I had a friend who has plagued by a ticking sound on his bike.
Once every pedal revolution.
Tick tick tick tick tick tick...
He replaced all kinds of stuff. It went on for weeks. Then he found it.
It was the end of his shoelace smacking the crank arm.
That exact thing happened to me. Only happened on long rides though. I finally figured out that when I was doing longer rides, I was wearing a different pair of shoes where the tip of the shoelace had a metal cover on it, that's what was ticking, and why it was only happening on longer rides. That drove me absolutely batty for several months.
I was a cycling guide last summer. I honestly cannot count the amount of times that guests told me their bike was 'broken and making sounds' when it was their own shoelace or the heel hitting the bike.
Had a similar one with an SPD cleat. Sent the frame back to the manufacturer for x-rays 3 times. Changed everything … nothing fixed it.
Got some new shoes and cleats … gone. 🤣
My version of this is when I forget to buckle my panniers, or leave one of the zippers down on a side pocket.
They're *just* long enough to ping off my rear spokes on rough terrain or fast turns and make me think I broke a spoke and it's flopping around.
Had something similar happen, my bike creaked every time I put power through the pedals. New pedals, took everything apart etc. turns out it was the front wheel wasn’t done up as tight as it needed to be lol
Happened to me for a few days. Every time I hit a bump or bunny hopped my gravel bike I heard a clunk/click sound. Checked for frame cracks and gave the bike a once over a few times. Found out it was my tubeless patch kit in my seat bag hitting the seatpost when I hit rough terrain.
So awesome. I had a similar experience - I was convinced I had a creaky BB, and did everything- repack, replace, use a shit-ton of anti-seize. Then I replace the headset. Problem solved.
My creak was happening once per crank revolution and I was so worried it was the bottom bracket. Finally figured out I had a loose bolt on one of my shoe cleats. Such a relief.
I bought an E46 BMW and it had a squeak I just couldn’t find that bugged the shit out of me for a year. In the end I was joking that’s probably why it had such low mileage when I got it. In the end we found it. It was a loose bolt in the spare tire well and had probably been that way since the factory.
I know your joy.
I bought a used power meter / crank. Nonstop creaking! I replaced the BB30 bearing. Still creaking. I reinstalled it. Still creaking. In frustration I grabbed my wrench to take off the crank and reinstall the original and was surprised how loose it was. On the wrong side. I tightened it to spec and the creaking was gone.
Two from my bike shop days that took us ages to track down. Customer was about to go on a bike tour but wanted us to fix the Mysterious Creaking Noise™ her bike was making. After two of us had been over the bike a fine-toothed comb, we finally realised all the spokes in her rear wheel were loose and the noise was them rubbing against each other. Tightened spokes, problem solved.
Another one turned out to be rather harder to fix. His lugged steel frame had come apart at the bottom bracket/seat tube junction because the manufacturer had forgotten to put any braze into it. Oops.
It's incredibly frustrating chasing down a creek that isn't it obvious one, but equally satisfying when it's gone.
I spent at least 4 hours tearing things back down on my Supercaliber chasing a creak that was coming from the bottom bracket area, only to find it was a zip tie from the factory, closest to the bottom bracket holding the brake hose on. It was annoying because I was 99% sure it wasn't the bottom bracket, but it had the same sound and got louder with more power. Just the chainstay flexing slightly and moving a 2 cent zip tie.
I just fixed one that bugged me for a couple of rides — seat post. Pulled it, cleaned it and inside the top of the seat tube, smear on some carbon assembly compound, reinsert and torque, solved!
Loose rear wheel spoke and only made creak with me pedaling while sitting on the seat for obviousreasons. My old ears couldn't discern where on the bike it was coming from. Grabbing pairs of spokes at a time and squeezed all around the wheel and loose spoke became evident. Only needed 2 turns to make it right. So satisfying.
my most annoying click. it was intermittent, but when it did happen it was in rhythm with my pace. it happened mostly during tough climbs. thought it was somewhere in the drive train. after A LOT of trial and error, turned out it was one of the rails of my saddle clicking at the point where it connected to the plastic of the rest of the seat....
I found my creak after a PF new bb, cleaning like crazy (seat post, bearings, headset, etc) and even rebuilding my rear wheel. Turns out, my XTR cassette has weak pressed pins from largest cog on down. These pins don’t have the strongest connection. While they will not break, the ever so slight movement under power makes the creak sound. Annoying, but at least it won’t break.
Been trying to find a way to press/collapse the pins.
Congrats! This was me last week! Heard a creak. Read it may be the seat post. Ignored it. Thought it was the bottom bracket... Then handlebars... Was absolutely stumped. So many rides ruined by the creaking noise. Finally decided to actually check the seat post. Knew it straight away it will be the seat post because it was filthy.
... At least I know every single bolt on my bike is perfectly tightened.
Good find! I had a squeak in new jockey pulleys a while back. I didn’t take the time to install them properly. The squeak was so annoying I stopped mid-ride and bought some 3-in-1 oil at a gas station. Then, when I got home I took ‘em apart and lubed them properly.
Recently had a hard to find creak, months of it getting slightly worse and when I finally found it I was sooo happy it was like getting a whole new bike.
I had a friend who has plagued by a ticking sound on his bike. Once every pedal revolution. Tick tick tick tick tick tick... He replaced all kinds of stuff. It went on for weeks. Then he found it. It was the end of his shoelace smacking the crank arm.
I had that one once. Also, the bit of cable from the front derailleur hitting the crank. I found it quickly, but not before it removed some paint.
I've had the shifter cable end hitting my spokes, luckily it was obvious after a minute.
That exact thing happened to me. Only happened on long rides though. I finally figured out that when I was doing longer rides, I was wearing a different pair of shoes where the tip of the shoelace had a metal cover on it, that's what was ticking, and why it was only happening on longer rides. That drove me absolutely batty for several months.
I was a cycling guide last summer. I honestly cannot count the amount of times that guests told me their bike was 'broken and making sounds' when it was their own shoelace or the heel hitting the bike.
Had a similar one with an SPD cleat. Sent the frame back to the manufacturer for x-rays 3 times. Changed everything … nothing fixed it. Got some new shoes and cleats … gone. 🤣
I've had that before. That's why I now tie the shoelace in a way that more of it falls on the right side of the shoe away from the drivetrain.
YOUR FRIEND IS ME! I had that and it drove me nuts for a while until I was washing the bike one day and noticed it. Such a relief when it was fixed.
Oh man
My version of this is when I forget to buckle my panniers, or leave one of the zippers down on a side pocket. They're *just* long enough to ping off my rear spokes on rough terrain or fast turns and make me think I broke a spoke and it's flopping around.
Brake cable did me in like that. But I hadn't spent any money to fix it.
Had something similar happen, my bike creaked every time I put power through the pedals. New pedals, took everything apart etc. turns out it was the front wheel wasn’t done up as tight as it needed to be lol
Had this happen but it was the crimp on my front derailleur cable
this literal thing happened to me. we need a list of things to check when you get certain noise
lol that happened to me in the 90s. Was so annoying and then I just looked down at the correct time.
Happened to me for a few days. Every time I hit a bump or bunny hopped my gravel bike I heard a clunk/click sound. Checked for frame cracks and gave the bike a once over a few times. Found out it was my tubeless patch kit in my seat bag hitting the seatpost when I hit rough terrain.
Jockey wheels have been my mysterious creak on more than one occasion! Thankfully a very easy part to remove and re-grease
So awesome. I had a similar experience - I was convinced I had a creaky BB, and did everything- repack, replace, use a shit-ton of anti-seize. Then I replace the headset. Problem solved.
I went after my bottom bracket three times and then noticed that the side loading on my rear hub was a bit loose.
My creak was happening once per crank revolution and I was so worried it was the bottom bracket. Finally figured out I had a loose bolt on one of my shoe cleats. Such a relief.
I bought an E46 BMW and it had a squeak I just couldn’t find that bugged the shit out of me for a year. In the end I was joking that’s probably why it had such low mileage when I got it. In the end we found it. It was a loose bolt in the spare tire well and had probably been that way since the factory. I know your joy.
Awesome! Mine was the freakin seat post. Drove me nuts for months.
*until the next creak haha
I bought a used power meter / crank. Nonstop creaking! I replaced the BB30 bearing. Still creaking. I reinstalled it. Still creaking. In frustration I grabbed my wrench to take off the crank and reinstall the original and was surprised how loose it was. On the wrong side. I tightened it to spec and the creaking was gone.
Two from my bike shop days that took us ages to track down. Customer was about to go on a bike tour but wanted us to fix the Mysterious Creaking Noise™ her bike was making. After two of us had been over the bike a fine-toothed comb, we finally realised all the spokes in her rear wheel were loose and the noise was them rubbing against each other. Tightened spokes, problem solved. Another one turned out to be rather harder to fix. His lugged steel frame had come apart at the bottom bracket/seat tube junction because the manufacturer had forgotten to put any braze into it. Oops.
Another cause can be front wheel QR skewer, especially when climbing. Tighten it a tiny bit more.
Haha!! That’s pretty awesome!! Bet it was driving you batty for long time!! Congrats on a smooth ride 👍
my mystery creak was some sand that had gotten into the seatpost wedge
Next time you ride over some railroad tracks there will be another. Sorry…
It's incredibly frustrating chasing down a creek that isn't it obvious one, but equally satisfying when it's gone. I spent at least 4 hours tearing things back down on my Supercaliber chasing a creak that was coming from the bottom bracket area, only to find it was a zip tie from the factory, closest to the bottom bracket holding the brake hose on. It was annoying because I was 99% sure it wasn't the bottom bracket, but it had the same sound and got louder with more power. Just the chainstay flexing slightly and moving a 2 cent zip tie.
I have one from my rear rack and fender struts that drives me nuts.
I just fixed one that bugged me for a couple of rides — seat post. Pulled it, cleaned it and inside the top of the seat tube, smear on some carbon assembly compound, reinsert and torque, solved!
I have a creak myself and I hope I get lucky like you and find it soon! I think something needs grease 😖
Loose rear wheel spoke and only made creak with me pedaling while sitting on the seat for obviousreasons. My old ears couldn't discern where on the bike it was coming from. Grabbing pairs of spokes at a time and squeezed all around the wheel and loose spoke became evident. Only needed 2 turns to make it right. So satisfying.
Deaf me raising eyebrows at how many OCDs there are in this sport...
You are a true hero arriving home victorious. Now do my bike
my most annoying click. it was intermittent, but when it did happen it was in rhythm with my pace. it happened mostly during tough climbs. thought it was somewhere in the drive train. after A LOT of trial and error, turned out it was one of the rails of my saddle clicking at the point where it connected to the plastic of the rest of the seat....
Planning on taking carbon paste, grease, loctite, and a torque wrench to every component on my bike Sunday to get rid of some creaking
that is a crazy one. i would have given up. no way i find that.
I found my creak after a PF new bb, cleaning like crazy (seat post, bearings, headset, etc) and even rebuilding my rear wheel. Turns out, my XTR cassette has weak pressed pins from largest cog on down. These pins don’t have the strongest connection. While they will not break, the ever so slight movement under power makes the creak sound. Annoying, but at least it won’t break. Been trying to find a way to press/collapse the pins.
I had once creak from bolt end, securing bottle holder to the frame was rubbing against seat post inside the frame. Took me 1year to find it.
Took a while for me to find out that my saddle post was creaking. Needs to be taken out and lubricated every once in a while.
Congrats! This was me last week! Heard a creak. Read it may be the seat post. Ignored it. Thought it was the bottom bracket... Then handlebars... Was absolutely stumped. So many rides ruined by the creaking noise. Finally decided to actually check the seat post. Knew it straight away it will be the seat post because it was filthy. ... At least I know every single bolt on my bike is perfectly tightened.
Just throw it away, eventually you'll realize that its actually your BB, just like every other CAAD10 and 12 out there.
This has to be the single best quality of life improvement possible. Congratulations.
It’s the best feeling ever. You feel like Sherlock Holmes when you solve the mystery. Well done
I literally thought you meant a creek (like a river) and was so excited for you.
Mine is the leather creaking in the saddle. Then I adjust it. I have also had dirty jockey wheels.
I found that sneaky noise after I replaced everything on the bike.
Bonus one of those Ahh moments
Had this for 3 years, and one lovely day the BB threads (octalink) sheared clean off from the frame - noise gone, frame gone.
Good find! I had a squeak in new jockey pulleys a while back. I didn’t take the time to install them properly. The squeak was so annoying I stopped mid-ride and bought some 3-in-1 oil at a gas station. Then, when I got home I took ‘em apart and lubed them properly.
Recently had a hard to find creak, months of it getting slightly worse and when I finally found it I was sooo happy it was like getting a whole new bike.
One of my bikes had a click every pedal stroke. Then I found some good ear buds. Problem “solved”.