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why are my cranks creaking?

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

why are my cranks creaking?

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Old 08-19-08 | 12:15 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Kol.klink
if its not your pedals/chainring bolts/
WD-40 Is worse than no lube in my experience. its just vegetable oil in an aerosol can, i'd sooner bust out bacon grease Jar
lol gtfo with that ****, its much more complicated than that. its just not suited for this situation aparantly
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Old 08-19-08 | 12:18 PM
  #27  
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true, its actually 80% kerosene which acts as a solvent and evaporates within a day or so and some mineral oil(15%). I find WD due to its high solvent\actual Lube content draws a lot of dirt into what ever you are trying to lube, and just generally makes sticky Dirt collecting mess of anything. In this instance some Crisco/shortening really would have been better, not that I'm really recommending but if they where my pedals and i had to choose, i would use a butter over WD

Last edited by Kol.klink; 08-19-08 at 12:28 PM.
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Old 08-19-08 | 12:30 PM
  #28  
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Creaks from the bb are not that hard to diagnose or fix but you usually have to test the bike under load.

Swap in some pedals you know are 100% and go for a ride...if there is still a creak then it's not the pedals.

Check the chain ring bolts and go for a test ride, if there is a still a creak, it's probably in the bb.

The bb threads should be greased and I always install crank arms without grease. *

Seat posts and saddle clamps can also generate some creaks and squeaks that may seem to be coming from farther down so check those too.

* We could debate the greased vs un-greased spindle thing all day... greasing the spindle is not an issue if the crank is installed properly.
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Old 08-19-08 | 12:40 PM
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The first thing to do when you hear squeaks coming from below you is test it riding sitting and standing up. If the noise disappears when you're standing, it's your saddle rails. Grease them and you're set.

You might be 100% absolutely convinced the sound is coming from the bottom of your bike, but it is impossible to tell.
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Old 08-19-08 | 04:41 PM
  #30  
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well i just checked my seat post and saddle re assembled it greased it put it back together super tight. did the same with the pedals greased them tightened them to the max. the creak is still there not as bad as it was but it is still there. im going to try swapping pedals from another bike i have which doesnt have this problem. and if the noise is still there im gonna take it to the shop tommorow. thanks for everyones help
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Old 08-19-08 | 04:45 PM
  #31  
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I had creaking on one of my bikes and it turned out to be two things:
1. Loose retaining nut on pedal axle - I took it apart and rebuilt
2. Seat rails - sounds silly, but when I greased the seat rails, it made the bike quieter. I got the idea on the mechanics forum.
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Old 08-19-08 | 10:42 PM
  #32  
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Definitely coming from the front hub... maybe the headset. Or, possibly your grips. At any rate it's for certain coming from the frame.

Only you can figure it out for sure. Maybe with the local bike shop's help... online forums are useless for diagnosing sounds from a bicycle.
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Old 08-19-08 | 10:48 PM
  #33  
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wtf ?@ ^
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Old 08-19-08 | 10:51 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by PDXJeff
Definitely coming from the front hub... maybe the headset. Or, possibly your grips. At any rate it's for certain coming from the frame.

Only you can figure it out for sure. Maybe with the local bike shop's help... online forums are useless for diagnosing sounds from a bicycle.
Or the seat if were not gonna listen where he said it was coming from.
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Old 08-19-08 | 11:18 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by kiesterstash
Or the seat if were not gonna listen where he said it was coming from.
That's my point. Post 31 already recommended the seat .
It's going on three pages now. HOW MANY posts like this are there? And who HASN"T had a creak coming from the BB "area" at some point. If all this advice can't help him figure it out, then that bike will creak for a long time.
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Old 08-20-08 | 07:16 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by middy
Just get some lithium grease from any place that sells auto parts. You'd have to be mental to buy "special bike grease".
I've used lithium grease for other applications, and while it certainly isn't a bad grease, it isn't as thick as Phil's bike grease and I doubt it holds up to water as well. Considering Phil's grease is roughly the same price as white lithium grease, I don't see why you wouldn't just go with a thicker water proof grease over white lithium.
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Old 08-20-08 | 10:51 AM
  #37  
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marine trailer wheel bearing grease ftw!
Cheap at an auto parts store. Amber in color, waterproof, and sticks to everything
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Old 08-21-08 | 12:01 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Abe Froman
marine trailer wheel bearing grease ftw!
Cheap at an auto parts store.
F**k yes.

Originally Posted by old scratch
in my experience this is always the chainring bolts.
Well in my experience this is always the pedals. I have never experienced a chainring bolt loose enough to make noise.
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Old 08-21-08 | 01:53 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by elTwitcho
I've used lithium grease for other applications, and while it certainly isn't a bad grease, it isn't as thick as Phil's bike grease and I doubt it holds up to water as well. Considering Phil's grease is roughly the same price as white lithium grease, I don't see why you wouldn't just go with a thicker water proof grease over white lithium.
Wow! Waterproof grease? What will they think of next?
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Old 08-22-08 | 09:31 PM
  #40  
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it turns out it was the bottom bracket. which i dont know how cause when i built the bike the mechanic at the shop installed a new bottom bracket. anyway its riding great now thanks for everyones help
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