Creaking bottom bracket

I've got a creaking round the bottom bracket
(oooo errr missus...) Mostly when going up hills.

The bike is an aluminium framed road bike, with Shimano
Sora components.
I've got a crank puller, and I've checked that the cranks
are tight.
What's the next step? Also for bottom bracket tools, is
there one type for Shimano, r do I have to figure out what
BB is on it before getting a tool?

John Hearns wrote:
I've got a creaking round the bottom bracket
(oooo errr missus...) Mostly when going up hills.

The bike is an aluminium framed road bike, with Shimano
Sora components.
I've got a crank puller, and I've checked that the cranks
are tight.
What's the next step?

Eliminate everything else, creak might just be coinciding with pedalling
action and actually be coming from somewhere else altogether. Then remove
cranks, remove BB, grease threads, refit tightly, refit cranks tightly
(pref with torque wrench), hope for the best.

Also for bottom bracket tools, is
there one type for Shimano, r do I have to figure out what
BB is on it before getting a tool?

All usual basic-type Shimano-compatible tools should fit.

~PB

John Hearns wrote:

I've got a creaking round the bottom bracket
(oooo errr missus...) Mostly when going up hills.

Same here. It's been like that for a few years now.

What's the next step?

Um...ride it?

James
--
If I have seen further than others, it is
by treading on the toes of giants.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/

John Hearns wrote:
I've got a creaking round the bottom bracket
(oooo errr missus...) Mostly when going up hills.

The bike is an aluminium framed road bike, with Shimano
Sora components.
I've got a crank puller, and I've checked that the cranks
are tight.
What's the next step? Also for bottom bracket tools, is
there one type for Shimano, r do I have to figure out what
BB is on it before getting a tool?
I had someting like that on my last mountain bike. It did 21,000 miles
before copping it, so I wouldn't worry too much. If it makes too much
noise, invest in a personal stereo!

Pete W

"Pete Biggs" wrote in message
...
John Hearns wrote:
I've got a creaking round the bottom bracket
(oooo errr missus...) Mostly when going up hills.

The bike is an aluminium framed road bike, with Shimano
Sora components.
I've got a crank puller, and I've checked that the cranks
are tight.
What's the next step?

Eliminate everything else, creak might just be coinciding with
pedalling
action and actually be coming from somewhere else altogether. Then
remove
cranks, remove BB, grease threads, refit tightly, refit cranks tightly
(pref with torque wrench), hope for the best.

Also for bottom bracket tools, is
there one type for Shimano, r do I have to figure out what
BB is on it before getting a tool?

All usual basic-type Shimano-compatible tools should fit.

~PB


My alum frame Specialized creaked like hell. I couldn't get the BB out
(I was going to replace it) so I put it into Edinburgh Bike Coop. They
took it out, greased the mounting, put it back and silence has reigned
since. EBC could have put in a new BB and I would have paid up - but
they said there was no need. It cost 12GBP for that job, which I
thought was verging on ultra-fair.

On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 14:33:28 +0100, John Hearns wrote:

I've got a creaking round the bottom bracket (oooo errr missus...) Mostly
when going up hills.

The bike is an aluminium framed road bike, with Shimano Sora components.
I've got a crank puller, and I've checked that the cranks are tight.
What's the next step? Also for bottom bracket tools, is there one type for
Shimano, r do I have to figure out what BB is on it before getting a tool?

I had a creaking "bottom bracket" that turned out to be insufficiently
greased pedal threads. Try that first...

Robert

Finding the cause of creaking bottom brackets is a notoriously hard,
basically because the frame tends to amplify sounds so that a number of
unrelated sources sound like they are eminating from the bottom bracket. In
my experience the most likely source is that the chain ring bolts are too
loose especially as you suggest this gets worse going uphill. If pedals were
the cause then additional stress (e.g. going uphill) would make little or no
difference.
If you decide that the chain ring bolts might be the cause than adding a
little grease to the thread when doing up the bolts should help you tighten
them sufficiently. However, be careful not to over-tighten them, as I have
done previously, as they will start to buckle and have the same effect as
being too loose.

"Robert Saunders" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 14:33:28 +0100, John Hearns wrote:

I've got a creaking round the bottom bracket (oooo errr missus...)
Mostly
when going up hills.

The bike is an aluminium framed road bike, with Shimano Sora components.
I've got a crank puller, and I've checked that the cranks are tight.
What's the next step? Also for bottom bracket tools, is there one type
for
Shimano, r do I have to figure out what BB is on it before getting a
tool?

I had a creaking "bottom bracket" that turned out to be insufficiently
greased pedal threads. Try that first...

Robert