Gear Restrictions

The OBC Grand Prix is run under a sanction from the Quebec Cycling Federation. As a consequence, we are bound by the rules and regulations of that organization. The Quebec federation places a limit for young riders on the largest gear that can be used in competition.

By "gear" they mean the distance the bicycle travels in one revolution of the pedals. This distance is a function of 3 factors: the circumference of the rear wheel, the number of teeth in the largest chainring, and the number of teeth in the smallest cog on the freewheel.

The following table shows each category in the Grand Prix that is affected by a gear restriction, the age of each category, the gear limit in metres, and the most common chainring x cog combination that conforms to the gear limit using common 700 cm rear wheel.