Creaky Fierte IT-help?

[tv_vt]

My Fierte IT has a creak that's driving me nuts. I think it's in the seat lug area, but am not positive. The frame has an aluminum insert that drops into the ti seat tube that the seatpost slides into. The insert is slotted - is there a correct position for the slot? Right now, it faces forward. Should it be aligned with the back of the "seat lug?" I just used grease, but am wondering if I should use anti-seize compound for the insert-ti contact.

It's interesting to see the insides of the ti seat lug area - there are lots of drilled-out spots. Kind of strange - they don't go all the way through, obviously, so you'd never know they were there unless you took out the aluminum insert. Maybe they're to reduce the chance of the insert freezing up with the titanium?

The frame doesn't creak when standing up on the pedals, so I'm ruling out bottom bracket-crank area for now.

Thanks for any help.

Thom

[konstantkarma]

I feel your pain. I think TI resonates more than other materials, making every creak ring through the frame. I had a creak in my TI concours that I finally diagnosed as coming from the seat rail clamp on a Thomson post. Anti-seize didn't help, Teflon tape didn't help. I finally swapped the post out for a Chorus post and have been squeak-free ever since. Can you trouble-shoot using another post and saddle?

[cinema]

My Fierte IT has a creak that's driving me nuts. I think it's in the seat lug area, but am not positive. The frame has an aluminum insert that drops into the ti seat tube that the seatpost slides into. The insert is slotted - is there a correct position for the slot? Right now, it faces forward. Should it be aligned with the back of the "seat lug?" I just used grease, but am wondering if I should use anti-seize compound for the insert-ti contact.

It's interesting to see the insides of the ti seat lug area - there are lots of drilled-out spots. Kind of strange - they don't go all the way through, obviously, so you'd never know they were there unless you took out the aluminum insert. Maybe they're to reduce the chance of the insert freezing up with the titanium?

The frame doesn't creak when standing up on the pedals, so I'm ruling out bottom bracket-crank area for now.

Thanks for any help.

Thom

I had a rather old school carbon/aluminum road bike by look that i sold for parts last year. I loved it, but I didn't maintain it like I should have; after a while the seat tube and the aluminum began to suffer from galvanic corrosion from a small buildup of moisture in the bbshell over time. I don't know if this is possible from titanium, since it doesn't oxidize like aluminum or steel, but I thought I'd throw it out there and have a more informed forumite or serotta employee answer whether or not the bond between carbon and titanium can deteriorate whatsoever.

[dave thompson]

Don't rule out the bottom bracket, noises can come from strange places on a bike.

First I'd place a drop or two of lube on the seat clamp where it grasps the seat rails, then I'd lube the skewer/dropout interface. Then the handlebar clamp and both sets of stem bolts. Pedals and pedal/shoe interface would get some attention and finally I would remove, relube and wrap Teflon tape on the bottom bracket threads.

[Mike748]

David Kirk has recommended greasing the front derailleur clamp on Ti seat tubes in the past to eliminate a creak from that area.

My all Ti Fierte has the perforated inside to the seat tube, but not the slotted shim you refer to. Not sure why you would have a shim.

[purplecu22]

What kind of seat post. My did the same thing. It was the thomson seat post. The ridges of the seatpost rub the shim. Smooth seat post not creaking.

[tv_vt]

I'm using a Suntour Superbe Pro seatpost, ca. 1990 or so. Just had it handy, and I like being able to adjust angle separately from the seat fastening bolt. It is a two piece post, with the head fixed into the post, but I'm not thinking that's the problem right now (head creaking in post...).

T

[Brian Smith]

If you do happen to use a 30.9 mm seatpost in the Fierte IT instead of a 27.2 mm seatpost with the shim, you'll have one less culprit in a loaded-seat creak situation. Ordinarily it's not required, and the shim is fine, but for a more sure-fire solution, the 30.9 mm post would be my choice. There are some out there that offer independent adjustments as you mention.

[pitcrew]

[QUOTE=Mike748]David Kirk has recommended greasing the front derailleur clamp on Ti seat tubes in the past to eliminate a creak from that area.
QUOTE]

+1.

I've tracked down creaks on ti frames to the fd clamp/seat junction multiple times. I usually just clean the inside of the clamp and the exterior of the seat tube well, then reinstall the fd.....When you remove the fd/clamp, you'll probably notice some grit/grime that has built up between the clamp and seat tube.....

[Matthew]

I had creaks on my Concours that drove me nuts. Try lubing the surface under your seat post clamp and reinstall. Also had a click sound with almost every pedal revolution while seated but not while standing. Drove me bonkers. One day while riding with a buddy that has a Lynskey we stopped because his was making a ton of noise from the rear wheel. He simply tightened his rear skewer and bingo it was quiet. I thought about my clicking and thought know way, this would be too simple of a fix. My bike had done this for months but I thought what the heck. Tightened my rear skewer and my Serotta has been beautifully silent ever since. Also, as others have said, if you are running a Shimano front der. clamp try scufffing the inner clamp surface with very fine sand paper. They are very smooth and may be slipping ever so slightly with your pedal stroke. Hope this helps, Matthew.