mmur-@teleport.com
There is no credible evidence to show that gear restrictions prevent knee
injuries in junior cyclists. Gear limits may help improve rider's technique
and also make races more competitive but the argument that they prevent
injuries is baseless.
Mike Murray
-----Original Message-----
From: Duncan, Todd [mailto:todd_d-@mentorg.com]
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 13:26 PM
To: 'mrwi-@worldnet.att.net'; ob-@topica.com
Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] Junior Gearing. A Parent's Perspective.
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As a former Junior myself, I raced under the Junior Gear Restriction rule in
the mid 80's. It's not a hassle to have to go out and buy a new set of gears
for yourself or for your junior racer in the family. The hassle comes when
you have to go out and buy yourself or the junior racer in you family a new
set of knees or other joints that have become damaged due to the forces put
on them while riding. This is one of the larger concerns with this rule
(among others), to protect young cyclists while they develop.
Odd
-----Original Message-----
From: Rhonda Wilson [mailto:mrwi-@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 10:24 AM
To: ob-@topica.com
Subject: [OBRA Chat] Junior Gearing. A Parent's Perspective.
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As trainer, coach, chauffeur, equipment procurement specialist, clothier,
personal nutritionalist, secretary, race volunteer, accomodations planning
expert, and financier for a junior... I am against an OBRA rule on junior
gearing.
(I'm a mother of a junior)
Let's establish a "guideline" instead.
While I agree with the principle of teaching juniors to spin, I think that
the gearing restriction puts an additional burden on two groups of people
who are already overworked.
1. Race officials. I'm not an official myself, but I have assisted the
officials during juniors competition. I remember helping out with a dozen
little details that need to be done before the race. If you've worked a
race in any capacity, you'll know what I mean: radios, flashing lights,
lists of riders, maps - that sort of thing. To that, some people want to
add either a roll-out or a counting of gear teeth? Has anyone noticed how
difficult it is to get all of the juniors to the starting line on time much
less getting them to a gear check a half-hour before the race? In my
experience, the officials and race organizers already have enough to do.
2. Parents of juniors. I suppose that some of the older juniors can handle
figuring out the gearing rule on their own but with a lot of juniors, the
job goes to the parents. I don't know about other parents, but I personally
spend a good deal of time getting Dustin properly equiped. My winter hobby
seems to be searching the internet for new and used "stuff" for my growing
son. It's not just the bike either. Clothes are expensive and not cheaper
because they're small. Not only that, but Dustin refuses to cooperate when
I tell him to stop outgrowing shoes. :\ Anyway, my point is simply that
this is just one more equipment hassle that I don't need.
All of this being said, I must admit that I did read and conform to the rule
two years ago when we set up Dustin's first "serious" bike. Of course, I'm
a mechanical engineer and found it to be a bit of a challenge ... I think
that I'm the exception... Imagine my disappointment when nobody, ever,
bothered to check!
That brings up another point, creating a rule that is not enforced is unfair
to those who conform. We shouldn't make this rule if we don't mean to
enforce it.
I think that we need to recognize that with juniors, there is a huge
disparity between the most prepared and the least prepared. I've been to
plenty of junior road events with younger kids riding mountain bikes
sometimes with knobby tires. A gearing restriction, if enforced, would only
serve to exclude beginners.
Finally, I seriously doubt that restricting gearing will improve a junior's
spinning. For a beginning junior, even a 52x16 is going to be too big of a
gear much of the time. When Dustin was first learning, I rarely saw him
use the largest sprocket of his triple. The only effective way to teach
cadence is to ride with the junior and coach them as they go because every
situation is different. What's too big a gear in one situation is too small
a gear in another.
I can see that for races like Junior Nationals - which are restricted to
experienced and reasonably well-equiped juniors - a gearing rule may be
sensible and practical. For most races, however, it seems impractical and
ineffective.
How about if we establish a guideline?
Thanks for reading.
Rhonda Wilson (aka Dustin's Mom)
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