Creak!
 

I have a new Specialized Allez Elite. Its a great bike but I have one concern. When Im up out of the saddle sprinting I will hear a creak noise that seams to be coming from the front of the bike (could be wrong on location). Is this the carbon fork creaking under the added weight from my sprint (that would be very bad)? My rim does not appear to be bent so I dont think its a brake rubbing noise.


Any ideas?

Thanks

headset?
or bottom bracket? (likely not since you said its in front)

Alex wheels?

Dirty fork dropouts?

whens the last time you had the wheels tensioned?

bars and stem snug?
pedal threads greased?
bottom bracket threads loose or dry?
headset properly adjusted?
headset bearing races greased?
dropouts/quick releases greased?
many possibilites, address one at a time until you find it.

tighten skewer.

New bike? I'm with the wheels/spoke tension answer.

possible small crack in steerer tube?
happened to me...lil over tightening will do it.

I had a similar problem with my Lemond and I took it back to the LBS a few times.....after looking at the head set, wheels and forks, the tech put a little white grease in the fork dropouts and problem solved

you ain't kidding. i had a creak in my bianchi axis that sounded like the BB. i you name it, i took it apart, cleaned it, lubed it and tightened it. no dice. then i upgraded the alex wheels to mavic OPs; noise gone.

possible small crack in steerer tube?
happened to me...lil over tightening will do it.

Lots of possible causes for creaking noises, but this is the one that happened to me. It's worth a try early in your search, b/c it is easy and cheap to fix. Your skewer should be tight enough that you can just barely close it with one hand.

Could be stem bolts / interface between bar and stem / STI bracket interface with bars etc. as they obviously experience more load when you stand. Just a thought. Worth a re-grease anyway I'd say.

I had the same problem with my first road bike (aluminum frame, carbon fork)--although I heard a huge CRACK when I hit a big bump before the noise started. I took it to the LBS and they did an overhaul of the headset. No more creak! :)

It sounds like a mavic skewer. Tighten it.

On Alex wheels?

Back in 2004 I bought a new Giant OCR3 and after a few weeks, it started creaking. At first it sounded like it was coming from the adjustable stem. Then after a few thousand miles, the whole frame started creaking whenever i'd stand on the pedals. I rode the OCR3 for three seasons and 5000 miles, then sold it. Now all my bikes are steel and i never hear any noises. Aluminum creaks- a fact of life.

And I suppose that you something else beside the "steel is real" bias to prove that "aluminum creaks"? :rolleyes:

Aluminum is only 1/3 the density of steel. It has no resistance to fatigue. My steel bikes are Reynolds 853, 531 and Super Vitus 980.

me too. sux

+1 for stem and handlebar bolts.