Michael Hoyt

Ask the US pro peliton if the Mercury juniors can use the big gears. I didn't

play on a 9' hoop in junior highschool. The football field wasn't any shorter

and the pads weren't any more protective. Junior gearing is contrived and

nothing more.



M



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Hear, hear, Aaron. I made a lame attempt at Jr. racing i another state many

years ago with similar gear limit. Even though my riding now bears no

resemblence whatsoever to racing the habits forced on me by the gear

limit--same as you had, 84.9", either 50/16 or 44/14--have stayed with me

and been of benefit. Most cyclists, Jr. or otherwise, need a 53/11 high

gear like Bill Clinton needs Viagra.

----- Original Message -----

From: "Aaron M Harrison" <rambob-@juno.com>

To: <ob-@topica.com>

Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2000 8:36 AM

Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Return to Junior Gearing



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You know, I remember when I first started racing, back in '89, the

junior

gear restriction for my age group (15-16) was something like a 50x16.

This was a tiny gear, but it was the largest gear that my coach of the

time, Phil Sanders would let me ride. At first I disparaged my lack of a

big gear, but soon learned to spin fast and smooth. In fact, I was able

to win a Cat.4 PIR on this gear (in a group sprint), beating out all the

senior riders who were pushing significantly bigger gears. Yes, I

realize

that setting up for junior gear restrictions is a hassle, but I feel

that

I certainly benefited from it, and, believe that current and future

crops

of junior riders can benefit from it as well. It serves to level out the

playing field, assuring that everybody has the same gear, and teaches a

smooth, fast pedal stroke. Something I feel is woefully deficient in

this

day and age where people are ever searching for increasingly bigger

gears

to stomp around at lower cadence.



Spin to win! (Thanks Phil!)

Rambo







________________________________________________________________

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feldmans

Hear, hear, Aaron. I made a lame attempt at Jr. racing i another state many

years ago with similar gear limit. Even though my riding now bears no

resemblence whatsoever to racing the habits forced on me by the gear

limit--same as you had, 84.9", either 50/16 or 44/14--have stayed with me

and been of benefit. Most cyclists, Jr. or otherwise, need a 53/11 high

gear like Bill Clinton needs Viagra.

----- Original Message -----

From: "Aaron M Harrison" <rambob-@juno.com>

To: <ob-@topica.com>

Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2000 8:36 AM

Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Return to Junior Gearing





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------------------------------------------------------------



You know, I remember when I first started racing, back in '89, the

junior

gear restriction for my age group (15-16) was something like a 50x16.

This was a tiny gear, but it was the largest gear that my coach of the

time, Phil Sanders would let me ride. At first I disparaged my lack of a

big gear, but soon learned to spin fast and smooth. In fact, I was able

to win a Cat.4 PIR on this gear (in a group sprint), beating out all the

senior riders who were pushing significantly bigger gears. Yes, I

realize

that setting up for junior gear restrictions is a hassle, but I feel

that

I certainly benefited from it, and, believe that current and future

crops

of junior riders can benefit from it as well. It serves to level out the

playing field, assuring that everybody has the same gear, and teaches a

smooth, fast pedal stroke. Something I feel is woefully deficient in

this

day and age where people are ever searching for increasingly bigger

gears

to stomp around at lower cadence.



Spin to win! (Thanks Phil!)

Rambo







________________________________________________________________

GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!

Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!

Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:

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rewards discovering great new sites. Visit today!

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------------------------------------------------------------



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Brad GEBHARD

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teaches kids the proper way to spin the gear, souple. The fundementals



david auker wrote:



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It's good to go with the status quo, but I've always wondered the exact

reasoning behind gear restrictions...



Tom, what arguments do you refer to?



 Tom Durkin wrote:

This issue has arguements in favor to both sides. If the

europeans can do so can OBRA. The gear restrictions have my

vote.



Tom Durkin Team Oregon Junior Manager 1995 USCF Club of the

Year

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--------------CD9A297DA582D30D9BCA2D64--

Brian O'Neal

Certainly learning to spin is a hugely important

aspect of any cyclist's development. For example,

Lance Armstrong now rides much smaller gears than when

he wasn't winning the Tour (ok.. so he's also 25lbs

lighter, and just because he does it doesn't mean

everyone should.)However, for one thing, it is my

opinion that learning to develop a good spinning

technique should not be mandated by any cycling

governing body. For example, it is at least rumored

to once have been believed that smoking cigarettes

helped cyclists by 'opening up their lungs'. While I

can't say with certainty whether that beleif was

actually held or has become a historical urban legend,

the point is that "science" is an ever-evolving

process. I am not suggesting that spinning either is

as bad as smoking, or may be later found to be bad.

What I'm saying is that training science should be

left to indivudal riders, guided by coaches/clubs...

not governing bodies.

With all that said... I would also argue that a 52x14

gear is pretty big, and won't nescisarily teach any

spinning technique at all. So, if gears are to be

restricted, I think that the restriction should be

even greater, (say.. 50x15) in order for it to be able

to uphold in practice the potential benefits that are

cited in the favor of restricting.

Thanks for listening AND participating,

Brian O'Neal



--- Aaron M Harrison <rambob-@juno.com> wrote:

...Yes, I realize that setting up for junior gear

restrictions is a hassle, but I feel that I certainly

benefited from it, and, believe that current and

future

crops of junior riders can benefit from it as well.

It

serves to level out the playing field, assuring that

everybody has the same gear, and teaches a smooth,

fast pedal stroke. Something I feel is woefully

deficient in

this day and age where people are ever searching for

increasingly bigger gears to stomp around at lower

cadence.

Spin to win! (Thanks Phil!)

Rambo









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Aaron M Harrison

You know, I remember when I first started racing, back in '89, the

junior

gear restriction for my age group (15-16) was something like a 50x16.

This was a tiny gear, but it was the largest gear that my coach of the

time, Phil Sanders would let me ride. At first I disparaged my lack of a

big gear, but soon learned to spin fast and smooth. In fact, I was able

to win a Cat.4 PIR on this gear (in a group sprint), beating out all the

senior riders who were pushing significantly bigger gears. Yes, I

realize

that setting up for junior gear restrictions is a hassle, but I feel

that

I certainly benefited from it, and, believe that current and future

crops

of junior riders can benefit from it as well. It serves to level out the

playing field, assuring that everybody has the same gear, and teaches a

smooth, fast pedal stroke. Something I feel is woefully deficient in

this

day and age where people are ever searching for increasingly bigger

gears

to stomp around at lower cadence.



Spin to win! (Thanks Phil!)

Rambo







________________________________________________________________

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john m schmidt

--------------A425E76CA4FACD76FD2707C8

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Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit



Pete Beall wrote:



 Switching back an forth between junior gearing and senior gearing is

dif-ficult, especially if you modify the chain rings and not just the

wheel, and many of the stronger juniors race as both.

When I was a junior I never switched back and forth. My max gear was a

53x15 and I didn't change it until I was a senior.   I used that gearing

in senior 3 races as well.   I could typically handle speeds over 35 or

so and I don?t recall ever having a problem except in one junior race

when we had a strong tailwind for the sprint.





 As a retired orthopaedic surgeon I can say that there is no evidence

that, ?pushing big gears? does any damage to grow-ing epiphyses.

Although the reason typically used to argue for junior gear restriction

is injury preventation, I think a main benefit is to compel junior

riders into developing a smooth supple efficient high rpm spin.   The

strength can follow as the body matures. And when it does, having large

rpm range to use it in, is a bonus.



I rode a bit with several juniors before a race this summer and my

immediate observation was that they were all in too big of gears. They

evidently had a coach too.



Also, check with your local shop, but I am pretty sure shimano makes a

14-15-16-17-18-19-2-23-25 nine speed cassette.



-John







--------------A425E76CA4FACD76FD2707C8

Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit



<HTML>

Pete Beall wrote:

<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE><FONT FACE="Comic Sans MS"><FONT COLOR="#0000FF">Switching

back an forth between junior gearing and senior gearing is dif-ficult,

especially if you modify the chain rings and not just the wheel, and many

of the stronger juniors race as both.</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>

 When I was a junior I never switched back and forth.  My max

gear was a 53x15 and I didn't change it until I was a senior.  

I used that gearing in senior 3 races as well.   I could typically

handle speeds over 35 or so and I don?t recall ever having a problem except

in one junior race when we had a strong tailwind for the sprint.

<BR> 

<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE><FONT FACE="Comic Sans MS"><FONT COLOR="#0000FF">As

a retired orthopaedic surgeon I can say that there is no evidence that,

?pushing big gears? does any damage to grow-ing epiphyses.</FONT></FONT>

<BR> </BLOCKQUOTE>

Although the reason typically used to argue for junior gear restriction

is injury preventation, I think a main benefit is to compel junior riders

into developing a smooth supple efficient high rpm spin.   The

strength can follow as the body matures.  And when it does, having

large rpm range to use it in, is a bonus.



<P> I rode a bit with several juniors before a race this summer and

my immediate observation was that they were all in too big of gears. 

They evidently had a coach too.



<P>Also, check with your local shop, but I am pretty sure shimano makes

a 14-15-16-17-18-19-2-23-25 nine speed cassette.



<P>-John

<BR> 

<BR> </HTML>



--------------A425E76CA4FACD76FD2707C8--

Pete Beall

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.



------=_NextPart_000_004A_01C066C6.50755B40

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charset="iso-8859-1"

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Rusty and Allison are both safe in the senior ranks, but as a dad, I =

dealt with the gear restriction many times over the years and I don't =

like it. As a retired orthopaedic surgeon I can say that there is no =

evidence that, "pushing big gears" does any damage to grow-ing =

epiphyses. Switching back an forth between junior gearing and senior =

gearing is dif-ficult, especially if you modify the chain rings and not =

just the wheel, and many of the stronger juniors race as both.=20



I reposted a page from a few years ago that goes over some of my =

observations on the restrictions:



http://www.geocities.com/beallcycle/gear/index.html





------=_NextPart_000_004A_01C066C6.50755B40

Content-Type: text/html;

charset="iso-8859-1"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable



<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">

<HTML><HEAD>

<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =

charset=3Diso-8859-1">

<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.50.4522.1800" name=3DGENERATOR>

<STYLE></STYLE>

</HEAD>

<BODY>

<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" color=3D#0000ff>Rusty and Allison are =

both safe in=20

the senior ranks, but as a dad, I dealt with the gear restriction many =

times=20

over the years and I don’t like it. As a retired orthopaedic =

surgeon I can say=20

that there is no evidence that, “pushing big gears” does any =

damage to grow-ing=20

epiphyses. Switching back an forth between junior gearing and senior =

gearing is=20

dif-ficult, especially if you modify the chain rings and not just the =

wheel, and=20

many of the stronger juniors race as both. </FONT></DIV>

<DIV><BR><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" color=3D#0000ff>I reposted  a =

page from a=20

few years ago that goes over some of my observations on the=20

restrictions:</FONT></DIV>

<DIV><BR><A =

href=3D"http://www.geocities.com/beallcycle/gear/index.html"><FONT=20

face=3D"Comic Sans MS"=20

color=3D#0000ff>http://www.geocities.com/beallcycle/gear/index.html</FONT=

 </A><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_004A_01C066C6.50755B40--

Mikkel Bossen

As Mom/Aunt to three of the local Juniors I vote for whatever is the best

for the Juniors. Even if it means my boys can not ride as fast. I am

responsible for three growing boys. If restricted gears are better for a

growing body that is the way we should go. Even if the boys don't like it.



Mikkel's Mom, Ricky and Kenny's Aunt

aka Geri





Original Message:

This issue has arguements in favor to both sides. If the

europeans can do so can OBRA. The gear restrictions have my vote.



Tom Durkin Team Oregon Junior Manager

1995 USCF Club of the Year

mmur-@teleport.com

There will also be a junior gear limit for track, yet to be announced.



It should be made clear that this will only apply to events using USCF

rules. OBRA events have used USCF rules in the past. Often the USCF rules

do not apply very well to events run without USCF sanction. It is time that

OBRA adopt it's own set of rules, as the other "alternative" organizations

have. I have been editing the ACA and NCNCA rules and plan to present those

rules to the club representatives at the annual meeting for approval.



If anyone is interested in participating in this project or in reviewing

this to be proposed rule set, please let me know.





Mike Murray



-----Original Message-----

From: mar-@hevanet.com [mailto:mar-@hevanet.com]

Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 20:54 PM

To: ob-@topica.com

Subject: [OBRA Chat] Return to Junior Gearing





I just received an advance of the new USCF rulebook and a heads-up from John

Tarbert in that in 2001 there will be a return to the international standard

of restricting Junior gears.



1J6. Junior Gears. For Junior Men & Women, the authorized maximum chaingear

ratio allowed in any road event is 7.93 meters (rollout 26'). Blocked gears

will be allowed, except in National Championships. [45x12 or 52x14 chain

ring teeth]



Chaingear Ratios

2.2.024 For Junior Men & Women, the authorized maximum chaingear ratio is

7.93 meters.



And, with regard to radios...

1K3. Non-handheld radios with only one earpiece may be worn or carried by

the rider or bicycle only in road events except in Junior classes.



Bonnie



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david auker

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It's good to go with the status quo, but I've always wondered the exact

reasoning behind gear restrictions...



Tom, what arguments do you refer to?



 Tom Durkin wrote:

This issue has arguements in favor to both sides. If the

europeans can do so can OBRA. The gear restrictions have my

vote.



Tom Durkin Team Oregon Junior Manager 1995 USCF Club of the

Year

Tom Durkin

This issue has arguements in favor to both sides. If the

europeans can do so can OBRA. The gear restrictions have my

vote.



Tom Durkin Team Oregon Junior Manager 1995 USCF Club of the

Year

----- Original Message -----

From: <mar-@hevanet.com>

To: <ob-@topica.com>

Sent: Friday, December 15, 2000 7:31 AM

Subject: FW: [OBRA Chat] Return to Junior Gearing





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Prefacing Brian's argument: One of the reasons that was

presented to me for

 a return to Junior gearing is so that younger US riders

would have the same

 competitive level of experience, via the specific demands

of using smaller

 gears, when they attend national and possibly

international venues. Thus,

 Juniors who "only race locally" would not be effected with

a decision either

 way. Bonnie

mar-@hevanet.com

I just received an advance of the new USCF rulebook and a heads-up from John

Tarbert in that in 2001 there will be a return to the international standard

of restricting Junior gears.



1J6. Junior Gears. For Junior Men & Women, the authorized maximum chaingear

ratio allowed in any road event is 7.93 meters (rollout 26'). Blocked gears

will be allowed, except in National Championships. [45x12 or 52x14 chain

ring teeth]



Chaingear Ratios

2.2.024 For Junior Men & Women, the authorized maximum chaingear ratio is

7.93 meters.



And, with regard to radios...

1K3. Non-handheld radios with only one earpiece may be worn or carried by

the rider or bicycle only in road events except in Junior classes.



Bonnie