If you want serious answers, what are you doing posting on Vorb!?!?

It seems like everybody posts a question about "BB noise" at some stage (except me, I was too embarrassed so I read the other answers and took it to the genius rocket scientist committee in the Bike Barn workshop). In general the serious answer that people get on Vorb (as I understood it) is that noises from all over the frame can appear to come from the BB (as you rightly observed, standing up only eliminates the seat, actually puts more stress on the pedals, more torsion through the frame . . .). The stock fix is get the BB regreased and and tightened and see if that shuts it up. I think lots of times people found it really was the pedals making the noise, other times I think people found their "BB noise" came from causes as diverse as the seat rails and the headset.

Not that I know anything about fixing bikes, maybe this post will inspire an army of intelligent and informed mechanics to save you from my advice.

Somebody once told me that spraying teflon on your rotors stops the brakes from squeaking.

There are actually lots of sensible answers on Vorb amongst the mocking and deriding - I personally have answered this same question totally seriously on several occasions, as have other more learned folk.

I fixed my BB creaking last week with a new cassette.

FLATULENTFRIEND wrote:

wpp1 wrote:most times for me creaking comes from pedals. if you have another set of pedals try swapping and see if noise goes away.

I'm warming to these serious answers...
Grease the chainring bolts?!

Why would you mock this suggestion without trying it out first? I would say 9 out of 10 creaks that I've ever had/remedied have been from chainring bolts.
And that bit of cable that is sticking out from your front derailleur - check that it's clear of your crank...

My most common creak that sounds like the BB is actually a bit of dirt in the quick releases. Drove me nuts for weeks. Take em off, clean them and stick the wheel back on.

I have an annoying creak on my MTB that's been bugging me for years. I think it's seatpost/ saddle related cause I'll clean them and the noise will go away for a ride or two, then slowly come back again within a couple of rides.

Take the pedals off, then the cranks, then remove the bottom bracket.

Clean all threads and regrease.

reassemble and torque all bolts.

Try that and see if it has solved the problem.

Al_Bushman wrote:I have an annoying creak on my MTB that's been bugging me for years. I think it's seatpost/ saddle related cause I'll clean them and the noise will go away for a ride or two, then slowly come back again within a couple of rides.

titanium railed saddle by any chance? on the mtb they seem a recipe for creaks - a regular drop of fine penetrating lube in the rail/seatpost clamp area seems to shut it up (not so bad on the roadie - only normally starts creaking after riding in the rain)

I've also had one post where the creak was the seatpost head working loose from the shaft (old two piece raceface)

Buy a new bike.

Al_Bushman wrote:My most common creak that sounds like the BB is actually a bit of dirt in the quick releases. Drove me nuts for weeks. Take em off, clean them and stick the wheel back on.

I have an annoying creak on my MTB that's been bugging me for years. I think it's seatpost/ saddle related cause I'll clean them and the noise will go away for a ride or two, then slowly come back again within a couple of rides.

I have the same thing. Still there after changing saddle, seatpost etc. Like you say, cleaning/oiling it helps for about 2 rides but it always comes back. Drives me bonkers! Wondering if one of the new 'micro adjust' seatposts is the answer, with the two weird side-knobs (mine is currently a twin-bolt thomson)?

Does any one else read this thread title as "What is this nose a sign of?"?

stiffeeslicker wrote:

Al_Bushman wrote:My most common creak that sounds like the BB is actually a bit of dirt in the quick releases. Drove me nuts for weeks. Take em off, clean them and stick the wheel back on.

I have an annoying creak on my MTB that's been bugging me for years. I think it's seatpost/ saddle related cause I'll clean them and the noise will go away for a ride or two, then slowly come back again within a couple of rides.

I have the same thing. Still there after changing saddle, seatpost etc. Like you say, cleaning/oiling it helps for about 2 rides but it always comes back. Drives me bonkers! Wondering if one of the new 'micro adjust' seatposts is the answer, with the two weird side-knobs (mine is currently a twin-bolt thomson)?

Take thomson apart, clean up the bolts and the head assembly, then lube the bolts with a good quality water resistant grease (don't go too crazy) reasemble post, torque up to appropriate values

should last all winter, oil isn't water resitant enough for a seatpost IMHO, and you really need to get it into the threads properly

stiffeeslicker wrote:

Al_Bushman wrote:My most common creak that sounds like the BB is actually a bit of dirt in the quick releases. Drove me nuts for weeks. Take em off, clean them and stick the wheel back on.

I have an annoying creak on my MTB that's been bugging me for years. I think it's seatpost/ saddle related cause I'll clean them and the noise will go away for a ride or two, then slowly come back again within a couple of rides.

I have the same thing. Still there after changing saddle, seatpost etc. Like you say, cleaning/oiling it helps for about 2 rides but it always comes back. Drives me bonkers! Wondering if one of the new 'micro adjust' seatposts is the answer, with the two weird side-knobs (mine is currently a twin-bolt thomson)?

What is it with the English and the word ‘bonkers’?
(my bike is off to LBS to follow some of the above advice. I'm over the creak)

stiffeeslicker wrote:

Al_Bushman wrote:My most common creak that sounds like the BB is actually a bit of dirt in the quick releases. Drove me nuts for weeks. Take em off, clean them and stick the wheel back on.

I have an annoying creak on my MTB that's been bugging me for years. I think it's seatpost/ saddle related cause I'll clean them and the noise will go away for a ride or two, then slowly come back again within a couple of rides.

I have the same thing. Still there after changing saddle, seatpost etc. Like you say, cleaning/oiling it helps for about 2 rides but it always comes back. Drives me bonkers! Wondering if one of the new 'micro adjust' seatposts is the answer, with the two weird side-knobs (mine is currently a twin-bolt thomson)?

Mine's a twin bolt Thomson too Could be something in that. I might put some insulation tape on the rails to see if that fixes the problem.

Maybe. I also have a cheaper FSA FR-270 that's a similar (but more advanced) version of the thomson twin-bolt setup and it also creaks like buggery. I have tried grease in the past but it just collects shite and gets even worse. I think it's just a fact of life to be honest. Am ordering an orange Charge micro one anyway as it's cheap on wiggle and matches my frame/saddle so we'll see.

Al_Bushman wrote:

stiffeeslicker wrote:

Al_Bushman wrote:My most common creak that sounds like the BB is actually a bit of dirt in the quick releases. Drove me nuts for weeks. Take em off, clean them and stick the wheel back on.

I have an annoying creak on my MTB that's been bugging me for years. I think it's seatpost/ saddle related cause I'll clean them and the noise will go away for a ride or two, then slowly come back again within a couple of rides.

I have the same thing. Still there after changing saddle, seatpost etc. Like you say, cleaning/oiling it helps for about 2 rides but it always comes back. Drives me bonkers! Wondering if one of the new 'micro adjust' seatposts is the answer, with the two weird side-knobs (mine is currently a twin-bolt thomson)?

Mine's a twin bolt Thomson too Could be something in that. I might put some insulation tape on the rails to see if that fixes the problem.

I've got a Thompson twin bolt post (on a Roadies of course) and it doesn't creak.