What happens if you connect the wheels directly to the motor? (i.e. the same driveshaft from the motor is the one inserted in the wheel) Does this give good torque? Speed? Is it advisable to always use gears or sprockets, and not to connect the wheels directly to the motors?
**A direct drive configuration is the same as a 1:1 gear ratio. On a Vex robot, this falls in the medium range for speed & torque.
It is NOT always advisable to use gears/sprockets.
A direct-drive will work fine in many situations. However, it is important to note that the gearing required for a robot, depends on the configuration, and desired output.
Experimentation and iteration can help a designer figure out what is “too slow” or “too fast”.
For more information on Vex gearing and basic gear theory, refer to the “Motion” section of the Vex Inventors Guide.**