[veloSSpeed]

There is a tick/creak that seems to be coming from my stem and/or bars.

Set up:
Steel frame
Steel fork/steerer
Al King headset with included plastic spacer
Al headset spacers (black ano.), one above stem and one below.
Titec Fat-Head Ti stem (one bolt on steerer clamp, two on handlebar clamp. Steel hardware)
White Bros. Ti handlebar with black ano. Al shims.

I have heard everything from no grease/anti-seize required (from Titec) to anti-sieze on everything (various posts here).

Thus far light grease on stem bolts only hasn't worked, heavier grease on stem bolts only hasn't worked and heavy grease on stem bolts and light grease between the shims, bar and stem hasn't worked. In each case a small "tick" starts up after a couple miles, which increases over rough ground and when climbing out of the saddle.

Is it something that can be fixed? Should I learn to live with it? Possible component defect?

Any advice or info would be much appreciated.

 

[donboyfisher]

I had a very similar problem with the stock bar that came with my bike a few years back - i never did sort it. The stock bar was a fairly straight polished alu bar.

I figured it was where the stem clamped the bar itself, and that the bar was flexing just at that join - the flex was then creating the tiny tink tink tink sound as it rubbed against the stem.

I have since changed to a riser bar that has a matt pait finish and i think this finish doesn't create the tink tink tink sound.

Over the time i have swapped back and forth a few times and everytime te stock slu bar goes back on the noise reappears,

Perhaps you could look at trying a different bar to see if that eliminates the problem. If so, why not try putting a small matt paint finish on the bar just where it is clamped?

 

[Drevil]

...
Titec Fat-Head Ti stem (one bolt on steerer clamp, two on handlebar clamp. Steel hardware)...

Learn to live with it. I've had this stem and tried everything to get it to shaddup. Nothing worked. I also think it's worse when you have wider bars.

 

[Quattro]

There is a tick/creak that seems to be coming from my stem and/or bars.

Set up:
Steel frame
Steel fork/steerer
Al King headset with included plastic spacer
Al headset spacers (black ano.), one above stem and one below.
Titec Fat-Head Ti stem (one bolt on steerer clamp, two on handlebar clamp. Steel hardware)
White Bros. Ti handlebar with black ano. Al shims.

I have heard everything from no grease/anti-seize required (from Titec) to anti-sieze on everything (various posts here).

Thus far light grease on stem bolts only hasn't worked, heavier grease on stem bolts only hasn't worked and heavy grease on stem bolts and light grease between the shims, bar and stem hasn't worked. In each case a small "tick" starts up after a couple miles, which increases over rough ground and when climbing out of the saddle.

Is it something that can be fixed? Should I learn to live with it? Possible component defect?

Any advice or info would be much appreciated.

I've been using ti bars for a long time. I've always used the bulged type, because I didn't like the idea of shims on the bar. You might want to try a different stem and see if that stops the noise. I had an aluminum bar that did this, and I put a strip of tape around it and rode it. The noise stopped. I replaced the bar and stem. I've been using the bulged Ti bar and cold forged(aluminum) stems for years without any problems or noise.

 

[Brown_Teeth]

Same problem here, a couple wraps of black electrical tape on th handlebar at the stem mount fixed it.

 

[veloSSpeed]

Thanks, all, for the replies.

I'll give the electrical tape a shot.