One speed vs Two speed gearboxes

[Jared]

Originally Posted by asid61

I understand many games require slowness. 2002 is not a good example, as IIRC there was only two cims in the KOP. Going 20fps was not an option. Now, 2010 was a year where speed was not very applicable, and where I think a single speed drive would make sense.
However, for games 2011-2014, fast robots are good. And to go fast and avoid trips (even accidental ones) you should really have a shifter.
Now 2012 I could see going under 20fps. However, six cim drives make going under 18fps almost pointless if you don't have to worry about breaker trips. So you slap on a shifter. The game is not just speed, it's distance/time. The greater that ratio is, the more maneuverable a robot is (depending on the driver, of course).
The primary downside of a shifter is space usage. Custom options are good for this. A team that needs to every inch of space on their robot for manipulators, etc. would need to go non-COTS.

Team 118 didn't shift in 2011, 2012, 2013, or 2014. They were still incredibly good in each of those years. They prove that you don't need 2 speeds to win the same way that Einstein proves, year after year, you don't need an omnidirectional drive to win.