Cycling Equipment · Public discussion

Can a frame creak?

Started by Pete Biggs · · Last activity · 7 posts · 1,267 views

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Cycling Equipment
Published
17 October 2003
Last activity
22 October 2003
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Pete Biggs
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  1. ...Not something on or in the frame but the actual frame itself?

    I'm having trouble eliminating a loud creaking with my welded titanium Raleigh RSP Timet road bike.
    It happens when pedalling or moving on the saddle. Cranks or BB can't be to blame because still
    happens when I take feet off the pedals and bounce up and down on the saddle. I can't reproduce it
    when standing up or when off the bike.

    Sounds like it's coming from the seatpost or saddle so I swap them both for others. Same problem
    even though both saddles and posts never used to creak (nor did anything else like this on the
    bike)! Could be a coincidence (I will try more grease/saddles/adjustments, etc but don't have any
    more posts of right size) but is there anything else I should suspect or try?

    thanks ~PB

  2. "Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    ...Not something on or in the frame but the actual frame itself?

    I'm having trouble eliminating a loud creaking with my welded titanium Raleigh RSP Timet road
    bike. It happens when pedalling or moving on the saddle. Cranks or BB can't be to blame because
    still happens when I take feet off the pedals and bounce up and down on the saddle. I can't
    reproduce it when standing up or when off the bike.

    Sounds like it's coming from the seatpost or saddle so I swap them both for others. Same problem
    even though both saddles and posts never used to creak (nor did anything else like this on the
    bike)! Could be a coincidence (I will try more grease/saddles/adjustments, etc but don't have any
    more posts of right size) but is there anything else I should suspect or try?

    Try removing, cleaning and lubing the seat post binder (clamp and bolt). Also check welds in
    vicinity very closely.

    Bill "hates creaks with a passion" S.

  3. "Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Sounds like it's coming from the seatpost or saddle so I swap them both for others. Same problem
    even though both saddles and posts never used to creak (nor did anything else like this on the
    bike)! Could be a coincidence (I will try more grease/saddles/adjustments, etc but don't have any
    more posts of right size) but is there anything else I should suspect or try?

    My mountain bike had a persistent creak from the saddle area. I greased everything suspect, tried a
    few different seat posts, and then took it to my bike shop in defeat.

    They reported that the seat tube inner diameter was slightly greater than the nominal 27.2mm and
    that the seat post's outer diameters were coincidentally slightly smaller than the nominal 27.2mm.
    They had a post floating around with an OD that was closer to the ID of the seat post, and the
    creak is gone.

    If the other suggestions don't yield a fix, try taking the above measurements.

    Good luck,

    Brian Ray

  4. The saddle that I had was doing the creaking. I replace it and all noise went away. "Pete Biggs"
    <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    ...Not something on or in the frame but the actual frame itself?

    I'm having trouble eliminating a loud creaking with my welded titanium Raleigh RSP Timet road
    bike. It happens when pedalling or moving on the saddle. Cranks or BB can't be to blame because
    still happens when I take feet off the pedals and bounce up and down on the saddle. I can't
    reproduce it when standing up or when off the bike.

    Sounds like it's coming from the seatpost or saddle so I swap them both for others. Same problem
    even though both saddles and posts never used to creak (nor did anything else like this on the
    bike)! Could be a coincidence (I will try more grease/saddles/adjustments, etc but don't have any
    more posts of right size) but is there anything else I should suspect or try?

    thanks ~PB

  5. I had a persistent creaking/squeaking coming from somewhere in my saddle/seatpost for a while. It
    went away when one of the bolts holding the saddle to the seatpost failed spectacularly in the
    middle of the woods.

    Check them bolts.

    In article <[email hidden]>, Pete Biggs

    Quoted message said:

    ...Not something on or in the frame but the actual frame itself?

    I'm having trouble eliminating a loud creaking with my welded titanium Raleigh RSP Timet road
    bike. It happens when pedalling or moving on the saddle. Cranks or BB can't be to blame because
    still happens when I take feet off the pedals and bounce up and down on the saddle. I can't
    reproduce it when standing up or when off the bike.

    Sounds like it's coming from the seatpost or saddle so I swap them both for others. Same problem
    even though both saddles and posts never used to creak (nor did anything else like this on the
    bike)! Could be a coincidence (I will try more grease/saddles/adjustments, etc but don't have any
    more posts of right size) but is there anything else I should suspect or try?

    thanks ~PB

  6. Brian Ray said:
    Quoted message said:

    Sounds like it's coming from the seatpost or saddle so I swap them both for others. Same problem
    even though both saddles and posts never used to creak (nor did anything else like this on the
    bike)! Could be a coincidence (I will try more grease/saddles/adjustments, etc but don't have any
    more posts of right size) but is there anything else I should suspect or try?

    My mountain bike had a persistent creak from the saddle area. I greased everything suspect, tried
    a few different seat posts, and then took it to my bike shop in defeat.

    They reported that the seat tube inner diameter was slightly greater than the nominal 27.2mm and
    that the seat post's outer diameters were coincidentally slightly smaller than the nominal 27.2mm.
    They had a post floating around with an OD that was closer to the ID of the seat post, and the
    creak is gone.

    If the other suggestions don't yield a fix, try taking the above measurements.

    Thank you very much for the unusual tip. It worked! Well, it or one of the other tips did :-)
    (Thanks to all the other respondees as well).

    I refitted my 25.0 post with a 27.2 shim instead of the "correct" 27.0 shim, with a third saddle
    and, although tight to make adjustments, NO CREAKS! So I'm not sure if it's the saddle,
    regreasing or the shim that's done the trick but at least I know the frame is not about to fall
    apart and the bolts themselves are probably ok. Shame this saddle is uncomfortable so still more
    combinations to try.

    cheers ~PB

  7. Pete Biggs said:

    ...Not something on or in the frame but the actual frame itself?

    I'm having trouble eliminating a loud creaking with my welded titanium Raleigh RSP Timet road
    bike. It happens when pedalling or moving on the saddle. Cranks or BB can't be to blame because
    still happens when I take feet off the pedals and bounce up and down on the saddle. I can't
    reproduce it when standing up or when off the bike.

    Sounds like it's coming from the seatpost or saddle so I swap them both for others. Same problem
    even though both saddles and posts never used to creak (nor did anything else like this on the
    bike)! Could be a coincidence (I will try more grease/saddles/adjustments, etc but don't have any
    more posts of right size) but is there anything else I should suspect or try?

    thanks ~PB

    I had a creaking sound using Colnago Chic and Campag Record Carbon 27,2mm. After spending a long
    time looking for a broken TIG weld, I eventually stuck a thin bit of rag down the seat tube, which
    pushed the seat post over to one of the walls of the seat tube and stabilised it all. Apparently,
    the bottom end of this flexy seat post was shifting and pushing small bits of grit around, causing
    that "ticking" sound.

    With my little fix, that problem should be gone forever. But that rag will probably rot quite nicely
    after a few sessions in rain ;-)

    /Robert

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