Originally Posted by TLN
Also, every track and fixed rider that I have talked to, especially the ones that have professional build experience say that 1/2 links arent as strong as regular links for some reason... the torque output on a track/fixed compared to that of a geared (derailleur) is expotentially greater, blah blah blah.
1/2 links aren't as strong because the plate is bent, not flat. it adds a twisting stress component to the pulling stress that is present on normal links. the two add up to be more than what a flat plates sees, so it breaks easier.
but once you have one 1/2 link, whats a whole chain of them? it only takes one to break...