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How to Silence Common Bike Noises

Squeaks & Creaks: Solutions for a Quieter Bike

Consistent squeaks and creaks coming from your bike can be awfully annoying. And, if you’re on a long enough ride, those common bike noises might just drive you crazy!

The good news? You don’t have to suffer. Although the causes of pesky bike noises can be varied and might take a while to diagnose, as you go through each of these fixes you’ll eventually find the cause of your aggravation and you’ll likely have a cleaner, better working bike because of it!

With few exceptions, below are the primary causes of common noises while you ride:

Squeaks and Creaks:

These super common sounds are usually due to DIRTY or DRY bearings. You’ll often find that after riding your bike for a while or in harsh conditions these noises start to creep in. Areas to check if you’re hearing these noises would be:

  • Crankset/ Bottom Bracket
  • Headset
  • Pivots (MTB)
  • Derailleur jockey wheels or chain guide pulleys
  • Chain
  • Derailleur “clutch” or lockout area
  • Saddle rail clamp bolt
  • Clipless pedals

Clunks and Clatters:

Another common noise that sounds a bit scarier (with good reason) is a clunk or clatter. This noise should scare you because it generally means something on your bike is loose! Here are some important bolts to check if you hear this noise:

  • Headset
  • Front/Rear wheel axles
  • Pivots (MTB)
  • Derailleur bolt
  • Water bottle cage (ok, this one’s not that scary… but super common!)

Scrapping and Popping:

Likely the most common of all the annoying bike noises, scraping and popping usually occurs when there is an issue with your derailleur or shifting. Before adjusting your limit screws and cable tension (Learn how with our guide on how to adjust your rear derailleur) check these issues first:

  • Rear wheel axle (make sure it is tight!)
  • Derailleur bolt (make sure it is tight!)

How to Employ Routine Maintenance Techniques to Limit Squeaks and Creaks

  1. Clean and Re-grease your Bottom Bracket Bearings. Here’s the deal: your cranks are under a ton of load and the bearing which help them spin easily to propel you forward on the road or trail are kind of a big deal. Being close to the road or trail surface, debris flings itself into the space between your chain ring and the frame and eventually, dirt and grime are going to find its way into the bearings and create all sorts of nasty noises while you ride. Periodically, and especially if you ride in wet or muddy conditions, removing your cranks, cleaning and re-greasing your bottom bracket bearings is necessary.

Pull Cranks

  • First thing’s first, check to make sure your cranks are tightened to the proper torque specifications. If your cranks are loose, sometimes they will make popping or creaking noises. If your cranks feel tight, follow the steps below.
  • Remove your chain from the chain ring by loosening the tension on the derailleur.
  • With the chainring/ cranks free and no chain tension, remove the cranks. Depending on the make/model of your cranks you may require a specific “crank puller” tool. Make sure you have the correct tools before you begin this project, or feel free to take your bike in to your local shop to have this process done.
  • Once you have removed the cranks, be sure to keep any washers or spacers in the proper order and remove them from the crank spindle.
  • Wipe the crank spindle free from dirt and grime. Also, remove dirt and grime from the bearings and seals.
  • Re-grease the crank spindle as well as the bearings before replacing the seal.
  • Replace the washers and spacers in the correct order and reinsert the crank into the bottom bracket.
  • Align the other crank with the spindle and tighten to proper torque spec.
  • Replace your chain.
  • All done!

grease cranks

  1. Clean and Re-grease your Headset Bearings. Another common source for creaks, clanks, and rattles is the headset. If you are experiencing noise in the front of the bike as you go over obstacles in the trail or over rough road, it could be a sign that you need to either tighten your headset or clean and re-grease the bearings that often get contaminated with dirt.

tighten headset

  • First thing’s first, check to make sure your headset is tight. The easiest way to check if your headset is loose is to turn your handlebars to the side so that your wheel is pointing to the left or right. Then squeeze the front brake with your left hand and place your right hand on the bottom of the head tube where the fork meets the frame. Push forward. Does your bike move back and forth? Can you feel your fork moving inside the frame? If so, loosen your stem bolts (equally and evenly, one at a time). Then, tighten your headset bolt (the top bolt on the cap). Lift the front of the bike and move let the front wheel swing one way and then the other. If this motion isn’t smooth, then the headset is too tight. Make sure your handlebars are straight, then tighten the stem bolts again, equally and evenly until you reach proper torque spec. If your headset is tight and you're still experiencing creaking or clunking, follow the instructions below:
  • Loosen stem bolts, equally and evenly until loose.
  • Remove headset bolt, headset top cap, and stack spacers in the order in which you take them off your bike.
  • Pull stem up and off of the steer tube of the fork.
  • Stack any remaining spacers separately from the spacers on top of your stem.
  • Pull the fork’s steer tube out of the head tube of the bike, holding one hand on the bottom of the head tube to ensure the bottom headset bearings do not fall on the floor.
  • Place the fork aside and wipe the headset bearings free of any dirt and grime, using a clean rag. Also, wipe the inside of the head tube and any spacers and seals.
  • Wipe the fork’s steer tube and crown race free from dirt.
  • Re-grease the headset bearings where the bearings rotate on the crown race and top seals, as well as where the headset bearing fits into the headset itself.
  • Re-insert the fork into the head tube and replace the seal, spacers, stem, top spacers, and headset cap.
  • Tighten the headset until there is no play in the steer tube and the handlebars turn freely with no binding or grittiness.
  • Straighten the handlebars and tighten the stem bolts equally and evenly until tightened to the proper torque specifications.

check headset

  1. Keep your Chain Lubed and Clean and Re-grease Derailleur or Chain Guide Pulleys/Jockey Wheels. Consistent squeaking coming from your drivetrain could be a couple of different issues, but each involves making sure moving parts are well lubricated or greased.

remove pulley

  • First thing’s first, check to make sure your chain is clean and well-lubed. If your chain is dry, dirty, or rusted, binding can be occurring in the rollers of your chain, causing squeaking or even jumping over the teeth in your cassette and chain rings. If your chain seems to be moving freely, then it could be dirty or seized bearings in your derailleur jockey wheels (or chain guide pulley). Follow the instructions below:
  • Remove chain tension by engaging the “clutch” on your SRAM MTB derailleur or removing the chain from the chain ring.
  • Holding the chain away from the pulleys, spin each one and check for any binding or “crunchiness.” If the pulleys are spinning freely, you do not need to proceed with the following steps.
  • Using an Allen wrench, loosen and remove the pulley bolt. Remove the pulley from the derailleur and replace the pulley bolt so you don’t lose it.
  • Wipe the outside of the pulley with a clean rag to remove dirt and grease build-up.
  • Use a pick to lift the bearing seals in the middle of the pulley on both sides.
  • Wipe away any visible dirt. With the bearings exposed, spray a “speed” degreaser, or any degreaser that doesn’t require washing onto the bearings. Let it sit for 5 minutes and dry with a clean rag.
  • Repack the bearings with plenty of grease before reinstalling the bearing seals by pushing them into place with your fingers.
  • Holding onto the seals, spin the pulley to ensure it spins freely without any sticking or grinding.
  • Replace the pulley into the derailleur and tighten the pulley bolt to proper torque spec.

Remove Seals

*Tightening bolts to proper torque specifications using a torque wrench is the best way to ensure bolts do not get stripped, components do not break from over-tightening, and everything stays tight while riding.

**There are so many different reasons your bike could be making squeaks, squeals, creaks, pops, and clunks. These are just a few of the common issues you could experience and how to fix them. Always take your bike to a local shop if you have any hesitations with working on your own bicycle.