[Siri]

I think folks are drastically overestimating how long it will take to finish a serious hopper race. In any worthwhile race, the only hopper that's "up for grabs" is centerfield (boiler side)--within a few feet and a few seconds of being on the path to a gear cycle. All the other hoppers shouldn't be a fight if the loader and defender are worth the effort--one each at least ought to be done by the end of auto. In fact the defender could decide to hit the centerfield in auto, perhaps leaving their own launchpad hoppers for their allies to hit on their way out (for a gear or what have you). The second offensive hopper should be hit by a loader's ally (upon good advice) no later than the start of teleop on their way to gear running and potentially doubling as the loader's blocker to the centerfield hopper. If the centerfield hopper is indeed still full by teleop, both parties are left to decide whether and how to race for it. But if you really can finish a significant portion of an entire gear cycle while the defender hits that button (which you have to pass approximately as well), it's probably an easy decision and you have bigger things to worry about. Like Einstein.

Separately, note that in a situation where a hopper dump tactic is worthwhile, relying on a single-gear lead countertactic necessitates both the ability to predict alliances' final gear totals and the luck that they'll end up on a rotor split. If that one gear does just barely let you finish another rotor, more power to you--but if you're so close to the edge, that usually settles the debate as to what you should be doing that match. It's also highly unlikely that the other alliance will end up one full gear cycle behind you in that case. To do so would be a mistake on their part that signifies they're really not on your level anyway--either they blew their time cushion or they should have stopped much earlier upon realizing they'll be a gear short. (The alternative case is your own alliance wondering why you ran a random extra gear that doesn't turn a rotor.)

From a strategic design perspective, a non-floor loader who poses a threat (i.e. made this as a competent strategic decision and properly executes) is more likely a fast gear runner who does fuel opportunistically from the retrieval station while grabbing a gear. They ought to be very good at the centerfield hopper race, though it's not a bad strategy try to beat them on your way past. Other than that and an autonomus load, they won't be preoccupied with hoppers in competitive matches (mostly because they really won't take long). Strategically that design decision screams high-cycle gear runner with some extra space/weight and design time. (If they're underperforming, of course, as with all defense the defender needs to reconsider pre-match whether it's worth bothering.)