Is it normal for engine to turn bicycle pedal around?

If you can pedal backwards, you have a freewheel or a cassette (multiple sprockets on a freewheel for multi-speed bikes).

The problem has something to do with the pedaling chain, right?? If so, the problem is most likely not in the crank, so it's gotta be in the freewheel or cassette. Replace that, and you'll prolly be golden. Just try and pedal with the engine off and listen where the noise is coming from? Does the freewheel sometimes not let you pedal backwards easily?
 
Crankset is jammed!

"Does the freewheel sometimes not let you pedal backwards easily?"

Actually, I cannot pedal backwards at all, or with tremendous effort. Freewheel means you can hold pedal to rest, while the bike is rolling downhill, right? I think that's stuck, must be some ball bearings that popped out in there. So because whole crankset is frozen, engine is pulling the pedals around at its own speed (which is pretty dangerous!).

Hopefully, this is a standard part for bicycles, and I don't have to order it specifically made for WildFire Motors.

I think what must be happening is because engine tends to give out on steep inclines, I put unusual stress on bicycle crankset to pedal it (while engine is spinning at a different speed).

If I continue with this bike, I'll probably wind up putting a 70cc engine on so I don't have to use pedal to get up steep inclines.

Now, if I can only find a bike shop that is willing to fix this... otherwise, I'll have to do it myself. Is this a common problem for these kind of bikes?
 
Just take the rear wheel off and head to the bike shop and they can fix the rear cassette. Then there is no motor for them to be suspicious about. If they ask what the other sprocket is just say it is to run a lighting generator or something.
 
I did manage to get to tech support at WildFire Motors and man said the same thing as you people - take rear wheel off and fix freewheel part. I was surprised to find it is in rear tire, for some reason, I was stuck on idea that it was inside crankset system.

The main problem with bike shops is in this state MA, it's against insurance regs to take gas engine bicycles inside their shops. They told me they will work on it as long as it's a bicyle problem; they don't want to deal with engines.
 
Hello, I would like to report that the freewheel is ok now. This is kind of embarrassing, but all this guy in this bike shop did was put some lubricant on the freewheel, and it coasts/backpedals fine now. In any case, I know a lot more about how this thing works now.

I still think my bike chain and engine chain are out of sync with one another. I need to make engine chain shorter so bike chain isn't so tight.

Anyway, it runs ok now. Thanks for all your help and advice. I hope this info is useful to others with a similar problem.
 
Back
Top