Stop blaming cheap parts! A proper bolt torque solved this creaky crank.

I had a customer bring in a bike with a loud crank creak. Everyone at the shop said it was due to cheap components. I disagreed and thought it was a simple assembly issue. After checking, one of the chainring bolts was barely hand-tight. A quick torque to spec and the noise vanished completely. The customer was amazed and saved a bunch of money. This is why I always stress the basics before recommending new parts.

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3 Comments

margaret6927mo ago

Ugh, reminds me of when I cranked something too tight and nearly stripped the threads.

2

jaden697mo ago

My old mountain bike crank arm was the worst for this. I started using a torque wrench set to 14 newton meters after that. It feels like overkill for basic stuff but it saves so much headache. I keep a little chart on my workbench now for common bolt sizes.

9

black.beth6mo ago

What's on your chart for stem bolts?

6