Exercise Bike Flywheel Not Moving – Drive and Bearing Problems
If you can pedal but the flywheel on your exercise bike isn't moving, you likely have a broken drive belt or a seized bearing. Diagnose the problem with our guide.
The Most Common Cause: A Broken Drive Belt
If you can pedal with no resistance at all, the belt connecting the crank to the flywheel has almost certainly snapped or slipped off its pulleys.
How to Inspect the Drive Belt
A guide to removing the plastic covers to visually inspect the drive belt and pulleys.
Diagnosing a Seized Flywheel Bearing
If the pedals are extremely difficult or impossible to turn, the bearings that the flywheel spins on may have seized due to rust or failure. This requires bearing replacement.
Problems with the Crank or Freewheel Mechanism
On some models, a failure in the freewheel clutch (which allows the flywheel to spin when you stop pedaling) can cause this issue.