FSA MegaExo creaking??

[dtandy]

I am considering purchasing a FSA MegaExo SL-K Compact crankset. I have a FSA compact crankset with a FSA Platinum Pro bottom bracket. The bottom bracket creaks in spite of my best efforts involving plumber's teflon tape, loctite, grease, etc..... :crap: Also, it is torqued to spec and the crank arms are fully seated on the spindle. I've been working on bikes for years and never had a bottom bracket creak on me until this FSA bottom bracket started its cacophony of ticks and clicks.

I'm just about positive that it is the bottom bracket as it has creaked with two different cranks and two different sets of wheels. It only creaks when I'm out of the saddle but that's quite a bit given I do a fair amount of climbing. Also, a new coat of grease on the bottom bracket cups will eliminate the creaking for a short time so that suggests that it is not the stem, handlebars or something other than the bottom bracket. About 1 mile of climbing (11% grade) and it starts to click again...reinstall the bottom bracket, creak goes away for a few miles then comes back.

Since I'm a always looking for an excuse to try something new and high tech, I thought I might give the MegaExo version a try. But, before I drop the dollars, I wanted to ask to see if anyone has had a problem with them creaking or any other types of problems.

Thanks!!

- Dave

[lnomalley]

no creaks (i have them on two bikes).

[scottie]

Hey guys,
FSA cranks are great, lightish, stiff etc, but the use by date on them is way too short. I ride DA10 cranks on my training bike and have done so for a year or so, they don't get any special treatment and I'm never easy on them and they are fine, BUT I've ruined two sets of FSA cranks, first was a pair of the superlights which snapped, and now i'm running the ultra expensive K force mega exo, which was a replacement/upgrade from FSA and I have got the dreaded Click and Crunch with these already. They are on my race bike and would have only been ridden about 2500 kilometers and treated very nicely.
I'm sure they are great for light people, but i'm about 185lb and have killed 2 sets of them... And now i'm never using anything but shimano!
Just my 2.5cents.
Thanks,
Scottie.

PS. I can pretty much destroy anything, except serotta frames and Shimano cranks!

[Frustration]

I have two sets as well, and the run great...


Just outta curiosity, what size do you run ;)

[scottie]

I'm running 175 in all the gear that I run.

[dtandy]

My bike has an Italian bottom bracket thread so that limits my choices for a replacement (read non-FSA) bottom bracket.

Has anyone had any experience with Token bottom brackets or Deda bottom brackets? Both make an ISIS version with Italian threading.

Thanks,

Dave

[sam235813]

I just went through a similar experience with a 1 year old Campy Record Pista bottom bracket on my Serotta. It creaked whenever I put reverse pedal pressure (fixed gear) on my left crank at the 3 o'clock position. The exact same noise occurred when I pulled up with my right foot (crank arm) at the 9 o'clock position, which is the about the same physical stress.

Bottom line was that it was impossible to diagnose. The cranks were pulled, the bottom bracket was pulled, re-lubed, etc. etc. etc. :crap:

My LBS sent the bb back to Campy and (lo and behold!) they _gave_ me a new one. I've _never_ seen Campy so responsive. I've cracked record seatposts (2x, they say my fault _every_single_time and it probably was), tried to send back pedals that clicked, also tried to get a set of Proton wheel bearings replaced... They always said "normal wear" and I was out the shipping charges.

But not this time. They took full responsibility. And they even picked up the shipping. :beer: What was the problem? They won't say more than "manufacturing defect."

So try sending it back to FSA. Maybe you'll get a new one and perhaps even your shipping back... Good luck.

--Sam

[bironi]

I had a creak that I swore was coming from my new crank and bottom bracket, the same as you are considering. It turned out to be the front quick release that was not tight enough. Problem solved. I hope your solution is as simple.

[dtandy]

Yeah, I will call FSA tomorrow to see if they are willing to replace it. I have had a couple of FSA bottom brackets and I've had good luck until the most recent one.

[sam235813]

Bironi:

Yeah... I checked everything... I lubricated my pedals, I changed shoes, I checked front/back hubs, I readjusted my headset... I even flipped pedals from another bike... Nothing.

However, with the new bottom bracket, the creak is gone.

But sometimes, it's very hard to isolate sounds like that when you're riding and it's also very hard to recreate such sounds when the bike is stationary.

Again, good luck to the bb owner.

--Sam