15 Reasons Your Bike Creaks (and how to fix them...)

Had a clicking coming from the BB. Bike needed a refresher anyways. So new BB. New chain and cassette. Service of the headset. Still didn’t fix it. Checked the wheels, brakes and cranks. Then new pedals. Still there. All it took to fix it was a world wide crankset recall. Didn’t show any signs of failure but sent it away. Got new cranks back and finally on more clicking. Ahh Shimano Ultegra R8000

Took my bike to the shop to get serviced, the bike shop didn’t tighten the dust cap and crank bolts…
I was wondering what the awful click my bike was making was for a few hours at least

and check the knees, they creak

Last one made my day

The clicking noise can come from a slider knocking on the zip fastener of your shirt or jacket. I had that. So from your clothes in general ...

Somehow I'm a bit happy Giant put the FC-RS520 on the Defy instead of the hollow fc-r7150, gives you some assurance its not gonna break

I have very loud clicking noises, but its just water splashing around in the bottle.

Yep; my bike is like me: old, complains and isn't as good as it used to be 15 years ago lol. Oh well...still gets the job done. :P

A few extras to mention...
Derailleur bolt and/or hanger bolt. When you put load on the chain, it flexes and creaks when loose.
Cassette Tight
Rotors Tight
You mentioned Q/R Skewers greased, but also Thru axles greased and torqued.
IF it is actually the BB, it could be that the actual frames BB shell is flogged out/out of spec, and that is a whole other thing

You missed 2 big ones. 1. Dry pedal spindles. 2. Rear derailleur hanger and where it bolts to the frame. If its dry and or loose it will sound just like a creaking BB under power.

I had a chirping sound coming from my bike and I tried everything to fix it - it ended up being unevenly tensioned spokes rubbing at their crossection.

why noone mention the front derailer? It took me ages to find out that the problem was that, while hard pedalling and slightly bending the frame at a certain phase, the chain starts ribbing the front derailer making the shitty annoying noise

The last creak I found was from the derailleur hanger attachment to the frame.

okay you guys have gone full GCN with this one 😂

that Time frame is next level

I recently went through this and found that the BB (HT2) was not torqued enough. I only ever noticed when grinding up steep grades, but that was the worst time for a creak to appear!

My MTB creaked terribly in the bottom bracket area. In the end it was the bolted derailleur hanger(!).

II greased everything but it was my knees# 11-23

Titanium silca cage on moots titanium frame. Use a good thread lock with a tiny rubber donut rung seal between surfaces to save the squeak. This took me months to find & sent me loopy

Great video. Creaks and clicking sounds are extremely annonying and also hard to find. I found pedals are often the issue. And bikes could benefit from a lot more grease in the right places. More probably better than too little. Please do a video on all parts that should be greased.

The stupid d fuse post clamp on giant bikes. Hate them with a passion.

Creaky crankset is a favourite.

My knee was the the problem , grinding noise that became painful.

I had what I was convinced was my spokes rubbing together, especially as wetting the spokes temporarily stopped the noise. Had the whole wheel re-built, did not fix it. I then took off my cassette, and found a very thin chrome washer (part of the cassette, not the 11/10 spacer) was broken. I took this off, put copper-slip on the interface surface, re-mounted it and hey presto! I still think it was the spokes rubbing together but this was being caused by slight movement of the cassette. The washer was like a thin sliver of chrome (back of a SLX cassette) and was sufficiently thin that I didn't even have to adjust the gears, but it was enough.

Jimmy is quite convincing as a grumpy bike mechanic 🤣🤣

Loving the videos as usual but can you do a tyre inflation video. Pressures for scenarios, types of pumps, what's best what sucks. Thanks heaps Ray.

Basically, I might have to buy a new bike hahaha

Nice video and right on time! I have this weird pinging/creaking noise coming from my rear wheel when I tilt the bike to one side. I can only reproduce the sound when moving. I know its the wheel since I don't have this noise when I use an other wheels set (same cassette). What I have tried: grease on the nipples (from the outside), grease on between the spokes, clean and grease thru axles. Any thoughts? The noisy wheel is carbon the quiet one is alu.

"Make sure your nipples' greased." Nic's side eyes 🤣🤣🤣

Freehub?

For resin pads I find minor contamination can be fixed with an IPA bath followed by sanding down and wipe off with clean alcohol. Solves noisey pads if I've ridden gravel in the wet.

have you missed anything ?
of course, jimmy at the back

Another common creak that's in pedals and didn't metioned it, the thread between cranks and pedals. I had it last year, I thought it was the cleats, but took out the pedals, put some grease on the threads, and put back in. The creak was gone.

I do think it's best to tighten bolts crosswise, so lower left, upper right, lower right and upper left. Then you can tighten your stem more evenly

I have developed a creak on my bike recently.. I thought my new BB was to blame… however I’m just about to head to the shed to try everything you’ve mentioned! Thanks guys!!!

Great advices, great video. Thanks a lot guys. Huge thanks to Nic. Last advice is a killer))

Front derailleur hanger, not the integrated type but the ones that clamp around the seat tube. I chased that creak for months, I thought it was the bottom bracket. Every time I got out of the saddle and put some power down, the frame flexed and the hanger creaked.

My bike has an obnoxious creak the mechanic says is the the sound of the internal cable slapping the frame tube. I call bullshit since it is not evident when I pull back hard on the handle bars while riding.

Time for a new mechanic.

Do a Brompton specific version of this please?
I am sure it will be appreciated, but only if you handle a few Bromptons!

I currently have a creak that is driving me insane so I'm this video was perfect timing and I'm hoping I'll be able to solve the problem today

- play in hub bearings
- broken spoke
- salt build up in stem or headset spacers

My most recent creak turned out to be my helmet. Sounds pretty loud because it's happening right at your ears. :)

I had the weirdest creak, it ended up being the derailleur hanger. Now thats my first spot to check if its a creak at the same spot in a pedal stroke.

My bike doesn't creak. At all. I built it myself. All places where there should be grease there is some. All nuts and bolts are tight.

I have a new Pinarello F5 that has started making a cracking sound from time to time. Especially when hitting small bumps. Looked over everything and can’t figure it out. When on Pinarello forums and found this is a more widespread issue from people saying seat tube to rear derailure to handlebar issues. Have you heard this and can you address…please. It’s super annoying especially on a new bike.

Great review! I’d add to the list quick links on the chain. They can wear faster than the chain, and if they do, you’ll hear a click once every three pedal strokes.


I was also plagued by clicks when climbing. These turned out to be drivetrain wear. No sharks teeth, but a season of wear and tear is enough to put burrs on the inside edges of the cassette teeth. Changing chainrings, cassette, and chain all at once fixed this. And the bike felt like it was brand new all over again.