Thank you Oliver. That was very helpful. (especially the ‘reference point’ of torque with 4" wheels part…makes sense)
In the material handling industry (conveyors), we talk in terms of INPUT:OUTPUT ratio.
We use gear REDUCERS and would call them 15:1 or 25:1.
We wouldn’t include the motor in the ratio. If we are dealing with a gearmotor combination (motor and reducer gearing inseparable in a single housing) then we would use max output RPM to describe the gearmotor unit.
A typical drive would be a 1800 RPM motor with a 25:1 speed reducer.
FPM = motor output RPM / gear reduction x driver sprocket / driven sprocket x roller diameter x pi / 12
As a standard for VEX I think it would be best to talk in terms of motor gearing separate from gearing assemblies. HIGH SPEED MOTOR (160 RPM) with a 1:21 gear assembly. It’s a lot more clear and simple when you want to revise your speed calculations by changing your motor gearing or revising your gear assembly.
Completely agree with this, its a lot more convenient to just know you are using a certain motor type then try and find it from your gear ratio 