# Help with creaking noise on new fixie setup



## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

Finally fixed  But still troubleshooting  

In the first half mile of riding my new fixie the bike developed a distinct (and farily loud) creaking/grinding noise. It only occurs under load (actually riding the bike as opposed to just spinning the pedals). I'm a little stumped. Things I have tried/theories: 

* Chainline is off: Looks straight visually and wouldn't explain why it took half a mile to start. 
* Chainring bolts: Tightened them down, but didn't help 
* Chainlube: Added some, didn't help 
* Bottom bracket: BB is brand new and well greased, but I guess you never know
* Pedals
* Crank arms: Also tightened down - didn't help 

Any thoughts/things I should try?


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## swuzzlebubble (Aug 4, 2008)

Teflon tape on bb thread.

Check/Tighten saddle rails.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Does it happen in the saddle, out of the saddle or both?


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

Happens out of the saddle- so it's not that


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Could be anything. How about the stem/bar?


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Some likely causes.

1. Bar/stem interface
2. Crankbolt is bottomed out and not holding the chainring tight on the spider
3. Loose pedal 
4.headset not adjusted


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## ckilner (Oct 4, 2004)

What pedals/shoes? I have some cheap SPDs that sound horrible unless I put chainlube on them.

Also, if the BB has a plastic fixed cup retainer (a la UN-52) and the chain tension is (way) too high, it can make some awful noise.


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

Thanks guys- I think it was the pedals. Added some grease and cranked em down hard and it seems to be gone- but I will have to ride it tomorrow to be certain. In case you were wondering what it looked like: 










The brakelessness is a temporary thing until new brake arrives.


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## keesue (Nov 11, 2004)

You might also check the spokes where they intersect. Add a little drop of lube and a squeeze or two to work it in between. Sounds unlikely to some but they are sneaky creaks those spokes...I tracked my squeak down to this.


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## BianchiJoe (Jul 22, 2005)

keesue said:


> You might also check the spokes where they intersect.



Just last week, after chasing down an irritating click emanating (I thought) from the non-drive-side crankarm, it turned out to be exactly this. I disassembled, reassembled, lubed, tweaked, tightened, and greased every bolt, arm, rail, ring and cable to no avail. 

Dropped a drip on each of the rear non-drive-side spoke crosses and it's silent as a cat. 

Wasted a lot of time, but my bike is essentially rebuilt from scratch, so it' not all bad!


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

Well, it was not the pedals or the spokes. 

If it helps, I noticed that it only occurs under torque. If I am just going downhill and letting momentum take me it quiets down.


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## BianchiJoe (Jul 22, 2005)

Does the creak happen on both the left and right downstrokes, or just one?


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

Both L & R


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## livin4lax09 (Mar 15, 2008)

check your crank arms, where they attach to your BB. Take them off, clean them thoroughly, and put them back on. Tighten down and loctite them. Then get some brakes. I've determined my creaking comes from the arms having forces applied on them in different directions, which causes the nuts on the end of the crank arms to loosen, and then dirt can get in the arms. They're square taper, right?


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## BianchiJoe (Jul 22, 2005)

Looking at the picture, I see you have a quill-type headset with some sort of adapter for your threadless stem. I'd also take that apart and apply a thin film of grease on every part that touches another.

I'd also look into the crankarm/spindle interface as noted above. I'm a "no-grease" guy when it comes to putting crankarms on. Make sure the spindle and the square holes are clean and bone dry. 

If these ideas don't work, pull that BB.


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## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

crank arms + grease = problem solved.

Thanks to all.


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