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my bike has a plasic disk behind the cassette. i've seen some bikes with them and some bikes without. im just wondering what it is really there for because i was about to rip it off and i thought that it might actually have a purpose. WHAT IS IT FOR?

Any advice is appreciated thank you.

rufvelo

IF you're not sure, best thing it is to leave it there. It will help you someday when you accidently shift into the rear spokes. Once you figure out how to adjust the rear derailleur perfectly, you may want to lose it. But for now just keep it there.

Eatadonut

The proper name for that is "dork disc", and it's been discussed many times...not sure where, but I know somewhere around here.

It's there to keep your (possibly poorly-adjusted) rear derailleur from driving your chain into your spokes and destroying either your wheel or your rear derailleur. If you take meticulous care of your bike and make sure it's adjusted every morning before you ride, then you don't need it - it makes you look like a dork. Otherwise, leave it on - laying the bike down in the middle of the road because your rear wheel just got toasted because you're vain is wayyyyy dorkier.

the beef

It's a secret transponder that alerts your location to the OCP police so that they can come and detain you anytime, 24/7. Muhahah.

Actually, it's there to keep you from shifting into the spokes and destroying your chain/rear wheel/rear derailleur/frame. Best idea is to probably just keep it there.

rover

General rule of thumb: If you have the tools/know how to remove the "dork disk" while leaving it intact, then you don't need it. If you need to destroy it, leave it on.

cuda2k

Well stated general rule.

urban.one

Nah. You can know how to tune your derailleur properly without having additional tools.

Attack the job with a pair of vicegrips or channel locks.

roadfix

Here's another general rule: If you think it's ugly, take it off....even if you have to destroy it using needle nosed pliers.

cyclintom

And here's yet another general rule - those who have never had a stick or a kicked up rock throw their chain off the the inside and cut their spokes off and have their rear wheel collapse out in the middle of nowhere because they didn't like the extra weight of that 10 gram safety device or because "real racers don't use them" are the sort of people who tell you to remove them.

ryanhulce

Is it true OCP replaces the plastic dork disk with Frame Matching Carbon One?

urbanknight

Yes, but with one on the non-drive side as well as the drive side

For the OP, keep it for now and tell your other newbie friends it's for aerodynamics.

mrbubbles

oh boy, i just killed my dork disc today by hammering it off, i didn't have the necessary tools to take it off

besides, it's much faster, took me 3 seconds

urbanknight

^ Yeah that worked for me too. I used pliers actually.

oilman_15106

Carefully remove it and sell it on ebay. No kidding there was one listed as a wheel.

urbanknight

Psht, you'd make more if you cracked it while removing it and the crack resembled the Virgin Mary or a penis with balls.

Wino Ryder

[QUOTE=Eatadonut]The proper name for that is "dork disc", and it's been discussed many times...not sure where, but I know somewhere around here.QUOTE]



The proper name is spoke protector, not "dork disc". "Dork disc" is an innacurate "label" coined by "elitist roadie snobs" who, for whatever reason, find it necessary to chastise, or make fun of anyone who would use it, and other safety devices, because it does not meet their arrogant, self induced style code they try so hard to control. These are the same type of people that labeled "fred" to anyone in breach of that same arrogant style code. These people are also easy to find in most any cycling social gathering because they'll have the biggest mouth. Its not enough they cant mind their own 'friggen' business and let people seek their own happiness, or reflect their own sence of vanity. No, they try to control the cycling 'style', ultimately because it scares them the most to be in breach of it, or be viewed as 'different' to their "elitest roadie peers'. Small minds, my friend, small minds!


outside of that,......"dont be caught dead with it on your bike".

baj32161

I took mine off, not because of vanity or any OCP tendencies (OCP...the term I have grown quite tired of). When mine was on it made a quiet ride next to impossible. The wind going through it made all kinds of noise, much of which sounding like a cross between whooshing and grinding. It really was quite annoying. I like a quiet bike.

Cheers,

Brian

Sapper89

Ahh... The dreaded DORK DISK. Its only purpose is to provide amusement when we see a bike still outfitted with it. And of course to have another thread in which to reply to about the Dork Disk. Either way just get rid of it.

banerjek

Nonsense. They can make you faster, at least my custom made dork discs do.....

cooker

Leave it on. It's harmless, may help you if the derailleur isn't adjusted right, and if some people are offended by it they will have to live with it. You're not riding to impress snobs. Plus, it's not easy to take it off without damaging the spokes.

shoerhino

I agree. It's really no big deal and offers some level safety. No one in the real world really cares if you have one or not.

CycleAloha

It doesn't need to match your frame just your pro team kit...

trackstar10

try riding cyclocross. that stuff happens all the time. a 14 guage tensioned steel spoke is not gonna be taken out by a stick. you will break the stick first. trust me, its happened. and no, your wheel doesnt collapse or even go out of true. the "dork" disc is just a required safety precaution for manufacturers- they have to do it because of a rule some beaurocrat came up with. its kind of like how baristas at starbucks are also required to put the lid on your coffee. even if you tell them not to, they have to do it.

trackstar10

1. I do
2. all you have to do is take the cassette off, remove, then put the cassette back on.

roadfix

You'll be surprised how many OCP's roam this real world.