Bicycle Mechanics - Plastic chain/spoke guard

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upbiker
04-06-04, 11:42 PM
What is the round plastic thing called that guards the spokes from the chain, and the chain from "slipping' off of the cassette? I had one crack, so I removed it and would like to replace it. Where can I find one of these?

Thank you all in advance.

~UPBiker

khuon
04-06-04, 11:50 PM
I've heard them referred to as wheel-protectors, spoke-protectors, spoke-guards and dork-discs. I think the fact that yours cracked is a sign of their necessity or rather lack thereof. Admittedly, the one on my RB has stayed on and I've not felt the necessity for removing it since it isn't an eyesore. It's small and barely visible which of course means it's actually useless. The one on my MTB cracked and I yanked it off to keep it from becoming trail-litter. This happened on my previous bikes too. I normally take them off or else wait for them to break apart on their own and I never felt compelled to replace them. As long as your derailleur limits are set up properly, you shouldn't need to worry about dropping a chain into your spokes. If you really want to replace the protector then you can probably get your local bike shop to order you a new one or fish one out of a used parts bin. If they have to order a new one, I'd imagine it can't cost more than $5.