[IH Cub Cadet]

IMHO - both are great and both are worth owning.

However....

Where I live, it is right hilly and hand regulated hydro's, where you set the speed via lever, will tend to slow down going up hill and speed up going down. So one hand is on the hydro lever most of the time. Another problem for the hydros with hydro lever speed control (for me) is when using a front blade or blower, need to regulate the hydro, steer and control the implement lift, etc. Only two hands and sometimes that ain't enough to go around. Not a problem (again for me) with a gear drive.

I've got some new lawn and garden tractors with foot control and I'd say (for me), they are superior to a gear drive. So easy to drive and keep both hands on the steering wheel.

A smart guy on the Redsquare forum for Wheelhorse tractors has designed a foot control kit for the Wheelhorse tractors with the Eaton 11 pump/tranny set-up. I've got two of these tractors and made the conversion. Without a doubt, it brings the old iron Wheelhorse into the present century and IMHO, Deere or CC bring nothing to the table in equivalent size that beats them with the addition of foot control.

I said all the off topic tractor stuff above to say this - I WISH some smart person would develop a foot control for the IHCC's. I'd buy one in a heart beat.

So - hydro vs gear drive, my advice is love and own both!!!!

Thanks!
Bill