CP
Dont forget the thrust must be done with airspeed as a consideration for bench ratings, else we get a 200:1 geared 40" prop on a s400 with massive thrust.

Maybe Pitchspeed & Thrust so we can see the force at airspeeds. Just making up some numbers -
29oz @25mph geared
17oz @44mph geared
14oz @52mph direct
14oz @45mph Surestart
then to compare we just pick some gear/prop/volt combos to get similar Pitchspeeds and look at the thrusts.

No, gearing can be done with glow engines too, so the only valid comparisons are direct driven props, at least for my purposes. I would never gear down a glow engine, anyway........just get a bigger engine. Airspeed is subjective to the model that the power plant is bolted to, again we come full circle back to inflight comparisons being the best way to compare.

True, the inflight is the most valid comparason, but is also the hardest to quantify & measure. After all, bench testing is really just estimates & forcasts of inflight performance.

Geared glow... I'd love to get one of ya'll machinists to slap out some Clampy Plate Spur Holders for surestarts. Would like to swing the big lumber for the bombers..... ok, 8-9" or 7x4 3blade aint that big, but its the thought

You could quantify by seeing how many loops you can do in 30 seconds, go vertical and then send the plane through a speed trap for timing. Outside of those 3 ways, I just get a feel in the sticks when one set up is stronger than the other, if they are close enough in performance where you can't see the difference, then who cares if there is a microns' worth of difference when compared on some bench testing equipment?

One of the things I like about electrics is the fact that I have more variables to play with to achieve "performance" (which varies by plane and my mood and the way I hold my mouth when I launch a new model for the first time).

Just the fact of having gearing available is enormous. I can now swing a 10x4.7 prop (one of my favorites for "performance") on a similar sized/weight 1/2A airframe. I can only say woo hoo.

FWIF, Bob, I got a couple of the new Berg "solid" receivers for Sheetface and the Blue Albacorde. HS-55ws too of course.

Time to put my grandson to bed.

CP- I swear I saw pictures of a Fora with a gear reduction swinging a large folding prop on some kinda of free flight plane. I think it was at the website where ever they sell them, but I can't remember where that's at.