Bicycle Mechanics - pedals/wheels locked

hi, my bike is out of commission for the moment, and i was trying to take my brothers old trek hybrid out for a ride, but i can't pedal on it.. the pedals are locked for some reason, they will go backwards but not forwards. when i lift the rear wheel off the ground, the pedals move fine (but not if i just lift the front wheel off), but for some reason i can not get on and ride. Almost fell when I just tried to jump on it, didn't realize it wasnt going to work.. I can't figure out what the problem is.. anyone have any idea?

Rear wheel is bent.
Brakes are mis-adjusted.
The chain and rear wheel spokes are locked together.
etc.
etc.

Is it in high gear?
Is the rear quick release, or axil bolts loose?

Nothing's bent or broken or anything, I'm pretty sure.. I said its the "old" bike but its actually mostly clean, i think its 3-6 years old, and i dont think its even been ridden that much. It's not in a high gear. I dont think the quick release is loose, i took off the front wheel and put it back on to make sure and its still the same way. It could be the quick release. I'll fiddle with that I guess

what do you mean by:

"The chain and rear wheel spokes are locked together."

i dont see how that wouldve happened, it doesntlook like it to me but it sounds feasible? why would this have happened and how would i see?

also, like i said it spins fine if i lift the rear wheel off the ground. would that mean that its front wheel thats locking up or the rear wheel or what?

Flip the bike over. Do both wheels spin freely and feel solidly connected to the bike?

i think it might be something with the quick release, or the front wheel's connection to the bike, but still cant figure out whats up.

i flipped it over, when i pedaled the bike only the rear wheel moved, and when i moved the rear wheel the pedals moved, but i pounded on the front wheel and i think it felt connected and it spun around fine.

i think it might be a quick release issue, because at first i looked at it and the quick release was too tight i think and wouldnt go past like 90 degrees so i thought that must have been the problem and i fixed it, and now it closes all the way and feels right as far as i can tell, and i tried taking the wheel off and putting it back on but it still wont work. I feel like its something dumb that i'm just forgetting. my own bike doesnt have a quick release it just has a nut cause its an old crappy one, so i dunno if im doing something stupid.

any more ideas?

This problem makes no sense whatsoever.


i flipped it over, when i pedaled the bike only the rear wheel moved, and when i moved the rear wheel the pedals moved, but i pounded on the front wheel and i think it felt connected and it spun around fine.

I think you're riding a fixed gear.

the front wheel should not move when you pedal, it's not connected... if you have a lbs nearby it might be worth it to take it to them, I don't mean to be offensive but you don't seem to know what you're talking about. For a couple bucks they could probably clear up the problem.

any more ideas?

Yea, call your brother and tell him you are screwing his bike up.
Then ask you parents for that last chromosone.

I think you're riding a fixed gear.
if he spun it in the right direction with a freewheel the pedals would move