Without getting into a pros or cons, for or against, discussion, I would like to know how the old school metal spoke protectors attach to the wheel inside of the freewheel. The hub (or, at least MY hub) has a slight step up between the freewheel threads and the spoke flange. It appears that you just sort of custom-fit the hole in the middle of the spoke protector to your hub's diameter. I can't seem to find any pictures of how these are mounted, and how they're retained if you just sort of PUSH them onto the hub. I'm familiar with the plastic ones that have the little tabs that snap into the spokes, but the metal ones don't seem to have those.

Detail pictures of your hub with one of these pie plates on it would be wonderful.

Thank you in advance. This ('87 Ross) is my first vintage bike, so I don't know these little details, yet.

Welcome to the C&V world. The metal, hopefully you have aluminium one, just slides over the hub threads and sets up gains the spokes. The freewheel holds it into place. It might be a somewhat tight fit but that is needed so it does not rattle.

Sorry, no pics.

I've seen some that had little tabs that went into notches inboard of the FW threads, so they wouldn't spin. Most of them though are just a tight fit and that's good enough.

It doesn't need anything special. The spoke disc acts just like a spacer or washer would, and is held fast when the freewheel is tightened down.

Okay -- so it needs to be the same diameter as the FREEWHEEL threads, and then the freewheel sandwiches it between it and that step up in the hub flange? Okay -- that makes sense.

I don't have anything at the moment. All I'm seeing online are chrome repops. I've been looking for an aluminum one -- not so much for the weight, but for the slightly duller finish. It seems that nobody repops the aluminum ones...

Thanks for the explanation!

You got it now.

If you don't find one you like in the next few weeks, let me know and I'll give you one free (you pay only the actual postage).

Thank you for your offer. I have sent you a PM.

Steel ones are schwinn Varsity bomb proof.


The tabs ones hook over the low flange hub edge on cassette freehubs , they're the primary types made now.

I liked the combo Aluminum center and plastic edged ones I used those on 13-34t freewheels.. Like on my Touring bike..





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Sachs / Huret is a perfect press fit on the Campy Tipo hub. I wasn't concerned of the lower derailleur to spoke interference but had a one time incident, near catastrophic chain drop between the large cog and spokes. Have no clue how it happened but this small pie plate is now cheap insurance.

Please don't listen to all the elitist snobs that condemn spoke protectors. It's cheap insurance. You never know when your RD may get bumped or bent. Stuff happens. I'm glad to have them on all my touring bikes. Whenever you see a chrome steel one it's usually pre-1985 vintage stuff. Some of them have neat patterns. You can usually polish them up to look brand new w/a little elbow grease.

the one in 9th post looks like the rest of it , the clear plastic part was removed. it attached via those holes in the edge

I used those, complete, with my touring wheel build.. [Medium flange Bullseye] and 34t low. (found and hoarding a spare)





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You know, I HATE spoke protectors. Don't like the weight, the look, etc. YET....I have an old Raleigh Sprite, and it has a honkin' big CHROME spoke protector. Looks like it belongs there (and probably weighs half a pound on it's own), and I'm going to leave it.
Would I put a spoke protector on any of my road bikes? Not in a million years! But in some places, they work.

Yes; I have them on all of my bikes, which is why I opened the thread hoping to avoid the comments such as, "you don't need one if you set your stuff up correctly", etc. Thanks for everyone for their input. I appreciate all of it.

Mmm, dork disks:

I like em too. You can call me a dork disk dork. I don't mind.

I have them on a few of my bikes. For what you pay to have a wheel built or a VGC CampI RD why not try and protect them.