Is your trouble still undiagnosed? Never fear – there are other causes of mysterious bicycle noises…

Creaking when you brake or climb out the saddle, and unsteady steering: All of these symptoms can be caused by a loose headset. This is easy to spot – get off the bike, stand over the bike, and wiggle the handlebars. If they move, your headset needs adjusting. A loose headset isn’t all that safe, so sort it as soon as you spot it.

Creaking or banging that begins when climbing, but eventually starts to happen with every pedal stroke: Your bottom bracket needs replacing or servicing. The bottom bracket sits between the cranks, and when the bearings become worn, they either need replacing, or the whole part can be replaced. Spot this by wiggling the cranks – if you feel a lot of movement, you know you’re bottom bracket is unhappy. Once fixed, you’ll notice pedaling is much easier.

Creaking from the pedals: Pedals have bearings in too, and they don’t last forever! If your pedals move when you wiggle them, start by seeing if they need tightening up, if not, the bearings may be gone and they could need replacing.

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Creaking from the rear of your bike: Many a cyclist has pondered over noises from their bike, only to discover the cause was indeed a worn saddle. Give your saddle a good prod, wiggle it around a bit, put your weight on it with your arms to see if you can recreate your noise – if so, you either need to tighten the bolts, or buy a new saddle. 

We hope that helps! You may also like…

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