Doge

Good idea. We already must sign waivers as to our kids' injury.

big chainring 

I never even thought of the restricted gears as being a concern when as a Junior racing with the Seniors. We just pedaled faster.

I raced as a Cat 2 for several years with a 52/14 top gear. Recalled one race at Super Week where they put the sponges in the corners expecting a record pace. We averaged something like 33 mph for the first 10 miles, and covered the 45mile distance in around 1hr 35 minutes.

Bunyanderman

I probably wouldn't pass with a 52-14, even with a 22mm rear. I had a 50-14 and barely passed roll-out on two occasions.

shovelhd

If there's one thing that pisses a criterium pit official off, it's Juniors (or Juniors parents) pushing the rollout limit. If I've got a dozen bikes to roll out, some of them for riders that are waiting to line up for the next race, and I have to roll you out three times to be sure, you can bet I'll remember who you are. Don't do it.

Doge

Saw I didn't answer. Top speeds in a RR can be mid 50s. Sometimes for long periods. A decent hitting 53 has a junior spinning 177. Do want that in your pack going down that hill?

Psimet2001 

Ahhhh...."stupid weak"....how I miss thee.

HAHAHA...I can't tell you how much I love having to yell "Juniors to rollout" when I'm announcing. The best is having to explain it to a pissed off parent - not the type "A" sort but the one who just thought it might be a good idea to have their kid try a bike race and even though they were well off the back and not pulled the bike they are on has illegal gears and they're DQ'd ...or even told they would be DQ'd if they raced again on it...

3 Second vent - Our sport is really f'd up (choir preaching I know, but seriously). We try to get new people involved. We do a horrible job at recruiting because honestly most int his sport are so self absorbed it's really all about them and their challenges just getting to the races on a week by week basis. Then when we are blessed enough to have a parent bring a local kid to the bike race they read about in the paper (because their weird parent still reads a paper) we confuse the living crap out of them, make them pay all sorts of money for something that seems like it should be everyone getting a medal and a capri sun for doing, then we jump all over them for not pinning a number on correctly or for having a bike that fails rollout - or simply just pulling them out of the race before the finish.

I've seen efforts to help in different areas and at different races over the years but really in general the system is set for immense failure from day 1 if you don't simply have someone on the inside willing to help you out.

It's like a kid showing up to Little League tryouts and being told that the glove they borrowed from their big brother is too big for them to use so they are disqualified. That or if they get to bat and they strike out we put them on the bench with a dunce cap and tell them they are no longer allowed to play or learn and it's for their own and other's safety. I mean we all know why it is the way it is but we to a horrid job of telling the story or delivering the message.

shovelhd

That's gold right there, Rob. Well said.

I don't make the rules, and I'm allowed discretion to enforce them, but when somebody is intentionally testing the limits, it sets me off.

topflightpro

We host an early season race, and every year, we have to explain to parents that their kid would have been disqualified given their gearing. (The race official rarely DQs any juniors for this race.) The parents are often confused and frustrated and annoyed at the prospect of shelling out more money.

A couple years ago, we had a new middle/high school team come out for their first every races. In the weeks leading up to the event, I reached out to the school's assistant principal to explain the license process and junior gearing. I did a lot of hand holding to make the process as clear and easy as possible. They still had a couple kids who failed roll out.

shovelhd

I was working the pit at the Kermis two years ago and this kid at the back of the rollout line suddenly shouts "oh ****", and starts twisting the rear derailleur barrel adjuster. I tell him he cannot touch the bike. He keeps twisting. He fails rollout and I report this to the Chief Referee. It's. It's not the role of the rollout official to DQ riders, that is up to the CR. I report what I find. They make the decision.

I had a kid at Hilltowns whip out a screwdriver from his jersey.

mattm

While I don't doubt your experience in this area - can't they just adjust the limit screws? (as opposed to buying a new cassette)

Ygduf

why can't he adjust the limit prior to rolling out?

globecanvas

They can't adjust the limit (to block out illegal cogs) after racing but before rolling out. That's actual cheating.

Ygduf

was @shovelhd talking post-race? I thought only rollout pre-race

gsteinb

roll out is after

gsteinb

with two in the oven fudgy may be a bit short sighted here.

mattm

Not always.

At any rate, I don't see why it's a big deal - a screwdriver can fix it!

Ygduf

my wife is wholly nonathletic. I will push my kids into running track or something much cheaper/less-aerobar-discussion-filled than cycling.

Doge

Rollout is sometimes before and sometimes after and sometimes both and sometimes a subset - so all before and top 10 after.
Rules say that equipment issues may not be addressed after the finish - which always makes a roll-out after interesting to me.

Ygduf

I get not allowing them to change after the race, that defeats the purpose, bad restriction or not.

shovelhd

Blocking out via the limit screws is legal except at national races.

shovelhd

The bike cannot be adjusted between the time the bike crosses the finish line and when it is handed off to the rollout official.

shovelhd

Pre-race rollout is a courtesy if the official has time. Post-race rollout is required for road events for all Juniors no matter which field they are racing in. You may be thinking of tech inspection for time trials.

shovelhd

It is possible to block out using the barrel adjuster, negating the need for a screwdriver. No matter what, it's illegal between the finish and rollout.

Doge

I don't see this is something kids cheat on. They just don't pass sometimes mostly because they forgot to change wheels.
The other way is have a flat tire.
So what does the referee do with this one (see rear tire)?

Ygduf

I've only ever seen it done pre-race and I probably just haven't been around when they do post-race ones.