Everquest had started with level 50 as the cap, and went to level 60 with its first, second, and third expansions (oddly enough, they figured that if you didn't have one of the other two, the third would do the trick in taking you to 60). Then the fourth expansion brought the level cap to 65. More expansions than not have featured level cap increases for that game.

Gear resets? Well, DUH - ANY expansion, regardless of level cap increase, will be a gear reset. They want you experiencing the new content, and gear is the primary means they have to entice you to it.