Freego bike won't go backwards

[Seanoge]

Wife's 5 year old Freego Regency drives Ok but when she tries to put it in the shed the back wheel locks and cannot be pushed backwards. Any ideas?

 

[Woosh]

rust may have jammed the rotor.
You need to open your motor to have a look.

 

[Nealh]

If the drive rides ok then sounds like freewheel/cassette gear pawls may be sticking, do the gears freewheel when pedalled backwards ?

 

[Andy-Mat]

If the drive rides ok then sounds like freewheel/cassette gear pawls may be sticking, do the gears freewheel when pedalled backwards ?

.....and a deft approach with WD-40 to free it up, plus some good Synthetic oil to lubricate it, might clear that problem for the next 5 years!
And after 5 years, that is almost to be expected I feel....
regards
Andy

 

[artspeck]

Wife's 5 year old Freego Regency drives Ok but when she tries to put it in the shed the back wheel locks and cannot be pushed backwards. Any ideas?

Could the pedal be jamming against the kick stand?

 

[Nealh]

Seanoge if the freewheel/cassette rotates backwards freely then try lifting the motor wheel up to see if it also does so by hand.

Inside the hub there is a clutch mechanism, three small springs are usually part of the mechanism. One of these may be broken or as Woosh has eluded to, rust/oxidisation might be responsible but on a 5 y/o bike I would have thought unlikely unless it is ridden or left in the rain all the time.
If it is the hub motor wheel that doesn't rotate backwards then it will need opening to investigate.

 

[Seanoge]

I've just had a first look at it for her and BOTH wheels will not go backwards and when I cycle it it seems something is rubbing on both wheels so speed is very slow. Pedals work Ok backwards & forwards.

 

[Nealh]

Looks like some maintenance is required, does it see a lot of rain or is it kept in a damp place ?
Sticking freewheeling of gear cluster can be ruled out then .
Check brakes aren't rubbing /binding and also mudguards.

The only other thing I can think of is seized /rusty bearings in front axle hub and rear hub motor. Front hub is fairly easy with correct thin spanners (cone spanners ) to undo the locking nut/cone & replace and grease new ball bearings (these are loose 3/16" or 1/4" balls sat in a cone), the rear hub if a bearing is at fault has a press fit sealed bearing on the LHS. It isn't uncommon for these to wear or suffer if water has penetrated, again fairly easy to replace once the hub is opened, Sealed bearings have a part number on them so easy to get hold of online or a bearing supplier.

 

[Seanoge]

You won't belive this. She took the bike into Halfords for a service and told them that she was having trouble pushing the bike backwarsds. They said it would have to goto another Branch as it was probably a hub problem. Cost about £200.- we couldn't afford it so today thought I would have a look. Tried to take front wheel off but Disc brake was stoping it. Loosened Disc brake and wheel turned fine!!! Nothing wrong with back wheel either. When she was trying to push it backwards it was the front wheel that stuck so the back wheel went nowhere either!! Reset Disc brake and seems to be working fine. Sorry!!

 

[Andy-Mat]

You won't belive this. She took the bike into Halfords for a service and told them that she was having trouble pushing the bike backwarsds. They said it would have to goto another Branch as it was probably a hub problem. Cost about £200.- we couldn't afford it so today thought I would have a look. Tried to take front wheel off but Disc brake was stoping it. Loosened Disc brake and wheel turned fine!!! Nothing wrong with back wheel either. When she was trying to push it backwards it was the front wheel that stuck so the back wheel went nowhere either!! Reset Disc brake and seems to be working fine. Sorry!!

Don't worry!
Firstly really great to have an explanation AND you got the bike going YOURSELF and you saved yourself £200.-!
So its a pretty fine day today!
Secondly, your better half may have also learned something new as well. Sadly, I find that most women are not mechanically minded, but its not a problem! We get used to it!
Tell her the Blonde joke, the one of the Blonde touching all areas of her body with a finger and finding that it hurt.
So she asked the doctor for an explanation.
He said "You broke your finger Lady!"
regards for a great day.
Andy

 

[Nealh]

Well done glad you sorted the issue out your self and a simple get over, god knows what the final Halfrauds bill would have been. I expect they would have charged you for unwanted parts like new gears , chain and brake pads.
With a few tools most bikes are pretty easy to work on and maintain and self service can save hundreds on unnecessary costs.