Youth racing gear restrictions

acidstrato

couple questions

is blocking gears using limit screws an acceptable method for setting the restriction?
is the check performed pre or post race?

and do people cheat?

jibberjim

acidstrato wrote:

is blocking gears using limit screws an acceptable method for setting the restriction?

Yes.

acidstrato wrote:

is the check performed pre or post race?

Before, and after if they place, or there's any suspicion.

acidstrato wrote:

and do people cheat?

Probably...

Pseudonym

acidstrato wrote:

couple questions

is blocking gears using limit screws an acceptable method for setting the restriction?
is the check performed pre or post race?

and do people cheat?

using the limit screws is what 99% of riders do - and the check is usually performed pre-race, pre-sign on.

Cheating - who knows. But a youth 'E' pushing a 53/11 would be fairly easy to spot...

acidstrato

tidy nice one fellas

well maybe E but a C? my 12 year old nephew is as tall as me (5' 9") and he is quite partial to taking my carbon racing bike out when I'm not around.

thanks for the quick answers!

veryslowtwitch

It is fine to screw the rear mech in but some (esp Campy) won't screw in more than one or two cogs. You could put a zip tie on the big ring but then the bike is usually majorly undegeared. A big cassette is best and check it at least one week before the first race.

Pre-race gear check is really a courtesy because chancers could always tweak it back.
It is up to the comms to check the bikes immediately after the race by holding the top riders and re-checking gears before they have time to disperse.

Blatant cheating must be very rare but lots of bikes are set mm perfect on the limit, then a new pair of tyres pushes them over. I've done lots of gear checks and there is always one parent(usually dad) who insists the tape is wrong because his gear chart "proves" the gearing is ok or else the bike "rolled out fine at home".Tears all round.

I now have permanent youth gearing marks on my garden path to avoid unhappiness!

Alan

smithaay

im also confused about the gearing restrictions but the age im on about is 14 years.

does the front chainring have to be a certain size.

And where can you get the cassettes from that fit the fourteen year olds gear restrictions??

thanks

Pseudonym

smithaay wrote:

im also confused about the gearing restrictions but the age im on about is 14 years.

does the front chainring have to be a certain size.

And where can you get the cassettes from that fit the fourteen year olds gear restrictions??

thanks

the size of the front chain ring is not really relevant - all that matters is that the bike rolls back a certain distance for one crank revolution when it is in the 'biggest' available gear.

I have two kids in youth D & E and the front mechs are removed on both bikes (24" and 26") which effectively keeps them in the small ring - and with one gear locked out on the rear they are both within their gear limits...

Remember, the limit is effectively a 'final drive' ratio, so you need to incorporate wheel size into the equation....assuming certain sprocket combinations will be sufficient is probably not going to be enough....

Slimbods

And tyre size, I got that part wrong

veryslowtwitch

BBB have big youth cassettes and Miche do a youth chainset. But do your calculations before buying a geartrain and finding out that you are still overgeared.

But it is great to get the correct size kit and stop messing about with derailleurs.

Alan

bikey gonzalez

everything you need to know to work out roll out can be found on ' mike sherman's gear calculator ' just double check on the ground if you are close to the limit.

colinsmith123

What I used to do was set the limit screw so that when tested with no load it wouldn't drop on to the next sprocket down and hence would be legal. But under a bit of load it would drop onto the next sprocket. But not endorsing this of course as cheating never pays as we all know.

ozzzyosborn206

a couple of years ago in the national junior road race series a rider had his bike set up fine, then mid race got a flat and a wheel from neutral service, managed to chase back on on a downhill then won the race, it was later found with the wheel he had got from the neutral service he had a too big gear and that is probably what helped him get back on so i think he was dq'd (may have just been given last of the break not 100%)