No no, coasting backwards has been about since forever.
Freecoaster hubs evolved from coaster brake hubs where the cog is attached via a big thread to a lump of metal inside the hubshell.
When the pedals are turned forwards the lump is pulled along the big thread towards the driveside (right) and engages with the hub shell and creates forward drive. When the pedals are not being turned the lump unscrews a bit, moving away from the drive side (left), disengaging from the hub shell. In this state the hub can coast backwards or forwards.
When the pedals are turned backwards the lump moves further left and engages with a brake mechanism (it's pretty complicated and I'm not 100% sure how the brake works so I won't try and explain in any more detail, suffice to say, the arm that attaches onto the chainstay is part of this mechanism).
Freecoasters do away with the brake part of the whole thing and you are left with a hub which either drives forward or coasts in either direction.
I'm saying that in place of the brake mechanism you just make the lump engage with the other side of the hub shell and drive the wheel/bike backwards.
No no, coasting backwards has been about since forever.
Freecoaster hubs evolved from coaster brake hubs where the cog is attached via a big thread to a lump of metal inside the hubshell.
When the pedals are turned forwards the lump is pulled along the big thread towards the driveside (right) and engages with the hub shell and creates forward drive. When the pedals are not being turned the lump unscrews a bit, moving away from the drive side (left), disengaging from the hub shell. In this state the hub can coast backwards or forwards.
When the pedals are turned backwards the lump moves further left and engages with a brake mechanism (it's pretty complicated and I'm not 100% sure how the brake works so I won't try and explain in any more detail, suffice to say, the arm that attaches onto the chainstay is part of this mechanism).
Freecoasters do away with the brake part of the whole thing and you are left with a hub which either drives forward or coasts in either direction.
I'm saying that in place of the brake mechanism you just make the lump engage with the other side of the hub shell and drive the wheel/bike backwards.