Timeline for What is the purpose of the plastic disk between the cassette and the rear wheel?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
20 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 7, 2019 at 21:31 | comment | added | Chris H | @GregoryLeo 2mm polycarbonate ought to do the trick and I've got a piece just about the right size | |
| Jun 7, 2019 at 19:50 | comment | added | Gregory Leo | @ChrisH just cut out one from a 3mm delrin or PVC sheet. It's sturdier than the flimsy, nylon protectors. | |
| Jun 7, 2019 at 16:20 | comment | added | Chris H | @GregoryLeo I've never seen aluminium ones, but as I'm rebuilding the wheel tomorrow I'm hoping to fit a plastic one from a beater bike. | |
| Jun 7, 2019 at 16:05 | comment | added | Gregory Leo | @ChrisH If I were you, I'd get the aluminum ones. Another alternative that aggressive downhillers do is to insert a large cog on the freehub body before placing the cassette to act as a 'chainguide' and block the chain from slipping further in. Heck, even some downhill drivetrains have cassettes with built-in AL dork disks. | |
| Jun 7, 2019 at 16:00 | comment | added | Gregory Leo | @J-unior That's on your case though. It's your choice if you want to remove your spoke guard, but what I don't like is this stigma that dork disks are 'bad', which forces starting riders to remove theirs in order to 'not look bad'. I also don't get your last sentence. your hanger never gets bashed. it's the RD being bashed that bends the hanger. | |
| Jun 7, 2019 at 12:31 | comment | added | Chris H | Having recently had an RD go into the back wheel even with such a disk, they're not a complete solution. The disk smashed and the chain chewed up the spokes; I only just unclipped in time to get off when the back wheel and pedals locked up. | |
| Jun 6, 2019 at 19:31 | comment | added | J-unior | @GregoryLeo it's been almost 4 years since I have changed my RD hanger last time and I'm far from being accurate rider. IDK about road riding, but in modern MTB frames and derailleurs you are most likely to bash your derailleur than the hanger. | |
| Jun 6, 2019 at 9:20 | comment | added | Gregory Leo | @J-unior 'looking nice and clean' by not having that 'useless, ugly chunk of crap' will not save you when your stays flex and/or your RD hanger gets bent. I always suggest to people to buy black-colored dork disks if the discoloration of translucent ones puts them off. | |
| Jun 5, 2019 at 21:02 | comment | added | Andrew Henle | I agree with J-unior. If you treat your bike well and test changes to chain/cassette/derailleur on a repair stand instead of the road, it's an utterly useless, Until you happen to be climbing hard, and the chain drops off inside the largest cog when you shift because your frame is flexing. So no, the claim "If you treat your bike well and test changes to chain/cassette/derailleur on a repair stand instead of the road, it's an utterly useless, ugly chunk of crap" is complete bullhockey. Ragging on spoke protectors is just more Cat 6 MUP racer elitism. | |
| Sep 19, 2014 at 0:00 | comment | added | Carey Gregory | I agree with @J-unior. If you treat your bike well and test changes to chain/cassette/derailleur on a repair stand instead of the road, it's an utterly useless, ugly chunk of crap. (I should add that on a mountain bike they make more sense since unseen damage is possible.) | |
| Mar 3, 2014 at 9:09 | comment | added | Chris H | @user1049697 derailleurs can get clobbered quite easily, including in bike sheds when you might not even know anything had happened. And mine certainly came in handy on the first test ride after changing the cassette and chain. | |
| Mar 2, 2014 at 13:33 | comment | added | J-unior | Dirt and pebble tends to stuck between it and the cassette, making it sometimes allmost immposible to pedal. This ugly chunk of plastic should be broken and removed right after the bike purchase. | |
| Mar 2, 2014 at 13:12 | comment | added | Daniel R Hicks | @user1049697 - Or it might signal that you're prudent. | |
| Mar 2, 2014 at 8:16 | comment | added | user1049697 | And it might signal that you don't care or can adjust your derailleur properly because you need "protection". | |
| Mar 1, 2014 at 22:14 | comment | added | Daniel R Hicks | Yeah, mainly they're considered uncool. As to discoloration, you can always buy a new one every few years. | |
| Mar 1, 2014 at 21:47 | comment | added | Batman | Its also considered uncool by some people (I've found this is typically road cyclists who like to get dressed up in their spandex suits and what not). | |
| Mar 1, 2014 at 19:23 | comment | added | Kibbee | Plastic is considered to be ugly by some, especially after a few years of sun discoloration. Some people do it to save weight. The old chrome ones looked much better. | |
| Mar 1, 2014 at 19:17 | comment | added | Billy ONeal | Why would one want to remove it? I mean, it seems to be a pain in the ass to keep clean, but beyond that... | |
| Mar 1, 2014 at 19:14 | vote | accept | Billy ONeal | ||
| Mar 1, 2014 at 19:07 | history | answered | user1049697 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |