My bike is talking at me.

[YellowLemondTed]

So my bike has started making noises while I'm riding her.

The bb has a knocking sound, mainly when I'm in the big ring up front and small half of the cassette. I think it just means the bb needs to be tightened after 3 months, but I'm not totally sure. There is no other noise or feeling of grinding, just the knocking noise.

Second, my brakes have started to squeal when I squeeze the levers past a certain point. The brakes work fine, they just make that loud cringing sound which almost makes me not want to use them.

Any help on diagnosing and possibly a way to fix is greatly appreciated.

[wcuracer]

Bottom Bracket knocking sound...

Check the feel of the BB. This usually comes from a bottom bracket being VERY VERY loose. You should not ride your bike until this is fixed. If it squeaks then its just a minor tightening usually.

Brake pads squeal...

First clean the bike rim. Clean it very thoroughly. If this doesn't fix the problem check the angle your brake pads hit the rim. Any bike shop can check the angle for you and fix the problem very cheap. This problem does not sound like anything serious. Last but not least, if the brake pads are old check them for anything in them like metal etc..

Not a mechanic but this should help.

~ CLINT ~

[Josh Whitmore]

For BB creaking, re-grease the BB cups. Put a ton of grease on the threads in the frame and then re-install the BB cups. Another favorite way to eliminate noise in that area is to put plumbers teflon tape on the BB cup threads along with the grease.

For brake noise, File or sand the brake pads to get rid of the shiny glaze. Pick out any buildup of metal from the rim with a knife point. Next, align the pads and give them a little "toe in" the front edge of the pad should hit the rim before the rear edge. That usually takes care of squeal.