Time for a new bottom bracket?

Hi all,

I've noticed what's best described as a creaking noise develop over the past couple of days when I get out of my saddle to really push (journey home is up hill, so this happens quite frequently) which sounds in time with my pedal turns.

It seems to be emanating from the bottom bracket and I've checked that nothing else is loose.

There is also a very slight wobble on the left hand side (non drive side) pedal/crank too - though at first I thought it was just me getting used to riding with SPDs!

I put the bottom bracket in quite tight (perhaps too tight?) and it is fairly new (done 30 miles on it tops I guess?).

Does this sound like it's time to replace it already (and be more careful on installation!)? Or is it just a case of a bit of lube and loosen/tighten the bb fitting as appropriate?

lh crank is loose

You'd have to be unlucky/try hard to bugger up a BB like that. Sure it's not a pedal?

Have a fiddle with it first, and see what happens, before you replace it. Should only be the cure if it was faulty in the first place.

nah checked that, it's in damn tight - tho will remove and screw it in again tonight as well lubing everything

Pedals are brand new (so is the bb) and on tight, though as above, I'll give 'em a bit of a service.

Will give the whole drivechain a quick strip/lube/tighten job

Not going to be gutted if the BB is gone - only spent £12 on it!

There is also a very slight wobble on the left hand side (non drive side) pedal/crank too - though at first I thought it was just me getting used to riding with SPDs!
?

lh crank is loose

!!

If it's the BB both pedal/cranks will be wobbly.

Yeah, but I've checked the crank and there is no play on it! It only gives any motion when I'm on the roads.

Like I said though - I'll refit it and tighten it up good and proper just to be sure :]

If it's the BB both pedal/cranks will be wobbly.

A-ha! good point!

Somewhat reassuring. I'll tighten and lube everything up and let you know how I get on. From everyones posts it sounds like that's the issue and I wasn't thorough enough in checking everything was nice and tight!

Could be. Though if £12 was full price, it may just be a bit shite in the quality department in the first place.

and if its an isis then its probably fucked already.

I have had trouble with a left crank and this is exactly how it sounds/feels. Also though i have had a much more sinister problem! do not assume your bb shell is 68mm, if you have not checked it could be 73 or 71, I would imagine that at 73 you would notice but at 71 a 68 will fit in and seem fine although the cup side (assuming you have only one cup on this bb) becomes slightly wobbly and creaky even though the cup is in nice and tight. (this would happen on the side with a cup, which I believe is always the non-drive side, therefore left) if this is the case, DONT RIDE ON IT, you will ruin your bb shell thread and then you have a large pain in the arse to deal with, incedentaly if anyone knows of/has a 71mm threadless BB, i'm in the market. best of luck, hope it's your crank.

blush

On closer inspection it seems the crank was a bit loose (yes, I'm a twat :-D) only tightened it recently too!

Will test it properly tomorrow and hopefully the creaking will be gone.

Thanks and +1 to all who suggested it was the LH crank being loose

Thanks and +1 to all who suggested it was the LH crank being loose

so that'd be just me, right? ;)

If you have riden on it too long or it is a lowgrade crank you may find it is buggered now as the square gets a bit unsquared with each creak.

so that'd be just me, right? ;)

Mostly you, but bigtwin suggested it too... If I'm ever in London I'll buy you a pint for not listening to you straight away ;-)

@Boda - only been about 4 miles on it, and only one of those had any real creak to it - with any luck it should be ok - will be more careful in the future though!

do it up toight, my primato's recommend 35Nm

I was wondering how tight really tight is, without a posh wrench is 35Nm just as tight as you can get it or what?

i don't think you could do it with a small allen key

35nm = exactly 4 fingers tension. Near enough.

Without a posh wrench 35Nm is still 35Nm ;-)

hmm I think I wil get a torque wrench.

Yup. tightening it all up sorted the creak! feels like a bit of an idiot

*I appreciate that this is neither in the spirit of Fixin or mechanics (at a stretch of the imagination maybe) *

My bb is dry and will be turning into rust soon. I will keep using it as long as the cranks spin.

Question: Will something fatal possibly ever happen to my cranks/rest of bike or my body before the thing finally seizes? Or am i okay?

My bb is dry and will be turning into rust soon

grease it?