The Australian Cycling Federation has implemented, as part of its rules, a responsible initiative in the establishment of restricted gear ratios for junior riders. These restricted gear ratios ensure two things:
- young developing body joints will not be damaged by pushing huge gears
- young riders will learn to spin at a high cadence
The following chart details the maximum permissible rollout in metres for one rotation of the cranks.
| Age Category | Maximum Rollout (m) | Optimum Gearing & Tyre Size Combination | Rollout (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| U9/11 | 5.5 | 42x16x19C | 5.484 |
| U13 | 5.5 | 42x16x19C | 5.484 |
| U15 | 6.0 | 40x14x20C | 5.987 |
| U17 | 7.0 | 40x12x20C | 6.9 |
| U19 | 7.9 | 45x12x20C | 7.858 |
Note: The Optimum gearing and tyre size combination is supplied as a guide only. The above gear ratios and tyre combinations may be unavailable. Another factor to consider is the fact that wheel diameters can differ from one wheel to the next. All these factors can make the above table inaccurate. Cycles should always be rolled out to ensure final accuracy.
