Bike issues, do I need something better?

[_Will_]

So I ride for fitness, just hour or 2 sessions.

I've been finding that my pedals (I think its the pedals anyway) are creaking like buggery when i'm pushing hard, wether it be in high gear or uphill climbs (oh and standing-up riding to)

Can this be cheap parts? Since owning this particular bike I've had it serviced, the chain stretched so had to have that sorted and the wheel has had to be as near as damn it true'd.

The culprit in question is a Carerra Subway hybrid, I think Hybrid is what I need as I like to ride on the road but occasionally hit a lane - so a full on road bike is out of the question.

https://www.jakesbikes.co.uk/resources/images/imgp1260.jpg

My question is am I going to just get problems with this halfrauds piece and what can I get that will be a bit more reliable/durable, I don't mind going older and buying in parts - I don't quite want a mountain bike as I think it would be a bit much for the road, although it may be a bit more resilient (I had a £20 raleigh mountain bike before that did around 2000 miles without issue, I purchased the carrera as I was getting into it more but find it's a bit of a pita)
I don't have a lot of money and hopefully my thing is worth at least something, I don't mind buying something older thats built as tough as old boots, weight is not really an issue as it would be far more a benefit if i lost the kg's instead!

I don't know a lot about push bikes as you can probably tell, I just want something I can pull out of the shed - have a ride for an hour or so cover around 20 miles and not have to fuck around with it every week.

Advice appreciated
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[D O G]

If you can do 20 miles in an hour on that, including some off road stuff, you should get in contact with Team Sky.

[_Will_]

[Copycat73]

sounds like the crank bearings want lookin at.. all my halford specials have wanted attention there...scraped the last one cos of a crank assay. failure... you need a tool to do it though...

PS. whish I could manage 10mph never mind 20mph
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Whatever I post I have no citation and no intention of providing one..
caveat emptor

[JonB]

Probably just the pedal bearings are shot. Change those inexpensive things before looking at other stuff.

I upgraded a bottom bracket and seat post to cure creaks when it turned out to be pedals. Expensive mistake.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[D O G]

I know, I was being a twat, have been doing a lot of that lately. Apologies.

If you can feel the creak through the pedals, I would say crank (bottom bracket) too, but it might be the headset. You can eliminate that by taking all pressure from the bars when you hear the creak - if it stops then it may well be the headset (mine is creaking at the mo).

If it is the bottom bracket, then you do need special tools to get it out, and it can be a pain. You can just 'service' them, which is pretty much removal of the sealed axle unit, cleaning, lubing and reinstalling - unless of course you can feel that the sealed bracket has excess play/feels rough when rotating.

Bracket issues are also characterised by 'clicking' when rotating, FYI.

[Copycat73]

[haroman666]

As has been said: Crank (Bottom Bracket) or Pedal bearings are what tends to creak.

If you just want good, grippy flat pedals then I recommend DMR V8's or V12's.

Or the cheap Wellgo copies both V8 and V12's i've had and the difference is minimal.
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The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[_Will_]

The creak is definately coming from the pedal area, it's not a front end creak (used to get that on the last one) its not just that I can hear it I can feel it through the pedals, so sounds like the crank from what has been said, will see if that sorts it
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[_Will_]

Oh and the guy who true'd the back wheel said he couldn't get it perfect and that it would probably go again, is this to do with the frame?
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[haroman666]

^^ No. Nowt to do with the frame really.

It's just to do with how "true" the rim runs. A very true rim has no deformation laterally.

A buckled (Non-true) rim will be bent laterally and when you spin it will look as if it's moving side-to-side.

It's nothing to do with the hub or the frame: just the rim and the spoke tension.

It takes a moderately skilled mechanic to true a wheel well but you could have a crack at it yourself with a screwdriver or spoke key.
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The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[JonB]

[Copycat73]

PS. you don`t need to remove the whole peddle to replace the bearings.. just the nut on the end.
you probably got no chance anyway usually rusted on and applying lots of pressure pops the crank screw threads...
don`t know anyone who would do that like Ooops
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Whatever I post I have no citation and no intention of providing one..
caveat emptor

[_Will_]

[Drew]

https://sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Quite often what can sound like its coming from one place is from another. The creaking is most likely the crank and/or pedals. It could just easily be the derailleur pulleys/cogs.

Grease things up systematically then ride for a bit to see what solves the problem.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[AndyB1989]

the creak you describe will be one of a limited number of things
loose cranks
loose pedals
bottom bracket loose in frame
fucked bottom bracket
fucked pedals


thats essentially it

[_Will_]

The bottom bracket had play in it and was causing the creak.

New bracket, new chain, new cassette and a mini service.
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[D O G]

I thought of this thread last night while I was out. I had a creak coming through my pedals when pedaling hard, due to my orsum powah.

I took the BB out over the weekend, and reinstalled after checking for play and made sure that mofo was in there properly.

Still the creak.

Then, I had a thought as I was going up one 'hill', turned out that the thought was correct - it was my rear wheel. The QR was not as tight as it should have been, 10 secs to tighten it, creak gone.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

It's a fact that nearly all creaks on bicycles tend to appear to come from the BB.
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[haroman666]

[stinkwheel]

https://sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html
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