User blog comment:Lasaro Ginjou/Gears to come.../@comment-24769684-20161011102521/@comment-5536072-20161023004000

I don't remember him pushing Gear 2 "to the limit, and then some" before using Gear 3...

Also, it doesn't have to be now. It can be after he masters the rest of the Gears.

Last but not least, Gear 4th AND the technique Luffy used to take out Doflamingo was developed while Rayleigh was still with Luffy on the island which was at least half a year before the regrouping of the Strawhats. So, there must be something there.