Thursday, September 15, 2011

Seat Post clamp replacement - AKA Creak Abatement Phase One

The Turner creaks. Aluminum frames make for excellent resonance chambers. So while most bikes have a chirp or pop here or there, they are usually masked by the materials that the frame is made of. Big-tubed Aluminum does not afford that luxury at all. This is one of the main reasons that Cannondales have always had a reputation for creaking. Their reputation for snapping in half though, is another story.

I digress.

Back to the Turner.

I've regreased the bottom bracket and the seat post where it inserts into the frame, and I've greased the saddle frame rails where they contact the seat. The pivots are greased. After a while of riding , the chirp returns.

SO...seat collar maybe?





On the right, the original Turner 5Spot collar, and on the left, the new style Turner collar.






And again. It's a stretch, but I'm desperate. Stop that infernal creaking!

1 comment:

Dan O said...

Creaking bikes drive me nuts - even a slight creak.

I sold off a '99 Ellsworth Truth frame once, due to a tiny creak that I spent hours tracking down to no avail.

Can't really complain though, frame was about 10 years old...