Creaking while pedalling?

I have a fairly new touring bike (bought in May-with barely 100 miles on it.) and it has started making a creaking/rattling (?) noise when I pedal. It's kind of hard to describe.

I can't reproduce it when I'm offthe bike and turn the cranks-yet it doesn't seem to be coming from the seat. Is it possible that the chain needs to be lubed? I'm a beginner with bike repairs/troubleshooting but willing to learn.

The bike was quiet as can be when I first bought it, so this is annoying. I'll take it to the LBS if necessary (they do free adjustments for a year, but are some distance away). I thought I'd get some suggestions from more experienced riders first.

Tighten everything--pedals, saddle, seat post, etc. Bikes can be ventriloquists, throwing their sounds around.

I had an annoying creak that went away when I tightened the saddle bolt, but I would have sworn it was a pedal.

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Originally Posted by divingbiker

Tighten everything--pedals, saddle, seat post, etc. Bikes can be ventriloquists, throwing their sounds around.

I had an annoying creak that went away when I tightened the saddle bolt, but I would have sworn it was a pedal.

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Same here ... I thought it was a pedal squeak and turned out to be the saddle.

My pedal squeak turned out to be time to repack the bearings of the bottom bracket but that shouldn't be this soon.

DH had one that was his seat too.

I had a noise that I thought was a pedal and turned out to be my knee... :cool:

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Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama

My pedal squeak turned out to be time to repack the bearings of the bottom bracket but that shouldn't be this soon.

DH had one that was his seat too.

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My husband had the same problem, and it was the bearings as well. Though it may seem soon... if you've been riding out in bad conditions like rain and stuff, you could have dried the bearings out. The nice people at our local bike shop gave my husband some lube that he put on his bearings, and that worked temporarily, but the sound has come back only a couple months later.

My creak a couple of years ago sounded like the pedal, but turned out to be the seatpost. Couldn't reproduce it when off the bike, but it only occured when pedalling sitting down not when standing up. Took seatpost out, added a spot of grease, put it back in and tightened well and creak went away.

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions! I will start with checking out the seatpost (since I can't seem to duplicate the noise when I'm off the bike) and look for other things that may have loosened up in the breaking-in process.

It appears to be related to pedaling activity. With the shift of weight that occurs in the saddle during pedaling...that makes sense.

Oakleaf <LOL>-I'm pretty sure it's not my knee; my other bikes do not make this noise. :)