I have a creaking 2002 mount vision. I have found the creaking comes from the quad link couplings, they are joined with a single set screw. Whilst pedelling up sharp inclines, putting a lot of pressure through the frame, the creaks become realy bad. I noticed that the new quad link frames have a one piece coupling. Does anybody know if these new type couplings fit the old style frames? I have tried greasing the coupling joints and allowing them to move, this works until the grease is washed out, even with a piece of road bike inner tube over the joint.
Hope somone can help.
Cheers
John

re-grease?

it's defo from the quad link and not b/b, chainset, s/post, mech hanger?

my '99 mv creaked after 6 mths and has continued ever since - learned to live with it ...

The new H links were a free upgrade from Marin.

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions. Free upgrade eh. I have send an email to Marin. I will keep you posted. Meanwhile I have inserted PTFE washers in the creaky bits and sealed with glued heatshrink. Yes i'm that desperate.

Burn it and get a spesh?

If they're that good why are you selling yours Pete?

ptfe washers will work .. but not for long :-)

personally, i would've contacted the dealer regarding the upgrade, atb sales will only direct you to do that anyway.

I did contact a Marin dealer, Royles of Wilmslow. They did not help. I don't think there are many dealers willing to help once you have bought your bike, not for free anyway. Or am I just bitter?

s'pose it depends on the dealer ..

Had no problems with mine in Wolverhampton, even during a swingarm warranty replacement. If you get no luck with Royles, give Mike Cookson in Whitefield a try ..

"If they're that good why are you selling yours Pete"


Im now keeping it Mike lol


Anyway, regardless of whether I may/may not sell the old one I did buy a new one!

I like that Pete, looks sexier than the previous one.

I have an '04 mount vision, & i found it started to make horrible creaking noises.
It sounded for all the world as though it was coming from the BB/pivot areas, but it was actually the rear mech hanger flexing against the swing-arm - the sound just echoed up the swing-arm.
Try taking the hanger off, & greasing it with copper grease (£2 from halfords) it worked for me, & it's a cheapo even if that wasn't the problem.
Always start with the cheapest possibility first!

Thanks for the suggestion but ATB have now confirmed the problem, I have copied some of their response below:

When we first introduced the QUAD link it was brought to our notice that
>some bikes where creaking under peddle load after a few weeks of riding, a
>similar noise to a worn Bottom Bracket. This seemed to be caused by the
>joint between the two links; this is then amplified through the monocoque
>frame.
>
>We solved the problem with a design modification to make the linkage into
>one piece and this solved the problem completely. The parts were fully
>retro-fittable and worked on an exchange basis with the old links.
>
>Just to give you some background to the problem, it appears to be a
>tolerance problem between the two pieces of the linkage and the dowel pin
>that joins them, on a small percentage of the bikes it can cause this creak
>were the anodising touches; unfortunately this is exaggerated in dry
>conditions.

Many thanks to Bicycle Doctor in Manchester. They are exchanging the H links for the updated versions from ATB. Also thanks to Mike Spence for the info. Problem sorted.

Update: The creaking came back after a few months. I have finally found a cure. The swinging arm was far to tight, even with the bolts loose, I have stretched the arm so its a looser fit on the H links. I did this with a piece of threaded studding (bar) two washers and nuts. The nuts were threaded onto the studding and the washers placed after them. I inserted the bar between the lugs to be stretched apart then expanded it with the nuts. I had to go quite a bit further than expected because of the springing in the arm. Once reassembled, no creaking, even after continuous use through the winter. Hope this helps someone. John.

Shouldn't bikes work properly out the box??? sorry but that bike must have cost £2000ish new and even after fitting the new links were fitted john had to bend his swingarm to allow the arm to move easily.
There is something to be said for saving for a bit longer and getting a hand made straight frame I reckon, any thoughts?

I did contact a Marin dealer, Royles of Wilmslow. They did not help.

Ah that explains it, Royles are a bunch of moody, unhelpful gits. Probably cos they don't get laid very often.

To be fair on the tossers at Royles, they didn't sell me the bike but did sell me another marin weeks before I asked for their help, tossers. I was given the pile of shite Marin bouncy bike by my house insurance in exchange for superb team marin hard tail that was stolen. I am so glad I didn't pay for it, its the worst thing i've ever owned. The forks have almost rotted through and the rear shock had to be serviced after 2 months (for free by Mojo, well cool company). Next time I will buy a bike from Bicycle Doctor in Manchester.