Originally Posted by
repechage
...52x15 - which I thought was reasonable, I had no trouble keeping up with the National Team guys while training with that.
...
THE issue was just different riders in the SAME race not being allowed the same equipment.
There is a reason 11,12,13,14 tooth cogs are used. Some can spin faster than others. I am not aware of any pro doing a 52x13. Some of these teen kids are just as fast (top speed) as the road pros.
The responses I got from USACycling was the kids should learn to spin faster, which was coaching and their idea of how a rider should ride. That is not theri job, or if it is, it is the only sport I know of where the officials are coaching at the top level. Conversely, I would say ask why not push harder? That made me no friends except for the few that agreed with me.
I was raised (and involved with developing equipment to train for that) with spinning circles as the best way to go. I no longer believe that. The training, and how to race should be left to coaches, not officials.