how do i make my 1 piece crank stop squeaking on my bike?

Question

i got a 1 piece crank on my specialized fatboy hemmi bike its really old it was from a huffy about 15 years old and when i ride it it squeaks really bad

please help, thanks

Answer 1

You should ensure that the crank and the bears are lubricated with a lot of grease. I prefer the white lithium grease for mine. The only other real source of squeaking might be if your pedals are not lubricated.
This pretty much should solve the problem, but the most critical thing is to have the crank bearings properly greased. If they aren't premature wear and even failure of the bearings is a real possibility. You don't wanna be stranded "out in the boondocks" and a little work now will save a big pain later.

Answer 2

My guess it isn't your crank or your pedals. 99% of the time is because the chain is really dirty and has very little lube.

Heres how to do a quick cleaning and relube to see if this works:

1) Turn your bike upside down.
2) While pedalling (preferably backwards), spray the chain heavily with WD40. Once it is so wet that it starts to drip, wait about 5 minutes.
3) Take a clean rag and wipe off the chain... I bet there is lots of crud on it!
4) Using a VERY small amount of SYNTHETIC motor oil, drip it on the chain while pedalling. No need to hit every link, just 10 drops or so should do it.

Ride around for awhile... did the squeak go away? If so, it is time to clean the chain again and relube with bicycle chain lube. A bottle of it costs about $6 at the local shop and it will last a loooong time. Just follow the directions on the bottle.

Answer 3

A one piece crank! Like I've said before, you Americans have some very strange bikes.

If it squeaks, then you will need a lubricant, I am intrigued how you fix 1 piece cranks into the bottom bracket though?

Answer 4

As well as lube, you might also try tightening your crank/peddles. These can often work loose over a period of time and the creak may be indicitive of this. If left unchecked, especially on square tapered crank bolts, you may find that the part wears and has to be replaced.

Luck