Originally Posted by
sac02
Just for kicks, I already know this answer...
Someone tell us who's producing the greater forces in the chain (and subsequent reaction forces in the rest of the bike):
Johnny BigQuads mashing 52x15 in the match sprint, or
Susie SundayRider climbing her 2% driveway in 22x16
Track sprinters are seriously powerful dudes, but they're really not stressing their equipment the way potholes and railroad crossings do to a road wheel.
Mac
This comparison is nonsensical. Obviously, track sprinters with big gear ratios aren't applying nearly the rotational torque that you can apply with a typical MTB granny gear. Likewise, vertical impacts, such as potholes, are nonexistent on a track. However track sprinters apply tremendous amounts of lateral stresses to their equipment, and thats why lateral stiffness is so important.