blairc90•1mo agoProlific Poster

I finally fixed a creaky bottom bracket on my old Trek 520

Was out on a ride near Lake Chabot last Sunday and that creak got so loud I thought the frame was cracking. Pulled over and found the bottom bracket cups were just barely loose. Tightened them up with a Park Tool BBT-22 I keep in my pack, and the noise vanished completely. Anyone else run into phantom creaks that turn out to be something simple like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

keith_bennett1mo ago

Used to swear by grease but a little LocTite changed my mind completely.

moore.beth1mo ago

Went through the same thing last year on my old Surly. Thought the whole drivetrain was about to explode, turned out to be a loose cup that just needed a quarter turn. But let me tell you, that moment of panic when you're out on the trail and the creak gets louder with every pedal stroke is something else. It's like the bike is trying to tell you it's dying right there on the spot. Keith, you're on to something with the LocTite though. Grease is great until it washes out and leaves you with that same old creak a month later. Just don't overdo it or you'll never get the cup out again.

faith_shah881mo ago

Man, that exact thing happened to me on a century ride once, thought I was gonna have to call for a ride home. I started carrying a small adjustable wrench in my saddle bag after that, just in case the cups need a quick snug-up on the road. A little blue LocTite on the non-drive cup threads keeps it from backing out again without making it impossible to remove later.