes that noise?

These are the specs on the wheel

Its a Bontrager Select

Thanks.

I will check that out tommorow morning

Model Clincher
Rim Material Aluminum
Hub(s) Bontrager Select
Spokes (Front/Rear) 14-gauge
Holes (Front/Rear) 20
Nipples Brass
Axle(s) Chromoly
Skewer(s) Chromoly
Weight (Front/Rear) 800/760 grams (700c/650c)
Valve Type Presta
Color Gray

I just had the same problem!!! I couldn't track it down so I stopped off at the LBS in Nyack 2 weekends ago and the owner switched out wheels and it went away. What it was is the aluminum "prongs" at the bottom of the fork and the aluminum part of the wheel creak where they contact. He threw some lube on the fork "prongs" where the skewer goes through and BAM! Problem solved.

?? So the only way is to switch out the wheels??

Thanks

I hope the LBS is going to do it lol

PS: What kind of lube?

No, that is how he diagnosed it, by switching wheels. Just put some lube on the little aluminum tabs at the bottom of your fork and put your wheel back on. Just regular heavy grease.

THANKS!! I will try it tommorow

THanks man. Yea thats how i found out about my issue, I put my crapola wheel on and the noise went away

When were you getting this noise? Mine happened under heavy load and any sharp movements of the front wheel

exact same, anytime I was out of the saddle basically and I could get it to do it when I would torque the front end of the bike. I had tried everything including re-lubing and re-installing my botom bracket I was amazed actually at how simple it was but the owner said it was pretty common and hard to diagnose.

EDIT: I'll bet you some random bike part i have lying around that is what it is.

EDIT #2: Just make sure you get lube on the bottom and sides, anywhere the fork contacts the wheel or skewer.

My noise under load was a bearing crapping out in my Truvativ Roleur BB!
Only ridden a 1000kms on it.
Des.

Just to add to thread on creaking for archive purposes,

I had a tick or creak during every revolution of crank. But from where was it coming?

I narrowed it down to either left pedal or left shoe/clip.

I rode with my moccasins and it continued so I'd narrowed it to left pedal (It wasn't right side as pedalling with right foot only didn't cause it to tick.

I changed out left pedal for a spare platform pedal and sound stopped! So, I thought it was my Speedplay X/1's maybe a bearing or something. I sent them to the factory, they disassembled them, lubed 'em and sent them back saying all is/was well internally.

I mount them back on crank and .... tick, tick, tick from the left pedal again!

I removed the offending pedal and put a tiny bead of grease on pedal shaft where it contacts outside flat of crank when pedal is threaded tightly in place.

Wah-lah!!!! That was it.

The fix lasts for a few hundred miles, then I have to re-grease it again. No biggie.

I think after having two or different pedals on my crank before buying the Speedplays might have caused that surface to distort ever so slightly which makes for an imperfect fit when using the Speedplays.

..rickko..

I know this may sound too simple but I had the same problem and through trial and error found that it had to do with how tight/loose my quick releases were. If they were just a little bit too loose, I got the creak. Just for reference, the wheels in question are Ksyrium Elites.

Good Luck.

Thanks, that was the first thing I checked and I tried it super tight and it didn't help much ;(

I'll pick up some grease tommorow!!

I have a similar problem on my 5200. They (LBS) have dissassembled everything, checked, lubed etc... and the only thing that hasn't been replaced is the bottom bracket assembly itself. I still have the tick/creak. It drives me nuts!! I'm having a new BB put on the bike and hopefully that will do it. Everything else has been done. I even swapped both wheels from my 500 and the dam tick was still there!! Very frustrating.

Had a similar problem and it turned out to be a bad freehub on the rear wheel. I took the wheel off wrapped a towel around the cassette and turned against it and it would slip ever so slightly. When I took the wheel in to have it looked at the guy thought I was crazy at first, checked the rest of the bike and sent me back out with it. I promptly returned with it and said the problem was still there and he decided to order a replacement freehub since it was warranty work anyways and found that it really was what was causing the sound. It was a nasty "ping" like noise whenever there was a significant amount of pressure put on it. Dont know if this is whats wrong with your bike but its something you could check.

Took about two weeks to find the "click" on my bike. Worn out left pedal was the cause. I resisted vigorously for several minutes before buying upgraded pedals and new shoes.

To add another possible solution for people I had a creak/tick on my bike that was driving me absolutly crazy. Sounded like it was coming from my pedals or BB. So we took them apart greased everything, no dice still had the sound. After a few go rounds the mechanic at the LBS leans on my seat as a way to steady himself as he stands up and "tick".... We looked at each other in disbelief, took the seat off and put a tiny bit of lithium grease on the contact points between the clamp and the seat rails and silence from then on.

Since we're sharing weird sources of noise... mine was the removable rear derailleur hanger. The fixing bolt was loose (but QR was tight) which let the hanger move slightly.

These are crazy issues!! I think mine is the front wheel because when I swapped out the wheel, the noise miraculously went away...

I stopped by the LBS to pick up some grease(Don't have left at my house) and he greased it it up for me . I will see how it works today. If anything I will just use that other wheel until I bring it back. I can't stand riding when I hear all these noises, they bother me and I end up wasting the ride trying to figure out whats going on!!

I have to buy some grease though, seems to be useful for many of these issues

I had an issue with the seat too, the seat would loosen just a bit to start creaking. I carry my mini tool and tighten the bolt every couple hundred miles to make it go away.

Fun times

did that take care of it?

Geez, I noticed the same problem. I had crank creak. Took it apart, put it back together. Last night I noticed a front end noise. I also have Bontrager Selects. I can hold the front of the bike up and spin the wheel and hear it. I thought it was the Cateye Micro Wireless. I removed the sensor and the magnet and it was still there. Mine is also a front wheel. I reduced the tire pressure, still happens. Wheels have 120 miles on them. I can hear it even off the bike when its upside down.

that sounds more like a hub or rub issue rather than a high torque creak.

well, you should always have grease handy (although bike grease is nto necessary; any ball bearing grease is fine).

but i'd suggest putting a drop of lube into each spoke nipple on the front wheel. i'm fairly certain this will fix your issue.

sd