When I'm out of the saddle and pull on the handlebars there is a strange and gradually louder creaking (especially when pulling on left side). I've tried tightening everything, but it has made no difference. A friend said that I should take it to my local shop because it could be a cracking handlebar (aluminum) which could lead to unpleasantness should it break off. Any tips? -- Steve Juniper
"The Bush administration's 'war on terror' is legal nonsense - conferring no more powers on the US to detain prisoners than the 'war against obesity' - and President Bush's policy of pre-emptive self-defense is clearly illegal under international law." -- Elizabeth Wilmshurst - Int'l Law expert --
When I'm out of the saddle and pull on the handlebars there is a strange and gradually louder creaking (especially when pulling on left side). I've tried tightening everything, but it has made no difference. A friend said that I should take it to my local shop because it could be a cracking handlebar (aluminum) which could lead to unpleasantness should it break off. Any tips?
Easy to loosen the bar clamp and check, surely? If it looks OK refit it with a bit of grease. The stem/bar interface often creaks.
For perfectionists: radius the edges of the clamp with a file if the manufacturer's haven't already done so, to prevent it notching the bar. For obvious reasons this is less disfiguring on an unpainted alloy stem.
