Ok, this is starting to drive me crazy. I have a 4 month-old P3. Prepping for a race a couple of weeks ago, I removed the seatpost (aluminum) for the first time since I got the bike. I was surprised that it hadn’t been greased upon installation. I cleaned it up, cleaned the inside of the seat tube, greased, and reinstalled. Ever since, the thing squeaks like there’s no tomorrow. I’ve recleaned it, tried it ungreased again, regreased, everything, and nothing seems to work. I’ve also greased both sides of the brass shim, per Cervelo instructions. I can make the thing squeak just by grabbing the post and the seat tube and torquing them against each other.
Once I re-grease it and install it, I have about 10 miles of blissful silence before it starts up again. I assume the grease gets slowly displaced over that time, and the squeak returns.
Any thoughts? I’m tempted to go for the heavy duty automotive grease next. Thanks in advance for any help!
I got my P3 about the same time. When I was in the shop getting the final fitting, I noticed that the seat post wasn’t greased and asked the shop owner/fitter about it. He said a carbon seat post is to never be greased. My recollection was that bad things could happen. My understanding is what all 2004s where carbon seat post. Obviously there is a big visual difference between the two (carbon and alu). Are you sure about the seatpost material? Did you buy your bike from a local shop? If so, give them a call. That’s all I can contribute.
It’s definitely an aluminum post. I know that you should avoid grease with the carbon post, but Cervelo told me on the phone that the Al post should be greased.
Mine is also the same age - I put up a thread in Feb. with the same problem! I actually solved mine (but in the mean time the shop got their carbon stock and replaced mine). The problem is easy to fix! (Once you know this!)
Take out the seatpost; next notice the almost brass looking sleeve (shim)? Remove it. Then take some grease and put a generous amount of great on the bare frame where the sleeve goes and also on the sleeve outside layer that fuses with the frame. Next put the sleeve (shim) back in; make sure the seatpost is still well greased and re-install.
That’s it! Solved my problem - also drove me NUTS! But all went away after greasing the shim/frame bond.
I’ve had 2 squeaking problems with my P2k. Previously, I didn’t tighten the entire setup enough and was getting creaking sounds out of both the saddle and seat post.
First I wasn’t tightening the seat post clamp enough. I’ve got a history of overtightening so I was being too careful. Now I get it as tight as a small allen wrench (without the plastic handle) can get.
Then second problem is not having the saddle tight on the saddle clamp. I first set the thumb screw to where I want it, then tighten the bolt extremely tight.
You didn’t mention the brass sleeve…is it there? Contrary to what one earlier poster (another thread) said a bike shop told him, this is required for proper operation.
I have a Griffen triton but I developed a squeek in my seat post area while doing hill repeats. removed everything greased and recurred. Greased saddle rails and screws didn’t work. Someone suggested bottom bracket but no noise standing. Finally developed a crack in the paint over a weld high on the seat tube which turned out to be a crack in that weld fixed by griffen and no more noise. Just something to consider.