Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,340
Likes: 6,640
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Smaller wheels need fewer spokes.
Casey Jones (!), I doubt the gear you used had anything to do with it. A higher gear transfers less torque, not more. I wonder what did that. I've never heard of that happening just from pedaling.