Giant Revolt Creaking through axle advice

[W@nted]

Hi hubbers. I have a 2023 Giant revolt advanced 1. I love the bike, but there is an annoying ticking/creaking noise when applying pressure to the pedals. 

I have done the following:

1. Replaced the sram dub BB. Made no difference.

2. Greased contact points of chainring to crank and torqued to spec. Noise still there.

3. Friction pasted the d fuse seatpost, noise still there. Noise there also when standing and pedalling, so not coming from the seat/post

4. Removed and greased all contact points on the flip chip of the rear stays. Noise was gone for a few km and then returned. 
 

5. Bought a set of zipp 303 wheels, noise is still there.

 

The only thing that quiets the noise is loosening the rear through axle, greasing it and re torque. Bike is then quiet for about 50km then it starts again. Definitely coming from the through axle. Any specific lube/remedies I can try to address the noise permanently? (New bike not an option :))

[JoeMerida]

Through Axel Might be a little loose.

[Jbr]

1 hour ago, W@nted said:

Hi hubbers. I have a 2023 Giant revolt advanced 1. I love the bike, but there is an annoying ticking/creaking noise when applying pressure to the pedals. 

I have done the following:

1. Replaced the sram dub BB. Made no difference.

2. Greased contact points of chainring to crank and torqued to spec. Noise still there.

3. Friction pasted the d fuse seatpost, noise still there. Noise there also when standing and pedalling, so not coming from the seat/post

4. Removed and greased all contact points on the flip chip of the rear stays. Noise was gone for a few km and then returned. 
 

5. Bought a set of zipp 303 wheels, noise is still there.

 

The only thing that quiets the noise is loosening the rear through axle, greasing it and re torque. Bike is then quiet for about 50km then it starts again. Definitely coming from the through axle. Any specific lube/remedies I can try to address the noise permanently? (New bike not an option :))

Serviced your pedals yet ? I find creaking noise are usually headset or pedals. As Phil Gaimon once said, it’s never your bottom bracket

 

edit: if you think noise depends on the tension in your thru axle, you should look at your wheel bearings/freehub body. The axle doesn’t move, but i’ve had bikes before where the freehub wouldn’t spin once the axle was tight, maybe grease your endcaps ?

Edited Sunday at 02:58 PM by Jbr

[Mongoose!]

My Revolt's creaking came from the seat post. Did you test if the creaking is still there while standing vs sitting on saddle .

I replaced my original seat post with a one piece round post (30.9mm) and ditched the two piece D shape and wedge system. The original seat post was slipping and creaking from day one...

[Bike Dewing]

Service and grease your pedals

[Zebra]

I, too, think check your pedals out, even if you feel it is the rear axle; that way you (easily) remove TWO possible creaking areas from your equation….

(I thought this before reading JBR and Bike Dewing’s posts , but then seeing them confirmed that i think you should exclude your pedals as a culprit)

Cheers, Chris

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, Mongoose! said:

My Revolt's creaking came from the seat post. Did you test if the creaking is still there while standing vs sitting on saddle .

I replaced my original seat post with a one piece round post (30.9mm) and ditched the two piece D shape and wedge system. The original seat post was slipping and creaking from day one...

 

Thanks

 

My Revolt has done less than 100 km.

 

New pedals.

 

 

Heard some creaking on the last ride .... thought it was me riding cross chained.

 

 

If I hear the creaking again I will swop out the seat post.

 

 

PS - The seat post lowered gradually and fully during the very first ride ... I removed all the parts and cleaned of excess grease.  

 

PPS - Why the D shaped seatpost with the rear wedge ?

[W@nted]

Thanks for the replies. I have had no slippage or creaks from the d fuse seatpost. Made sure it has carbon paste on all the contact areas and insert the front and rear wedges as per the instructions (small lip of wedge outside the frame) and torqued to spec.

I checked my pedals and swopped my spd pedals with my favero road power meter pedals. Creaking noise still there. 
 

I am pretty certain that the noise is from the rear through axle. When I loosen the axle it gives a loud creak and then quietens when I tighten it. 

[117]

I have a 2023 Revolt Advanced 2 with the same annoying creak, when pedalling under load

I'll give the rear axle a tighten and see what transpires.

I assume the creak is coming from the chainring to crank mating system and have been on the lookout for a replacement. Ive also done the grease and tighten the bolts to the chain ring thing and had a quiet ride for 2km. Im going to strip it again and rebuild with no grease to see if it changes

Its not my pedals... they are the Look spd's that have an annoying squeak if not lubed enough

 

[Mongoose!]

10 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

PPS - Why the D shaped seatpost with the rear wedge ?

I previous generation had a D shape post. But then you cannot fit a dropper post.

They kept the D shape post but made the frame round  - now a dropper can be fit. According to their marketing they want us to believe a D shape is more compliant -  and they are well aware compliance is one of the marketing parameters that cannot be measured ...🙃

My frame is a size XL. My saddle height is exactly on the minimum insert line. Appears they only have one length seat post (350mm)... that comes with small to XL frames...

Thus Left me with only about 50mm post inside the frame.

Replaced it with a one piece round post (400mm). now I have 5cm extra post inside the frame. problem solved . Compliance the same  - saved 100g on weight.

Another example that bike manufacturers don't really cater on the smaller detail for tall riders... 

[SSCC]

I have the 2025 Advanced pro 2 and mine has just started creaking after being silent for the first 2 months of owning it. Weirdly it is silent for the first 30 to 60 mins of riding then it starts.
 

BTW my slipping seat post nightmare was solved by changing carbon paste brands and adding locktite on the wedge bolt. I suspect high speed corrugation vibration was unwinding the bolt. 

[W@nted]

I greased the end caps and all contact points, creaking is present with different wheel sets. So I ruled that out.

Has anyone tried a different rear through axle? The stock one has a spacer and o ring. I greased all the contact surfaces on the spacer and even frame, and it was quiet for about 2 hours. Then creaking started again. 

[SSCC]

39 minutes ago, W@nted said:

Has anyone tried a different rear through axle? The stock one has a spacer and o ring. I greased all the contact surfaces on the spacer and even frame, and it was quiet for about 2 hours. Then creaking started again. 

I haven’t but I do have a Tailfin rear axle that is the same pitch thread (1.5) so I’ll try it. 

[Mongoose!]

bike has a flip swich - to change the wheel base of bike

It is two small plates bolted into each other - maybe remove both sides from frame - clean and re grease them / lock tight.

Also ensure the hanger is secure - mine rattled lose after some heavy corrugation / sinkplaat roads after a while. 

Edited 21 hours ago by Mongoose!

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Don't underestimate how sh!t the Shimano hubs & freebodies are either, make sure it's not on its way out. I've been through 2 on my Revolt already, now changing hubs to something else.

[love2fly]

Not sure about how your through axleworks but if you have, clean and grease dropout contact points. Also make sure RF pivot and joints are lubed. On my MTB with eagle GX and oval ring my RD clutch creaked. 

Also good idea to make sure it's clean between cleat and shoe, copperslip cleat bolts and bit of dry chain lube on pedal contact points and pedals clean and lubed. If necessary open ordals and clean and regrease. I've chased many creaks and groans over the years. Once I found it was my helmet inner bumping and creaking over certain bumps.

Good luck