It's the crank. I know this because I can swap in another crank, and the creak is gone. And I've gone back and forth about a dozen times now. It's not the cleat because I get the creak with just running shoes using the pedals as little platforms. Creak happens in both rings.
It's a SRAM Force 2x crank with a Power2Max spider and Speedplay pedals.
I've removed all the chainring bolts, cleaned and re-greased them, and re-tightened them. I removed the 3 spider bolts, cleaned them, Loctited them, and re-torqued them with the P2M-spec torque.
I've removed the non-drive-side threaded insert that retains the captive spindle bolt, cleaned, re-greased, re-torqued.
Remove, re-greased and re-torqued the pedals, and the pedals are nearly new and spin freely.
Cleaned and re-greased the spindle and spindle bolt. Torqued properly.
I don't know what else to try. Could the crank itself have some small internal delamination or something? Or maybe the chainring rivets (if that's the right term) are creaking?
It's a SRAM Force 2x crank with a Power2Max spider and Speedplay pedals.
I've removed all the chainring bolts, cleaned and re-greased them, and re-tightened them. I removed the 3 spider bolts, cleaned them, Loctited them, and re-torqued them with the P2M-spec torque.
I've removed the non-drive-side threaded insert that retains the captive spindle bolt, cleaned, re-greased, re-torqued.
Remove, re-greased and re-torqued the pedals, and the pedals are nearly new and spin freely.
Cleaned and re-greased the spindle and spindle bolt. Torqued properly.
I don't know what else to try. Could the crank itself have some small internal delamination or something? Or maybe the chainring rivets (if that's the right term) are creaking?