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AaGro

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I think it is somewhere in the seat-tube, seat-post, saddle...

It is only present when seated and pedaling under load. I think I've tried most of the common stuff (clean post and seat-tube, reapply paste, disassemble, clean and grease binder, disassemble, clean and grease seat post clamp, WD40 at saddle rail interface to seat) but the creak is still there. :madman:

If I stand and pedal it doesn't squeak.

What should I try next? Thanks.

Set-up: SL-R with non-quick release binder, KS LEV,- 125 - ~2cm from full insert and Specialized Henge saddle.
 
#2 ·
If you have an extra seat and seat post (even just a rigid post) handy I'd start by replacing them one at a time to narrow down the offending component. Also, maybe do less lube and focus more on just dry and clean instead of over lubing them. There's a lot of little components on with the seat/seapost combo that can move around.

Another thing that you didn't mention is attempting to find the noise while you're not riding the bike... Have you attempted to torque the seat with your hands while the bike is standing? See if you can isolate the sound while you can get your ear close to the noise.
 
#3 ·
I've had issues on my Ripley with creaking coming from the rear derailleur mount, the hanger, or the cassette/hub interface. Don't know exactly what it is, but every time I have a creak under load, I just pull all three components off, wipe down, grease and reassemble and the creak is gone.
 
#4 ·
Ha ha just last night I was fixing creaks on my HDR. Started at seat area just like you. I've tried the no lube thing there and it didn't work for me. Rode around in yard, much better but creaking up front. Took handle bar off, ooh lots of dust there. What the heck dropped fork, lots of dust in spacers. Cleaned and lubed headset. Now she is sweet, we will see what happens when I hit the trail.

This is the 5th ibis in our family and I've worked on lots of creaks. I suggest that now you work downwards. Remove the shock and clean and regrease the bushings. Then I'd do the same for the pedals. Also my mojo classic loved to creak at all the ferrules so twice a year I'd slack off the cables and clean them. Put your bike in stand, shift to tallest gear then without turning pedals shift lever down to hardest gear. Cable will go slack for easy cleaning.

Homey's suggestion of torquing on the seat is a great one. Basically I've found that any part that moves or twists or flexes can cause a creak and the carbon just seems to want to trick ya. Sort of like a trigger point in your butt muscle will show up as pain in your knee.

Also if your comfortable with wrenching your bike pull off your upper and lower links and clean them. Easy to do and the bottom one seems to wear out way faster than the top. Hope I've not given you too much info. Good luck with it..
Cheers
Dan
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Great suggestions...thanks.

@Homey - I will give the other seatpost a try. Didn't even think of that though I had one in Sunday while cleaning.

@Zeppman - those are easy so I will do. Do you find that these squeaks go away when you stand and pedal?

@Straw - I thought I was stuck at the seatpost squeak but maybe not. I'm going to try the cable thing - I haven't done that since my last full re-build in October. Just in case, I removed, cleaned, re-greased and then reinstalled to torque spec all of the linkages.

Other things that have worked in the past that I added into my squeak hunt - remove/clean/grease,paste or loctite plus torque to spec where applicable for each of:

Pedals - Sunday (did not rebuild pedals though)
Cranks - Sunday
Cassette - Sunday
Chainring - torque to spec only - Sunday
Chain - remove, strip, fresh-link, lube - Sunday
Headset - loosen, drop fork, clean interfaces and put back together - Sunday
Check torque on brake rotors and mounts - Sunday
Hell, I even rebuilt my maxle on Sunday.

I did mention one thing wrong in my set-up...I'm ~2cm from minimum insertion not 2cm from full.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
rollinrob said:
HAHAHA. This is the reason I gave up on my Ripley and Ibis. To many dam creaks. why cant I buy a 6000.00 bike that does not have creaking issues.
Click to expand...
Kind of a funny story there...this frame is a crash replacement for my original frame...I needed a black rear triangle, ibis didn't have one so I got a full silver frame...but...the frame was a buy back from someone who couldn't get rid of a bottom bracket creak and couldn't stand it. The bb is in spec for Ibis but they are CS stars and bought it back from the dude anyway. I haven't had the bb issue (wheels mfg bb's rock) and this is my first problem squeak on an ibis ever. Anything else I've gotten rid of on the first try.
 
#13 ·
OK I can List them.. 2012 Giant trance 29er, probably the most silent bike ever. Never had a problem with it.. 2013 Epic comp, great bike but I did not like the fact of the shock service every 6 months and the knock that hapned when the shock was activated..and now a 2016 Pivot 429 Trail that I have had for a month.. No Creaks. I sold the the first two I listed because of geometry issues. The Ibis had everything I wanted in a bike, short (for the time) seatstays.. Short headtube and a killer suspension system..
I am a very frequent visitor to this site and this section of MTBR. I read about Ibis bikes alot. I see the frequent posts about Ibis creak and knocks. To spend the amount of money that we do on bikes and then they creak drive me nuts... I would have loved to keep my Ibis ripley. I poured a ton of money into it after spending over 6000.00 for the bike . two new shocks.... Chris King headset.. New clevis.. New Gnarcore. new bearings, Ibis Dice.. really. Just to make the bike quiet........ Enough.... The customer support is awesome but there has to more than that. A quiet bike is all I ask for,,,, Google Ibis creaking. Pages upon pages of querys of how to get it to stop..
 
#14 ·
I have had three Ripley's and the creaks I have had were components and not the frame. It was the seat clamp, seat, cassette, xo1 derailleur. I guess I was just sticking up for Ibis as I feel all bikes creak at some point and need maintenance. I see a lot of other bikes while riding and there are a lot of creaking ones. My LS is really quiet, but I don't ride in rain and mud.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
I agree that all bikes will develop creaks over time and carbon is louder than alu...

Back on track...so far I did the dérailleur hanger and bolt. No fix

Next up is the seat post swap. Maybe ride Wilder fireroads tomorrow so I don't need the dropper?

New bolts for the KS seat post should be in tomorrow nite too. Will swap those wether the post change fixes the squeak or not - maybe switch to a heavier oil at the saddle to rail interfaces?

Then I'm thinking a full new set of zip ties and cleaning at all the cable interfaces.
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
Swapped to a rigid seat post for a quick ride yesterday and the squeak went away.

I'm picking up new bolts and nuts for the LEV head today. Current thinking is that some thread stretching made it impossible to torque properly. Will see if that finally solves it.

Thanks.
 
#18 · (Edited)
AaGro said:
Swapped to a rigid seat post for a quick ride yesterday and the squeak went away.

I'm picking up new bolts and nuts for the LEV head today. Current thinking is that some thread stretching made it impossible to torque properly. Will see if that finally solves it.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
If it makes you feel better I have been fighting a creak for 2 weeks ... cleaning and greasing shock mounts, saddle, seatpost, pedal, derailleur, bottom bracket. Creak was still there ... but eventually I finally found it in the Clevis mount and lower pivot. Disassembled, clean carefully the threads of the old thread-lock, applied new blue thread-lock and a small amount of bearing grease where the head contacts the bearings and ... bingo: no more creaks! :thumbsup:
 
Discussion starter · #19 ·
So...new nuts and bolts on the KS seat clamp didn't work. Squeak came back big time and I have a new squeak at the rear of the bike. Sounds off on the power stroke of every pedal under load.

A bit of work on the dérailleur this morning for the rear squeak.

Any other thoughts on the post? Anybody develop a creak between the moving shaft and the seat post body on the LEV? Not sure where else to look at this point.
 
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