Comments on: How to Fix a Creaking Bottom Bracket http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/06/19/how-to-fix-a-creaking-bottom-bracketrevisited/ Dirt is good. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:08:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: PushingWind http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/06/19/how-to-fix-a-creaking-bottom-bracketrevisited/#comment-26000 PushingWind Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:49:14 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/?p=1474#comment-26000 I battled a creaking commuter for 2 months. I swapped out so many pieces, from BB (2 months ago) to pedals, seatpost, seat. Tightened everything down. It never went away. It got really bad last week when the problem finally presented itself on my way to work Tuesday. The pedal started a slight teeter-totter about halfway to my destination. Stopped immediately since it felt like my left crank was coming loose. Naw, couldn't be that!?! Well, it was. I wiggled the crank just for grins thinking it's not the problem. The darn thing wiggled alot! Banged on it with my riding shoe to "press" it back on. Then used my trusty Ritchey CPR-14 multitoo, circa 1994, to tighten the bolt. Made it to my destination AND back home. Did a more thorough press and tighten that night. No more creaking. At least I have a brand new BB installed! Smooth. I battled a creaking commuter for 2 months. I swapped out so many pieces, from BB (2 months ago) to pedals, seatpost, seat. Tightened everything down. It never went away. It got really bad last week when the problem finally presented itself on my way to work Tuesday. The pedal started a slight teeter-totter about halfway to my destination. Stopped immediately since it felt like my left crank was coming loose. Naw, couldn’t be that!?! Well, it was. I wiggled the crank just for grins thinking it’s not the problem. The darn thing wiggled alot! Banged on it with my riding shoe to “press” it back on. Then used my trusty Ritchey CPR-14 multitoo, circa 1994, to tighten the bolt. Made it to my destination AND back home. Did a more thorough press and tighten that night. No more creaking. At least I have a brand new BB installed! Smooth.

]]> By: RL http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/06/19/how-to-fix-a-creaking-bottom-bracketrevisited/#comment-25991 RL Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:07:47 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/?p=1474#comment-25991 My ring bolts are always tight since I'm riding the SS. I make sure to check them before each ride since I wouldn't want what happened to Jeremy to happen to me. Hassle? Oh no sir...nothing about fixing a bike is a hassle, its pure joy and euphoria! I find working on bikes...soothing. My ring bolts are always tight since I’m riding the SS. I make sure to check them before each ride since I wouldn’t want what happened to Jeremy to happen to me.

Hassle? Oh no sir…nothing about fixing a bike is a hassle, its pure joy and euphoria! I find working on bikes…soothing.

]]> By: Ghost Rider http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/06/19/how-to-fix-a-creaking-bottom-bracketrevisited/#comment-25988 Ghost Rider Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:39:57 +0000 http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/?p=1474#comment-25988 BBs only creak if there's not enough grease/antiseize on the threads or, as is more likely, the cups themselves are not tight enough. Loose cups manifest themselves as creaks or rhythmic clicks as pressure is applied to the cranks, and often creak or click only from one side (most often it's the driveside cup that's loose). A far more likely creak that sounds like it's coming from the BB area is loose chainring bolts. Check, grease and tighten them before going to all the hassle of removing and replacing cranks and BB. BBs only creak if there’s not enough grease/antiseize on the threads or, as is more likely, the cups themselves are not tight enough. Loose cups manifest themselves as creaks or rhythmic clicks as pressure is applied to the cranks, and often creak or click only from one side (most often it’s the driveside cup that’s loose).

A far more likely creak that sounds like it’s coming from the BB area is loose chainring bolts. Check, grease and tighten them before going to all the hassle of removing and replacing cranks and BB.

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