Most of the sexy expensive bikes I see photo's of do not have the rear wheel chain protecter. If diligence is done keeping the derailleur limits set how necessary is it.

Seems like 'belt and suspenders'. If the belt breaks the suspenders hold your trousers up and vice versa.

Do most of you keep them on the hub? I have 1,426 miles on my bike and never had a chain come off. I really do not mind it on, but it is starting to get ugly and make rattle noises.

Depends on the bike. Kids bike, vintage chrome on a restore/rehab, new bike, or bike that may see the hanger bent (ATB) they will stay.

Anything else, If it's not giving me problems they stay on until I have a reason to remove a cassette/freewheel. If it's plastic and broken/detached I'll just take a side cutters and cut it off unless there's some other reason to remove the cluster.

I've taken mine off and have never had a problem. If you have confidence that the derailleur limit screws (mainly the "L") are properly set, it should be unnecessary.
Steve

One time your chain gets wedged into the spokes of your really nice wheel and the dork disc is cool again

Unfortunately, rear derailleurs have a habit of getting bumped, often without the owner's knowledge e.g. parked, so I use them. Chain catcher up front, too. Belt and suspenders work for me.

The plastic discs broke on my two hybrids. They were only semi-functional anyway. I'm reasonably careful to be sure my rear derailers are adjusted so I don't worry about it.

The disc is actually functional on my '80s road bike. The inner metal part of the disc serves as a washer and spacer to optimally position the original Suntour freewheel. Without the disc it's difficult to adjust the rear derailer properly -- the adjustment screw nearly runs out of travel.

When I swapped freewheels the newer SunRace freewheel has a thicker built in spacer, so I had the reverse problem. I needed to remove the disc to avoid extreme adjustments to the screws.

Plastic protector is fine, you could leave it there for peace of mind.

But I removed it because I find its looks hideous for my eyes, I always make sure rear derailleur works perfectly all the time so case of chain accidentally drops inward of the rear cassette never happens.

Its common sense to always check your bike before going out, no? see if your every parts of the bike works.

+1. I've changed my thinking on them for that very reason. I still remove mine, but I no longer encourage my friends to do so. The risk is real, and a lot of riders don't pay close attention to their gearing and its adjustments.

I will say, I love the look of some of the aluminum protectors from back in the day.

I do understand the risks, but I don't like the look of the plastic things ("beauty is in the eye... yada, yada") so I choose to go without. I've had my Airborne for almost 17 years, my Trek for almost 18 years, and I have a Motobecane bought in 1975 which "lost" its protector shortly after I bought it... so I feel pretty comfortable.
Come to think if it, I don't think the Airborne had one to begin with.

I did have a "chainsuck" event when the bike was new, but the FD was out of adjustment; lesson learned.
Steve

Same. I like the clean look. (Your bike looks great, btw).

It takes a whole lot more to bend a derailer hanger than just "getting bumped", especially enough to cause the derailer to shift over into the spokes

Situational awareness is the key. A bent derailer will give some indication that there is something wrong before you shift the bike into the spokes. The shifter and derailer don't shift a crisply as they should or the chain makes noise when a derailer is bent. On the other hand, if you feel the chain slide over into the spokes, you shouldn't mash down on the pedals.

Most of the time that a dork disc is needed is when someone wants to "adjust" their bike because it isn't shifting properly so they get out the screwdriver and start twisting screws without understanding what those screws really do. Once misadjusted, the limits are a bit difficult to set again...especially if you have no idea what you are doing in the first place.

99.99999% of all shifting problems are related to cables and there is one "screw" that should be adjusted to fix that...the barrel adjuster. If bike shops would explain to people that the limit screws don't need to be adjusted or if they came with security heads or were just filed off, it would fix a whole lot of problems.

Roll the dice and see how lucky you are.

Tain't luck. It's skill.

I also check my bike over as I rotate through 6 to 8 for daily rides at any one time so I don't worry about it and I am embarrassed to say I like them removed for having gotten a nice DA and very nice Chorus wheelset dirt cheap that only needed a few spokes and truing.

sweeks Your statement brings new meaning to the phrase; 'Assumption of Risk'. You recognize the risk and elect to accept it.... What novel thinking in this day and age of the ugly warning labels and blame transference.

Additionally, I gotta says to ya... What a *****'n ride ya got.

cyccommute Again well stated. +1. (Again, I thank you for the referral to Rose for my DBL Butted Spokes.)

Today I replaced the cheap-o Shimano derailleur that came on my bike. I also found a 7sp cassette with good ratios for how I ride here in flat Florida. I also replaced the crud shift cable and housing. And I tossed the 'dork disk'. My butt now relies on my attention to the limit screws and understanding that all in life is a risk that I accept.

The only things that are left 'as built' on my 63.5cm Denali are the bars and brakes. Shoot, I like the frame and it's classic look. I also have a feeling of accomplishment changing out everything. Hey, you can build anything if you are handy with money.

Thanks all for all the input.

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In the 75000 or so miles on my touring bike I dumped the chain off the front and it came off the back into the spokes in back. I had recently overhauled the hub and didn't put the SPOPKE PROTECTOR back on. A spoke broke and when I began the repair I found 8 more that were cut and ready for failure.
I ride with a handlebar bag and a Carradice saddle bag, so I guess that I'm a dork who doesn't break spokes.

The chrome steel ones for the old 5,6,&7 speed freewheels work very well. They're fastened securely to the hub. But, I can't seem to find any good ones for 7 speed & up cassettes w/freehubs. The plastic freehub style protectors just connect to the spokes with tiny little clips. The little clips break off & the whole dang mess starts floppin around. Does anybody know where I can get better ones?

If your chain jumped over into the spokes because of a front chain derailment, there was something wrong with the adjustment of both the front and back derailers. The front one because it dumped the chain and there rear one because it allowed the chain to move too far in.

I haven't run a spoke protector on a bike in nearly 30 years and haven't dropped a chain into the spokes that I can recall. If things are adjusted properly and if you are aware of what your bike is doing, shifting into the spokes should never be a problem.

On the other hand, if you do happen to shift over into the spokes, you learn quickly to make sure your bike is adjusted properly and not depend on some little piece of plastic.

I wouldn't call it exactly "novel". Neither is it simply a matter of recognizing and accepting the risk. Rather, it's a "risk/benefit" analysis. Considering my experience, and my confidence that the drivetrain adjustment is correct, I rate the risk of taking (or leaving) off the protector as "low". The benefit is purely esthetic, yet not without value (to me). Looking at it the other way, the risk of installing the protector is also mainly esthetic (again, to me), while the benefit is nearly zero according to my assessment. Of course, I could be wrong, but I'm willing to take the risk.

This is what is called "risk management". There is very little in life that carries *zero* risk, but some risks are greater than others, and the consequences also vary greatly. If one understands the nature of the risk, it's easier to decide whether to run it or not. For example, I wouldn't ride at night without lights, or on the street at any time without a rear-view mirror. Based on my observations on the streets of Chicago, there are many riders who rate the risks of these activities differently than I do. And just so, there are different points of view on the spoke protector issue.


I'm taking this as a compliment!
Steve

The der.s were adjusted properly. It's been years, but I think I hit a bump as I was shifting.

Otherwise known as a "Dork Disk", I've removed them from all bikes, as the first part of maintenance. In over 50 years, never had an issue. It's all about the RD lower adjustment, and no one touches my bikes. If a bike should fall over and it has happened, I first check RD alignment and adjustment. KB

Me too. There are a number of things that I'll do on a personal bike that I won't do on a customer bike. Removing the spoke protector is one of them.

Shoot sweeks, Certainly it was meant as a compliment!! I used an old 'surfer' word of praise that the site nixed. It was an old jargon like..."Dude, that board is really B***h'n." I need to be more careful in the future. But let me restate- your ride is very nicely done.

And the use of the word 'novel' only meant to convey appreciation that others might really do a risk analysis before assuming the risk whatever it may be.

I've never removed the disk from my own bikes.

because I make my own wheels thus they didn't include one to begin with.

Not worried

if anything was out of alignment I'd feel it anyway.

also, shadow derailers are pretty nice about not getting bumped very often

Lots of OCD/vanity ('dork disc') on that ... you make up your own mind

bump the RD bend the hanger shift past the last cog into the spokes cut every one, or half of them , then walk home ..

or be lucky, or leave the spoke protector on..

My international Tour bike I'd have some long walks so I use the spoke protecting disc..






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