tomreece Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 (edited) My bike is a 3 month old Rockhopper Comp. I am getting a lot of creaky and cracky noise from my bottom bracket as I pedal, especially when I have to pedal hard. I think that's the source anyway. It's distracting me a lot during rides. I can't easily ignore it. What can I do? I currently don't have the proper tools to remove the bottom bracket. I would buy them if the price was decent but I could not find the right tool(s) for my bike. Update: Before my ride today I removed the seat post, spread the grease around a bit, put it back on, and hit the trail. No noise! I’m glad I asked you guys first. Edited October 4, 2018 by tomreece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 (edited) Check the bolt or bolts that hold the crank arm (arms) to the bottom bracket. Often that is the source of the noise. Different brands have different configurations. You may have to decide whether you want to buy tools or pay a mechanic. If you bought the bike new, and locally, check with the store as purchase may have included some service. Edited September 28, 2018 by Ridenfool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Handle Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 yeah, a three month old Specialized should have a warranty from a shop. I would def look into that since you might need a brand new bottom bracket and it might be free under warranty. Sometimes creaks can sound like they're coming from one place but are actually coming from a different place (like your headset or the cranks instead of the bottom bracket). Like Ridenfool say, cranks are generally pretty easy to check out with just a set of allen wrenches. I would not simply tighten them. I would loosen the bolt that keeps the cranks assembled, remove the cranks, clean and grease what needs cleaning and greasing, check the chainring bolts/retention device by lightly turning in the removal direction just to see if they're loose. Reinstall the cranks. If you still have noise, either remove, clean, grease the bottom bracket or take it in and pay to have it done. If you get tools, get a torque wrench too. Park tool website and youtubez have lots of how-to videos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack_turtle Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 I would ask the shop to take a look at it, assuming there would be no charge for a follow-up tune on such a new bike. Check that the pedals are tight first. I've encountered lots of noisy bikes that just had loose pedals. If not a shop, I, and probably lots of other people on here, have the tools and skills to sort you out at home. I am in Southwest Austin and have a garage full of tools gathering dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamsloan Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 2nd Anita Handle and Mack Turtle's posts. Some easy checks to do at home with basic tools, then take it to the shop. There are two groups of people on here. Those that wrench, and those that don't. You just have to figure which one you want to become. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 (edited) Oh, and a seat post can make a creak that sounds like it is coming from "down there" somewhere. A little grit in there can cause this. Pull the seat post, wipe it down, clean out the seat tube on the frame by stuffing a rag into it and twisting it around, getting to the depth the post will extend down to, Then lightly grease it and install it back. If you have had the bike fitted, measure or mark the present height of the seat/post/ whatever, so you can put it back to that height. Likewise, the place where the seat attaches to the post can be noisy too. Even where the seat rails go into the body of the seat can squeak, though usually easy to tell it isn't from farther down. All of these can make a noise that can seem related to pedaling. Edited September 28, 2018 by Ridenfool 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yosmithy Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 32 minutes ago, Teamsloan said: There are two groups of people on here. Those that wrench, and those that don't. You just have to figure which one you want to become. I would add that there's a third group: Those that do wench, and fuck it up, then become those that don't, and take's it to someone that does. 🙂 Also, I would agree about checking your seat post as well. Something that took me forever to locate as the culprit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Yeah, check your seat post. Also try pedaling unclipped. Often the creaking problem is in your cleats. Then get off the bike and push up and down on the suspension. Sometimes that is the culprit. The bottom bracket always gets the blame and it is typically not the problem. When you pedal every part of the bike moves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomreece Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 (edited) Well I failed pretty early so looks like I'm in the "try to fix it, fail, then pay someone else" camp. I didn't even manage to get the crank arms off. My crank arms only have 1 bolt, not a pinch bolt. I started trying to remove the non-drive side. The arm would not come off even after some frustrated hammering kicking jiggling and wiggling on my part. Guess I'll take it back to Bicycle Sport Shop since I bought it there and see if they will take a look at it before charging me $50. I want to support my local bike shop but it's painful to pay $50 for a diagnosis of some noise. Edited September 28, 2018 by tomreece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntonioGG Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 What area of Austin do you live in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomreece Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 Just now, AntonioGG said: What area of Austin do you live in? I live in Muir Lake apartments up in Cedar Park...right by the YMCA brushy creek trail entrance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntonioGG Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Tom, See what BSS tells you. I think they have 2 tune-ups in the first year free when you buy a bike from them. I'd imagine fixing a creak is included.See what BSS tell you first. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack_turtle Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Square taper cranks require a special, but inexpensive tool. I doubt that that interface is the problem, but those bolts should have been torqued to about 29 ft-lbs. It could be the pedals or the BB. After building dozens of new bikes, I have found that bottom brackets are frequently installed incorrectly and bike shops rarely check for that. Where do you store you're bike? Has it been exposed to rain and wet conditions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomreece Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 42 minutes ago, AntonioGG said: Tom, See what BSS tells you. I think they have 2 tune-ups in the first year free when you buy a bike from them. I'd imagine fixing a creak is included.See what BSS tell you first. BSS gave me a free safety check and a free annual cleaning and tune up coupon. I have used the safety check already. I was going to save the other coupon until next year. I will see what they say though. 30 minutes ago, mack_turtle said: Square taper cranks require a special, but inexpensive tool. I doubt that that interface is the problem, but those bolts should have been torqued to about 29 ft-lbs. It could be the pedals or the BB. After building dozens of new bikes, I have found that bottom brackets are frequently installed incorrectly and bike shops rarely check for that. Where do you store you're bike? Has it been exposed to rain and wet conditions? Yup these are square. Damn smart how'd you know? I store it in a covered entryway. It hasn't been exposed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack_turtle Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 I would think that with a bike that new developing problems, they would take care of it with no drama. A three month old bike should not have any substantial wear or issues unless you've ridden it across the continent and back already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4fun Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 3 hours ago, tomreece said: I live in Muir Lake apartments up in Cedar Park...right by the YMCA brushy creek trail entrance. If you don’t get it sorted out by next week (I’ll be at spider mountain this weekend), PM me and I can try to help you out. I live in red oaks just across from the Y. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyt Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 dont use your coupon, just bring it in and say it has a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossPlane Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 dont use your coupon, just bring it in and say it has a problemThis. Make sure you mention you just bought the bike, and they should take care of you. Sent from my CMR-W09 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morealice Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 19 hours ago, Yosmithy said: I would add that there's a third group: Those that do wench, and fuck it up, then become those that don't, and take's it to someone that does. 🙂 Also, I would agree about checking your seat post as well. Something that took me forever to locate as the culprit. Man...I just got to the point one day where I didn’t enjoy wrenching anymore. I’m pretty pathetic now. About all I’ll do is re-Stans my wheels here and there..perhaps tighten the shifter barrel adjuster, lol...otherwise, straight to Peddler 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notyal Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 On 9/29/2018 at 11:47 AM, Morealice said: Man...I just got to the point one day where I didn’t enjoy wrenching anymore. I’m pretty pathetic now. About all I’ll do is re-Stans my wheels here and there..perhaps tighten the shifter barrel adjuster, lol...otherwise, straight to Peddler I had the exact same revelation the other day. I used to look forward to my bike maintenance nights. Then one day it became a chore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack_turtle Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 I love working on my bike and sometimes mess around unnecessarily. this leads to bad things like rounding off bolts and losing small parts. the struggle is real. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntonioGG Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 Bike wrenching is my zen/me time. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyt Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 I dont like working on my bike, but I do like to save money. There isnt much to maintain on a bike and most bike maintenance is very easy. The hardest part is taking apart any of the bearings stuff, cleaning, and regreasing. Shock maintenance is a pain, but not that often. I dont work on stuff regularly, just when I have to. I bought a used wahoo kickr and built a permanent partial bike from spare parts. Wouldnt have been able to do that without having worked on my bikes before. As I get new frames I pull all the parts from an old bike and then spread them out across other bikes and onto the new bike. I think it would be hard to have a shop do that in a cost effective way. I regularly get good deals on used hubs and then buy chinese carbon rims and build the wheelsets myself. It takes about an hour or two per wheel, easily worth doing myself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 I am now retired so I have plenty of time. I take my bikes to the shop for suspension and hydraulic brake work (always trust the pros over myself), but all the other stuff I do myself. Way more fun in the fall/winter/spring. Doing bike repairs in a 100F garage is no fun, even with fans. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntonioGG Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Tom, got any update for us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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