horrible creak

In article <[email hidden]>, Jon_H (jon_h34

@mailthatishot.com) said:

On Saturday,
not just me but everyone else in the velodrome noticed a horrible creak
coming from my track bike.
While riding in a group at around 20mph not a peep but as soon as you put
the peddle to the metal it makes the most horrendous creaking noise any
ideas where I should start looking. It's either the bottom bracket,chain,
cranks, rear bearings or sprocket as it seems to be emanating from the rear
end.

the parts above are all miche track stuff including the chain. any ideas
before I strip the thing completely.

Something very similar was emanating from the depths of my fixer lately
and was traced to a cracked chainring - from the teeth in towards the
centre. It probably didn't help that most of the chainring bolts had
worked loose either, which seems to be something to which that
particular chainset - IIRC a Stronglight 80 - is rather prone.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
I have a shell collection, have you seen it? I keep it scattered on the
world=3Fs beaches.

Jon_H said:

On Saturday,
not just me but everyone else in the velodrome noticed a horrible creak
coming from my track bike.
While riding in a group at around 20mph not a peep but as soon as you put
the peddle to the metal it makes the most horrendous creaking noise any
ideas where I should start looking. It's either the bottom bracket,chain,
cranks, rear bearings or sprocket as it seems to be emanating from the rear
end.

the parts above are all miche track stuff including the chain. any ideas
before I strip the thing completely.

Just remember that squeaks are notoriously difficult to locate
accurately. As many others here have noted, this sort of thing can even
be saddle railings. I found *that* hard to believe until it happened to
me. Rebuilding the seatpost clamp and greasing all contact points
killed *that* squeak.

That's just *one* example of an unexpected place the squeak can be
coming from. Good luck,

Mark

"Mark Janeba" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jon_H said:

On Saturday,
not just me but everyone else in the velodrome noticed a horrible creak
coming from my track bike.
While riding in a group at around 20mph not a peep but as soon as you

put

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the peddle to the metal it makes the most horrendous creaking noise any
ideas where I should start looking. It's either the bottom

bracket,chain,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cranks, rear bearings or sprocket as it seems to be emanating from the

rear

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

end.

the parts above are all miche track stuff including the chain. any ideas
before I strip the thing completely.

Just remember that squeaks are notoriously difficult to locate
accurately. As many others here have noted, this sort of thing can even
be saddle railings. I found *that* hard to believe until it happened to
me. Rebuilding the seatpost clamp and greasing all contact points
killed *that* squeak.

That's just *one* example of an unexpected place the squeak can be
coming from. Good luck,

Mark.

I can eliminate the saddle and seatpost as it is even more noticeable when
you jump out of the saddle to accelerate. The chainring and bolts are all
well tight the first thing I checked was the tightness of all the componants
invloved

cheers
Jon_H

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 15:58:38 GMT, "Jon_H" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On Saturday,
not just me but everyone else in the velodrome noticed a horrible creak
coming from my track bike.
While riding in a group at around 20mph not a peep but as soon as you put
the peddle to the metal it makes the most horrendous creaking noise any
ideas where I should start looking. It's either the bottom bracket,chain,
cranks, rear bearings or sprocket as it seems to be emanating from the rear
end.

the parts above are all miche track stuff including the chain. any ideas
before I strip the thing completely.

I'd start with the bottom bracket; in the process, you'll also
discover if a crank was loose, but I've never seen one of those creak.
If the spider for the chainrings is not a part of the same aluminum
casting as the crank, look closely at the join between them; it's not
unknown for it to crack and make noise. I've also seen creaks from a
dropout that was loose in one of the stays where the brazing had
sheared.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Per Jon_H:

Quoted message said:

any ideas
before I strip the thing completely.

Pick the low-hanging fruit first: unlikely as it might be, a crack in somewhere
in the frame is a possibility. Seems like the least labor-intensive thing to
check for though... I'm kind of heavy and tend to lunge up hills - maybe
creating stresses similar to a track racer... and I've cracked two frames back
at the rear dropouts.
--
PeteCresswell

In article <[email hidden]>, Werehatrack

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

On Saturday,
not just me but everyone else in the velodrome noticed a horrible creak
coming from my track bike.
While riding in a group at around 20mph not a peep but as soon as you put
the peddle to the metal it makes the most horrendous creaking noise any
ideas where I should start looking. It's either the bottom bracket,chain,
cranks, rear bearings or sprocket as it seems to be emanating from the rear
end.

the parts above are all miche track stuff including the chain. any ideas
before I strip the thing completely.

I'd start with the bottom bracket; in the process, you'll also
discover if a crank was loose, but I've never seen one of those creak.
If the spider for the chainrings is not a part of the same aluminum
casting as the crank, look closely at the join between them; it's not
unknown for it to crack and make noise.

I once had a Blackspire crank (with removable spider) that had a
tendency to creak and protest loudly. Following back-pedalling (to slow
down), hard acceleration would be accompanied by a momentary
creak-clunk as the spider ever so slightly shifted with the change in
direction of the applied force. Once the spider had settled into its
new position (a single revolution would be enough) then it was silent
running again - at least, until the I slowed down again.

The crank was in excellent condition - brand new in fact, and the
spider's locknut tight; but the (manufacturing) tolerances of the
spider/arm interface could've been better. To be fair to Blackspire, I
don't think the crankset was ever intended for use on a fixie (it was
marketed as a single speed crank). Regardless, I've refrained from
using any removable spider crankset on a fixie ever since.

Luke

"Werehatrack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 15:58:38 GMT, "Jon_H"

<[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

On Saturday,
not just me but everyone else in the velodrome noticed a

horrible creak

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

coming from my track bike.
While riding in a group at around 20mph not a peep but as soon

as you put

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the peddle to the metal it makes the most horrendous creaking

noise any

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

ideas where I should start looking. It's either the bottom

bracket,chain,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cranks, rear bearings or sprocket as it seems to be emanating

from the rear

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

end.

the parts above are all miche track stuff including the chain.

any ideas

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

before I strip the thing completely.

I'd start with the bottom bracket; in the process, you'll also
discover if a crank was loose, but I've never seen one of those

creak.

Quoted message said:

If the spider for the chainrings is not a part of the same

aluminum

Quoted message said:

casting as the crank, look closely at the join between them;

it's not

Quoted message said:

unknown for it to crack and make noise. I've also seen creaks

from a

Quoted message said:

dropout that was loose in one of the stays where the brazing

had

Quoted message said:

sheared.

I've also had creaking from cracked steel and Al frames. Not to
be an alarmist, but the last time I had a really bad creak was
just before I broke a crank arm. I have minor creaks all the
time, being that I ride Cannondales which have a tendency to
creak for some reason -- probably steel BB rings in an aluminum
frame. -- Jay Beattie.

Per Jay Beattie:

Quoted message said:

Not to
be an alarmist, but the last time I had a really bad creak was
just before I broke a crank arm.

I forgot to mention that one. In addition to the two frames I broke at the
dropout, in-between them I broke a crank arm and, just as Jay says, it gave
warning - only I was too dense to heed it.

I would revise my advice: Instead of checking the frame first, check the crank
arms *really* well. A broken crank can *really* mess up your day - not that a
broken frame can't....
--
PeteCresswell

Creaks from the lower/nether regions of a bike are most commonly
emmitted from the following sources) in no specific order):

Cranks and everything immediately attached toi them.

Spokes.

The trick, as you noticed, is locating them. The best way, I found, is
to ride along a quiet, open road to lessen any echoing from nearby
objects. Listen to the creaks and try to link their "pattern" with
whatever other motions they may match.

i.e. are they in time with wheel turns? Pedaling? Which part of the
stroke? Are they louder when "mashing"? Does it dissapear when coasting?
Etc.Etc.Etc.

Having a friend follow alongside is also a valuable aid.

- -
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