pic: Team 955's take on 4 speeds (back)

[Roland]

Of course it's up to teams to decide what to build. I'm just wondering how often multi-speed gearboxes are used in competition on the field. I've never driven a robot with a multi-speed gearbox, nor have I spoken at length to drivers on teams with multi-speed gearboxes. I simply want to hear honest opinions about what good a gearbox like 955's here will do this year. I understand how plenty of experienced teams would do it for the cool factor alone, but I want to hear what real drivers - or mechanical designers, even - have to say about multi-speed drivetrains in practice.