Warning: a simple bottom bracket creak took me 3 days to fix

Customer brought in a Trek Emonda with a creak that sounded like the BB. I pulled and regreased the Shimano Hollowtech unit, but the noise came back after a test ride. The real culprit was a slightly ovalized seat tube that was rubbing the seatpost under load, which I only found after checking every bolt on the frame. Has anyone else had a bottom bracket noise that turned out to be something totally different?

3 comments

3 Comments

julia62213d ago

Found a creak on a carbon frame that sounded exactly like a BB. Ended up being the front derailleur clamp just barely touching the seat tube under power. Took a strip of electrical tape around the seat tube under the clamp to finally shut it up.

tara_palmer13d ago

Glad you fixed it but careful with tape under a clamp. That can slip over time. Better to use a thin layer of carbon paste or clear nail polish on the seat tube. It fills the tiny gap without adding squish like tape does. Good catch on the noise, @julia622.

the_richard14h ago

So your bike was making that classic bottom bracket noise but it was just the front derailleur whispering sweet nothings to the frame? Classic carbon bike stuff, always trying to mess with you. I swear these frames just invent new ways to creak when they're bored. At least it was a cheap fix, even if tape is a temporary solution. Makes you wonder what other innocent looking part is secretly plotting to sound like a major failure.