Pedals on kids bike randomly stick.

[Sketch80]

I took a little video of it:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JWGr3RBVr8WWDRjbfoAo_13p7opnN4EC/view?usp=drivesdk

It's a huffy bike for a five year old. Basically the wheels keep locking up randomly when pedaling. Checked to see if there was anything rubbing against the chain but I don't see any blockages. Do I need to take apart the whole pedal?
Thanks for any advice!

[Jesper]

(04-06-2020, 06:24 PM)Sketch80 Wrote:  I took a little video of it:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JWGr3RBVr8WWDRjbfoAo_13p7opnN4EC/view?usp=drivesdk

It's a huffy bike for a five year old. Basically the wheels keep locking up randomly when pedaling. Checked to see if there was anything rubbing against the chain but I don't see any blockages. Do I need to take apart the whole pedal?
Thanks for any advice!

Hi Sketch80,
Welcome to BIKERIDE! I was unable to view your video, but I will be able to view it at work and l will attempt to give you an appropriate recommendation based on what I observe. Did you obtain the bike as new or was it used, and do you know how old it is? Was it pre-assembled (if bought new) in the box, or put together at a bike shop, retail store, or by yourself? If new, I doubt that we are dealing with worn out parts; more likely it was not put together/set up properly. This is not uncommon if boxed, or assembled at a store. I doubt that a bike shop would have done the work improperly, but it has happened. Unfortunately, pedals on many new bikes and more commonly on smaller kids bikes are fitted with fairly cheap pedals since it is viewed more as a "toy" than as a serious mode of transportation. If the pedals themselves turn cleanly by hand, it doesn't mean that they are working properly under a load condition. Most of these cheaper pedals cannot be serviced to improve function, but they make be able to be lubricated. If a wheel is locking up, it is probably due to a bad or mis-adjusted bearing (won't apply to sealed type bearings) and should be able to be re-adjusted. I generally work on old race bikes, so I'm just trying to postulate as to what the problem might be. I'm sure your video will help. I'll get back to you tomorrow. I know I would be bummed out if I was 5 and my bike didn't work well.

Take care and be safe,
Jesper

[Jesper]

Typing again as my reply was erased when posting. Watched your video and I believe that the bottom bracket has a cracked cup. Hard to tell w/o disassembling. If you remove the chain ( manually track it off the sprocket while turning the crank, or remove the rear wheel) and turn the crank arm (don't use the pedal, one less variable) and it does the same thing, then the bottom bracket is probably shot; although it could have gotten debris in it somehow and could be fixed by cleaning and repacking the grease. It might not be cost effective if needing parts and having the work done at a shop. The rear wheel seemed to continue turning after the "lock up", so I would assume the rear hub bearing to be okay. If crank turns freely with chain removed, then possible pedal damage. Do both pedals give the same symptom when turning the crank? Check Craigslist for free and cheap kids bikes; they outgrow them and are often readily available to you nearby. Always try to get a frame on the larger size for a small child as they will soon be the right height for the same bike, but a little bigger.