"jtaylor" wrote in message
...

Saint wrote in message
...
Prior to Xmas I bought a new bike at a shop which is not my LBS but
nonetheless seemed ok. I wanted a second bike for general buggering
about
on. They were selling it quite cheap whereas my LBS has a reputation
for
being rather pricey.

However, having now done a good few hundred miles on it I have noticed
that
the shifting, particularly at the front, continues to be very hit and
miss
and the bottom bracket creaks like hell, which is driving me absolutely
nuts. I initially put the shifting down to general cable stretch and
duly
took it back to the shop (3rd time) where I bought it who inform me that
they again adjusted/stripped it all and that the creaking was due to the
aluminium/steel relationship between frame and bracket and that this was
normal. They have now made 3 attempts to sort it out and its no better.
The
set is Tiagra and it generally starts after about 10 mins riding - hence
the
fact it doesn't happen on the stand or outside the shop!!


With the above characterisics I'd suspect a loose crank-to-ring bolt. They
creak, can affect shifing, and when you let it sit the oxide will build
up -
starting off there's no creak, then the oxide rubs off and it does.


Well I got lucky todat in the respct that I found a shop open who took a
look at it. They agree that the noise is the bottom bracket but say that
it's clean, greased, fitted and tightened properly and the problem may be
that it is just 'bedding in'.

That's the second shop telling me that there's nothing wrong but I don't buy
it at all - you don't buy a new bike and expect it to make such a din - it's
maddening when riding.

Is it difficult to fit a new crank? Does it involve removing the frone mech
et al? Are there special tools needed?

Cheers

Saint