Bike Creaking When Pedaling

Wheels can crack if quick-release skewers or thru axles are not fastened tightly enough. The simple solution: loosen the skewer or axle and re-tighten it. If this is not successful, cleaning and re-greasing can help. Also check the hubs for wear and bearing play. This can also be the cause of creaking noises when riding. Last but not least, check the spoke tension by firmly gripping the spoke pairs. If it is too low, this can lead to noises and you will need to re-tension and wheel truing if necessary.

Play between the handlebars and stem can cause a clicking noise in the cockpit area. To resolve this, first loosen the clamping bolts and remove the handlebars from the stem. Then clean everything thoroughly and apply some assembly paste to the clamping surfaces. Once you have reassembled everything, tighten all bolts to the correct torque.

The causes of creaking at the headset range from wear and dirt to the most common reason: insufficient preload on the bearings. You can easily check this by keeping the front brake pressed, gripping at the interface between the fork crown and head tube and wiggling your bike back and forth. If you notice any play here, you can remedy the issue by first loosening the stem via the fork steerer clamp bolts. Now increase the preload with the screw on the top cap until you no longer notice any play.

The fork can creak in the area of the fork crown, the dropouts as well as at the transition between the stanchions and the lower legs. If it creaks due to play between the fork crown and head tube or if you notice so-called bushing play between the stanchions and lower legs, we recommend that you visit a workshop that specializes on suspension forks. If, on the other hand, the creaking noises are coming from the dropouts or the lower headset bearing, it is best to take another look at the section "creaking at the wheel" or "creaking at the headset".

An insufficiently tightened saddle or a dry installed seat post can lead to noises. If the creaking noises come from these parts, you should remove the saddle and seat post. This will allow you to check the components for damage and then clean them thoroughly. Now you can reassemble everything correctly. Important: Use greases or assembly pastes recommended by the manufacturer and ensure the correct torque.

If you notice the bottom bracket creaking when pushing hard, you should first remove the crank. Then remove any dirt and check it for damage. Also check that the chainrings are securely fixed with the right torque. Then check that the bearing cups are firmly mounted while the bearings should rotate easily and evenly. If this is not the case, the only solution is to replace the bottom bracket. If your bearing is still in good condition, you can reassemble everything. Make sure that the contact and connecting surfaces are sufficiently greased and that all bolts are tightened to the correct torque.

The pedals can also be the cause of annoying noises. If the bike pedals creak, this is often caused by incorrectly tightened pedals or dirt in the thread. Check whether the pedals are tight and whether they have play or are damaged. Clean them, grease the thread and refit them with the correct torque.

There can be various reasons for creaking noises coming from the drivetrain parts. A common one is a loose cassette. Check whether the cassette is tightened with sufficient torque. A little grease or assembly paste on the freehub body can also help to minimize rubbing. 

Worn chains, chainrings or cassettes can also lead to creaking noises or squeaking when pedaling. Measuring chain wear can help you determine whether the chain needs to be replaced. If your chainrings and cassette are already showing shark teeth, they should also be replaced to ensure optimum function and minimal noise. If your components are still in good condition, we will tell you how to effectively reduce friction in our how to oil your bike chain article.

The rear derailleur or front derailleur can also be a source of noise, especially if dirt and dust have accumulated between the moving parts. Thorough cleaning of the front derailleur, rear derailleur and derailleur hanger and a few drops of penetrating oil on the joints can help. 

If the creaking comes from the frame, special care is required. This could be due to a crack in the frame tube or a weld seam. This is a serious safety risk, which is why you should have the bike checked by an expert if you suspect this or, in an obvious case, stop riding it immediately.