Rear Wheel Won't go Backwards

AlanDeGenerous

Hi all, relative cycling newbie here. I've been using my brother's old Trek 7.3FX which has laid dormant in the shed for over a year and everything had been going fine until recently.

When I try to push the bike backwards, the rear wheel locks up and then there's a loud "clicking" noise. Also, when I'm at a light and try to bring the pedal up to position it better for take off, there's a lot of resistance. Is this a problem with the chain or something more serious? The bike works perfectly otherwise.

Thanks in advance.

RebelButtMunch

Does it spin back when the chain isn't on the cogs?

RebelButtMunch

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Does it spin back when the chain isn't on the cogs?

I'll slap myself.
What I wanted to know was if its the chain thats causing the resistance. Does the rear derailleur move upwards when you pedal back?

AlanDeGenerous

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

I'll slap myself.
What I wanted to know was if its the chain thats causing the resistance. Does the rear derailleur move upwards when you pedal back?

I'll have to check when I'm home. Will reply later when I've had a look.

AlanDeGenerous

Nope, the derailleur doesn't move at all.

Wishbone Ash

Is the chain fully flexible - i.e. are any of the links stiff?

Is the chain fouling the RD?

crosstownk

Any chance of a few pics of the rear derailleur and cassette?

Does the chain run silently when pedaling forward or is there a continuous ticking/clicking noise?

Beer Assistant

If it's been lying up I'd say you have some stiff links, easy fix replace the chain, or get a good chain breaker n try free up the stiff link's.

lescol

I would guess that it's the freehub that's in need of freeing! The resistance you feel as you raise the pedal at the lights will be the resistance in the hub, the clicking as you move the bike backwards will be due to the chain being forced through the rear derailleur. If you turn the bike upside down and turn the cranks to make the rear wheel spin I would say that when you leave go the cranks will continue to spin with the wheel instead of stopping while the rear wheel continues to spin.

AlanDeGenerous

I think I've located the problem. The chain seems to be rubbing off this part of the bike (apologies, I'm not familiar with the terminology). As a result it clicks when going forward, especially on higher gears, and is stopping the back wheel from moving freely. How would one fix this? I've also attached pics of the derailleur as well just in case.

Many thanks for the replies thus far.

lescol

It's called cross chaining, something to be avoided!

http://www.bicyclechainrings.com/crosschaining.html

RebelButtMunch

AlanDeGenerous wrote: »

I think I've located the problem. The chain seems to be rubbing off this part of the bike (apologies, I'm not familiar with the terminology). As a result it clicks when going forward, especially on higher gears, and is stopping the back wheel from moving freely. How would one fix this? I've also attached pics of the derailleur as well just in case.

Many thanks for the replies thus far.

In your first pic. Are you able to move that device with the lever on the handlebars?

AlanDeGenerous

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

In your first pic. Are you able to move that device with the lever on the handlebars?

You mean by changing gear?

seamus

Hard to tell at that angle, but it looks like the front derailleur is badly out of alignment, which would cause the symptoms described in the OP. Cross chaining can cause some noise alright, but shouldn't cause the massive clicking and resistance the OP describes.

It's actually a very simple fix, no more than 2 minutes with an allen key, but I would advise you get a shop to do it if you've never done any work on a bike. Only problem is they may tut and tell you about fifty other things you "need" to have done.

If you even work with someone who knows bikes they'd be able to sort it for you.

OP, can you take the same picture again as the first one, but looking straight down from above?

RebelButtMunch

AlanDeGenerous wrote: »

You mean by changing gear?

yep, but the latest post seems to be your problem. It just looks like that deraileur needs a small adjustment. Either in its angle, or in how much it is allowed to go in, using small screws

AlanDeGenerous

seamus wrote: »

Hard to tell at that angle, but it looks like the front derailleur is badly out of alignment, which would cause the symptoms described in the OP. Cross chaining can cause some noise alright, but shouldn't cause the massive clicking and resistance the OP describes.

It's actually a very simple fix, no more than 2 minutes with an allen key, but I would advise you get a shop to do it if you've never done any work on a bike. Only problem is they may tut and tell you about fifty other things you "need" to have done.

If you even work with someone who knows bikes they'd be able to sort it for you.

OP, can you take the same picture again as the first one, but looking straight down from above?

Thanks for that. I'll re-take the pic later on today. I don't really know anybody who is in to bikes, so I reckon I'll just take it to a shop. They'll hardly charge me much more than a tenner will they? And yeah, like you said, I'm afraid that once I go into them they'll start me down a route where I need to get a full service etc, which isn't exactly top of my priority list with 2 weeks to go until pay day.

seamus

Post up your Dublin postcode and people can recommend a shop who won't take the piss. A tenner would be pushing it I'd say. If you went in and bought €20 worth of stuff that you might need - spare tubes, puncture kits, pump, etc - then a decent shop would happily do the fix for you free (assuming it's the 2 minute job I say it is).

If you're really stuck and happen to work near me I can drop over some lunchtime to take a look.

AlanDeGenerous

seamus wrote: »

Post up your Dublin postcode and people can recommend a shop who won't take the piss. A tenner would be pushing it I'd say. If you went in and bought €20 worth of stuff that you might need - spare tubes, puncture kits, pump, etc - then a decent shop would happily do the fix for you free (assuming it's the 2 minute job I say it is).

If you're really stuck and happen to work near me I can drop over some lunchtime to take a look.

I work in East Wall so anything around Fairview would suit. I also go past the Top Bicycle Shop every day but I haven't heard great things about them in there.

AlanDeGenerous

Problem seems to be getting worse so might just bring it in for a full service. Can anyone recommend a shop near East Wall/Clontarf for this?

cdaly_

Try Little Sport in Fairview or Top Bicycle Shop in Clontarf.