Yet another creaking sound

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Grarea
Posts: 340
Joined: 18 Jan 2017, 9:03am
Location: Truro (ish)

Re: Yet another creaking sound

Post by Grarea »

I have not really had the time to deal with this, which is pretty disappointing as I wanted to be cycling.
I am due to have it collected by parcel force (hopefully wednesday)
I need to sit in the lounge between 9 am and 6pm on my one day off.
Fun huh?

Anyway, I stripped it right down.
The only thing remaining are the headset cups as they are press fit.
The noise still seems to be coming from halfway down the down tube.

I do hope that they can replicate it.
As I have removed things that create leverage, the noise reduces.
With all of the components removed and head tube held between my legs, broom handle through BB, it just creates a 'tick' sound.
You kind of have to reset it by twisting it the other way.

My theory is that as you remove the bars, (less leverage) etc etc, there is less twisting motion to the frame. Making the sound harder to replicate.
But, given that you can do it with your hands.......
The same with the bottom bracket. I reckon they stiffen up the frame in that area and so can transfer the twisting force up the tube.

The guy says (A very helpful guy at CRC, by the way) that they won't build it up, but 'they will check it for alignment/ tolerance issues and cracks.'
The fact that it needs resetting is quite interesting.
So, the two theories that seem to work would be a crack somewhere or the bottle cage bosses.

I shall keep you up to date.
Thanks for your help.
Grarea
Posts: 340
Joined: 18 Jan 2017, 9:03am
Location: Truro (ish)

Re: Yet another creaking sound

Post by Grarea »

They have rejected the warranty claim as they could find no fault.
gbnz
Posts: 2554
Joined: 13 Sep 2008, 10:38am

Re: Yet another creaking sound

Post by gbnz »

Grarea wrote:They have rejected the warranty claim as they could find no fault.


Have to admit I binned my Specialized Tricross in 2015 due to a creaking sound. It was eight years old, I never liked it and it gave me an unusual excuse to have buy a new frame :D

Pity the new frameset produced the same creak! (Think I finally traced it to one metal strut under the saddle)
Brucey
Posts: 44514
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Yet another creaking sound

Post by Brucey »

Grarea wrote:They have rejected the warranty claim as they could find no fault.


how frustrating. They will presumably only find obvious surface-breaking flaws.

However it is possible that there is a crack that is unseen as yet, having initiated at the root of weld, and has not yet made it to the surface. If the warranty has plenty of time to run, I'd almost be tempted to have the frame back, use it for a few months, and see if it breaks, or at least manifests a surface-breaking crack of some kind. If you do this, check the frame for cracks every ride.

Also.... ask them if it is normal for frames to creak, if there might be an unseen crack, if they are happy for you to keep on riding it as it is, and if they will put that in writing. Ask them if they would be happy when the frame breaks catastrophically if they would like to be liable for any personal injuries that result.

You might get a different answer.

This is weld with a non-surface breaking crack in it (the weldment is in steel, and is cracked via an exact mechanism that would not apply in Aluminium, but a similar-looking thing could exist).
Image
in service a crack of a similar geometry could easily make a noise and will surely result in failure of the structure.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Yet another creaking sound

Post by mattsccm »

Pedals? I went through my bike several times. All fine. Swapping pedals for another reason stopped the creak. Last thing I would have suspected.
Grarea
Posts: 340
Joined: 18 Jan 2017, 9:03am
Location: Truro (ish)

Re: Yet another creaking sound

Post by Grarea »

Nope, stripped absolutely everything off.
Apart from the pressed in headset.

As I reduced the leverage that I could achieve (ie removing bars etc) the noise got less and less.
You could twist the frame against the bars and make the sound.
You needed to do it one way and then the other.
Like rerub it back past itself.

The trouble is that it got quieter and quieter.
At the end it was just a 'tick' sound when you held the head tube between your legs and twisted the frame.
(with no components on)
So, easily missed.
BUT
I suggested that they clamp the bottom bracket and twist the frame.
But who knows what they did. I was told that they definitely would not build it up.

That picture of a crack is kind of how I imagine it.
Nice picture.

The other suggestion that seems to make sense is the bottle cage bosses.
Grarea
Posts: 340
Joined: 18 Jan 2017, 9:03am
Location: Truro (ish)

Re: Yet another creaking sound

Post by Grarea »

Well, I have now received my frame back.
Strangely, I can no longer replicate the sound.
It is in exactly the same state as when I sent it.
Still got the headset pressed in and no other components.

Before I sent it, I could achieve a tick sound from the down tube by holding the head tube between my legs and levering the frame with a broomstick through the BB.
I can't make the noise now.
Interesting.
Grarea
Posts: 340
Joined: 18 Jan 2017, 9:03am
Location: Truro (ish)

Re: Yet another creaking sound

Post by Grarea »

Can't decide if I am happy or worried.
Bearing in mind that I could still create a sound with all components removed (apart from headset cups (pressed in)) before it was sent off.

Now I can't get it to make the sound in exactly the same scenario.

I can only think of the following:

Possibly they twisted it more than I can and it was a bottle cage boss and it has opened the gap more so it won't creak any more.
Or
They twisted it and opened up the crack in the frame more so it is more likely to fail. But doesn't creak anymore.
Or
I will build it up and there will still be a creak when I am able to get more leverage and twist the frame.
Or
They did something with the headset cups and it was those after all.

I guess my next thing is just to rebuild it up.
Can't test anything if there is no sound.
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