Creaking Bike Frame?

[destrago]

My fiance tells me she's going to go run at the gym then get a muscle massage. I'm left with about 3 glorious free hours, and the weather is fantastic. I figure I can do 2-3 laps at leb.

Unfortunately in the first lap I start noticing my bike CREAKING. This is a sound I've NEVER heard from a bike. It sounds like an old hinge or an old hardwood floor. I can't really tell where it's coming from. Sometimes it sounds like its coming from the head tube, sometimes it sounds like it's coming from the rear shock area. It gets much more noticable the faster I go, especially on downhills/rough sections. I might be willing to consider this livable, but since I know that Bob broke 2 of these frames and I'm not that much smaller than him I got a little scared and rode home after only 1 lap.

Any of you mech/frame wizzards seen issues like this and know what it could be or what to look for? I've not FOUND any cracks in the frame, though I don't know that means I just not looked hard enough. Thanks!

-Tony

[stoneage]

Narrowing down the problem can be a chore. Is the bike aluminum or ti, because the creak could be anywhere. I always look at BB-crank area first. Is the sound present ONLY when pedaling? Compress the suspension without pressing on the pedals. Creak? Not BB-crank. Pedal no handed. No noise, check the stem-bars. Good luck.

[Aberrix]

I just bought a new bike, its aluminum and I just noticed some creeking coming from the bottom bracket, what could that be?

[stoneage]

Take off the cranks, make sure the splines or spindle is clean and retighten. If the creak persists you may want to check the BB and make sure it is tightened. Make sure to lube the threads with an electrolytic thread prep (copper is best) or wrap the threads in teflon tape. One of the primary causes of creaks is electrolysis across different metal parts, especially ti and aluminum. It will make future removal easier also.

[destrago]

Sorry, should have specified - it's a Gary Fisher Sugar 293. 2005 model I believe.

So I checked afew things based on your suggestions and I found that I can get it to reliably creak when try to pedal forward with the front brake cranked on. The back brake creaks a little too, but not as much. So it's not actually my frame (whew) it's my disc brakes. This explains why it alternatively sounds like it's coming from behind/below me or from the head tube. Also explains why it's worst on fast/rough sections of trail (think dream trail and the downhill after the rock ledge in XX).

Any ideas on what it might be since it's my brakes and if its anything to worry about or something I can easily fix? Thanks for the advice.

-tony

[col200]

Check the seatpost/seat. If the seats a little loose in the clamps, it'll creak! If you have a spacer in the seatpost tube, and there's dirt in between the post and the spacer, it'll creak.

edit: Sorry, I just read your last post right now. So, nevermind about the seatpost thing. All I can think of is the bolts holding the caliper to the frame might be loose?

[soupboy]

Sounds like you need to spend some QT with a tube of Phil Wood's finest.

Creaks are awful things. Whenever I build a bike I use copious amounts of grease. The BB area can be a bear. I use teflon tape and gobs o' grease. Seatposts can be terrible buggers too. Disassemble it - yes, all bolts, nuts, etc. - a grease 'er up. A little grease on your rails doesn't hurt either.

[msquire311]

I had the same problem earlier this week at Mammoth. I had to cut my ride short because it was driving me crazy. Use some all purpose oil in the suspension components. Thats where my creak was coming from and that is what stopped it.