Youth Gear restrictions?

xcMuttley

Just found out about youth gear restrictions and as i have a race next weekend im a little worried.
It says JUNIOR GEAR RESTRICTION 52x14 (7.93m)

I have a 50 tooth chainring, 11-25 cassette is this okay?
Can someone please let me know if im okay to race?
Thanks

weedram

How old are you?

Junior is under 18 and are those born 1995 & 1996. This is a 7.93M restriction and the most common gears run will be 52x14

Youth A is under 16, those born 1997 & 1998, and has a 6.93M restriction. Most Youth A riders run 52x16 to comply with this.

The 50x11 you suggest with a normal road wheel and 23mm tire would give a maximum roll out of 9.70M, which will fail the roll out gear check by some margin. All youth and junior riders will be subjected to a roll out gear check before the race, where a commisaire will check that 1 revolution of your crank in your highest gear does not go past the relevant mark when rolled out along the ground.

You will be able to comply with the gearing check with your current setup, by locking out gears on your cassette. You do this by adjusting your limit screw so that the rear mech cannot go to cogs lower than 14 Junior (50x14 = 7.62M) or 16 for youth A (50x16 = 6.67M), though in both cases you will be at a disadvantage to other riders, who will be riding gearing at or near maximum. This may not be a problem if this is your first race, as it is unlikely you will be competative with the really quick guys anyway, but it will be good experience.

Youth and Junior cassettes are available with 16 and 14 tooth small cogs.

xcMuttley

Im 17? So if i adjust the rear mech i can still race?

xcMuttley

Or would i be better off looking for a cassette with the correct range of gears?

weedram

Ok, at 17 you are a Junior

Unless it is a national championship race, you will be allowed to lock out gears.

This means you adjust the limit screw on the rear mech so that the smallest cog it will shift to is the 14 tooth one. Depending on your cassette, that will be probably locking out 2 or three cogs. Providing you have enough adjustment in your limit screw to lock out enough cogs you will be OK.

My experience with my son, who is a Youth A, is that at most races the commissaires doing the gear checks are pretty helpfull and if you are struggling, they will give you pointers to help you, or will know guys from the clubs who will help you.

If you can get a cassette with a 14T small cog in time, that would be the best solution, as you will get the full range of gears, but don't worry if you have to lock out gears if it is your first race.

If you have doubts, contact the race organiser using the e-mail address on the event posting on the BC website and ask if it is OK to lock out gears. As I said, unless it is a National Championship, it is normally allowed.

Good luck!

xcMuttley

Brilliant thank you for your help!!
Will ask around the club and see if any of them have a cassette that would suit. Im sure some of them must have been juniors at some point haha
Would i be okay with a 50 crankset with a cassette with 14- then?

weedram

Yes, 50 X 14 will give you a roll out of 7.62M, which is well within the 7.93 limit. Unfortunately 50x13 is 8.20M, which would fail so the smallest you can use with a 50t chainring is 14T.

If you keep racing, at some point you will want to change your chainring to 52T to get as close as possible to the 7.93M (52x14=7.92M) rollout you are allowed, but I wouldn't worry about this for your first few races. If you are running a 50T chainring, I assume you are using a compact chainset. There are 52T chainrings available for compact chainsets for when you are ready to change it. You never know, one of your club members may also have a 52T compact ring kicking about.

juggling mum

Weedram - you comment about not being able to lock out for a championship event. Does this apply for youth as well? My daughter is in youth C and planning to do National Champs circuit race at Blackpool in July or is this not the level you refer to ?

weedram

I believe it does normally apply also for Youth categories in National Championships, though as last year was my son's first season was last year. He locked out gears but didn't race at National Level. He is running the correct gearing this year on his new bike, so doesn't need to lock out gears.
The only way to get a definative answer is to e-mail the event organiser, they will be happy to answer your query.

bobley

Its really hard to find a 14 tooth cassette. The only one I could find was a 9 speed Shimano Ultegra CS6500 14-25. My sons in Youth D (5.4m) so I wanted to run 36-14 but when I measured it I was still getting about 5.5m so I set it to run 46 -18 which was spot on but it left him switching chainrings on inclines. I was surprised that the mech would let me lock off 4 cogs.

I cant see any 14 teeth 10 speed cassettes so I can only assume that locking off is allowable.

xcMuttley

http://www.slanecycles.com/bbb-cassette ... 21498.html
Thats the one i bought only one i could find at the time

jibberjim

bobley wrote:

I cant see any 14 teeth 10 speed cassettes so I can only assume that locking off is allowable.

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/shim ... /aid:98476

imposter2.0

bobley wrote:

I cant see any 14 teeth 10 speed cassettes so I can only assume that locking off is allowable.

of course 'locking off' is allowable - there is no issue with it whatsoever.

andyoh

jibberjim wrote:

bobley wrote:

I cant see any 14 teeth 10 speed cassettes so I can only assume that locking off is allowable.

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/shim ... /aid:98476

And you can buy this cassette from Wiggle as I have bought two for my sons wheels.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-ultegra ... -cassette/

Daz555

Out of interest, what is the reasoning behind the gearing restrictions?

xcMuttley

Im assuming it is to do with stunting Muscle and bone growth. This is what it was for in Rugby having restrictions in that too! Heavy exercise or wrong exercise can damage both muscle and bone growth. Although on the BC website one reason given is to promote correct pedaling technique...As far as i know there is only one way to pedal?

SteppenHerring

xcMuttley wrote:

Im assuming it is to do with stunting Muscle and bone growth. This is what it was for in Rugby having restrictions in that too! Heavy exercise or wrong exercise can damage both muscle and bone growth. Although on the BC website one reason given is to promote correct pedaling technique...As far as i know there is only one way to pedal?

You've got to spin to win they say.

Young lad from our club did our open 25 at the weekend with his U16 gearing on and finished in 1:08. Must've been spinning like mad on some of the downhills.

I just phoned up my LBS and they have a 16-27 which would suit my son (U14, 52T chainring - can use 52:17).

mattcxo432

i had two gears locked off for the national champs and they didnt do anything about it and BBB do some cassettes