I've been reading a little about this dreaded "dork disk." Now that I know what it is I need to know what to do about it. If I remove it what are the chances I will regret the decision when I have a chain come off and tear things up? On the other hand, will I now have to go around hoping the cool guy with the tight bike shorts and colorful jersey riding the $2,000 bike will not be laughing at me when he passes... Now I've always been practical before cool...well at least in my later years...so I need some help here, cool or practical?

And while I'm at it, what about helmets? Do most of you wear them? At first I felt like a little kid but now I think they're a good thing...any thoughts?

Only dorks don't wear helmets.

Yeah but what about the disk?

Lose the dork disk.... if your rear der is set up right you will never need it. However if your bike was set up by that pimpley faced kid at Walmart keep it on...... you will need it.

I choose to exercise my OCP nature by ensuring that I have the best, shiniest chrome dork disk I can find. I shun plastic dork disks.... they're not pretty!

Ride the dork disk with pride... If the person passing you laughs, just know that you brightened his/her day. And besides, someone may laugh so hard that you are able to pass them.

Oh, and I always wear a helmet.

Well mine's plastic. OK...that's it. I'm on my way to the garage as we speak.

Please wear a helmet especially if you are anywhere near a car.

I ride motorcycles as well...woudn't be caught dead without it...so to speak.

When I was younger, it was really important to have all the "right stuff" on my bike. So I had to have Campag Record stuff, I had to have an Italian frame. When Sean Kelly was using Mavic stuff, it was then OK to have Mavic retrofriction levers and a Vitus frame.

But now that I'm in my 50's with a lifetime of riding bikes, I couldn't care less what I've got on the bike as long as it works. I've got a Centaur rear derailleur and Daytona shifters on my Trek 5200 (well, the shifters are actually Centaur, but I think Centaur is a really dumb name for a component group, so I replaced the brake lever (it says "Centaur" on it) unit with the ones from a set of Daytona shifters (yup, they've got "Daytona" written on them, much cooler)). My tandem has got Tektro mini-V brakes on the front and a set of very long reach Tektro dual pivots on the back (which cost me $9.95 from Bike Tools Etc. in Oregon). My fixed gear bike is a hodge-podge of components that were cast off of other bikes to make room for even fancier components, or components I am testing for reliability in Vancouver wet winter riding.

So I would say, if you are a mature and experienced cyclist, you shouldn't really care what's on your bike as long as it works. I would keep the dork disk on if only to lull some dumb hot dog into trying to blow past you. The poor devil will feel even worse when you drop him on the hill with your dork disk, heh, heh...

And wear a helmet if you think you're capable of going fast enough to need one.

- L.

I must confess...I had mine removed from my Sirrus hybrid...my Bianchi came without one...to tell you the truth...I don't really think much about it.

The dork disc will probably break eventually. Then you can tear it off and not replace it.
Only wear a helmet if you have a brain to protect.

If you don't wear a helmet please be extra sure to sign the back of your driver's license for organ donation. Organ and tissue donation saves lives.

The helmet, safety vest, slow moving vehicle sign, and plastic dork disk all contribute my stylish cyclist image.

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You have a dork disc on your motorcycle?

What is OCP? please

"Occassionally Classy Prince" or "...Princess"

Metric Man needs to follow Little Darwin's advice and replace the plastic with chrome. You should be able to find one at any respectable dump. They are very classic. In fact they are hip. Here's a few pics of this important bike component on a few of my rides; a mid '60s, an early '70s (prior to proper restoration), and a late '70s vintage "Spoke Protectors." Please don't insult the genious of the engineers who devoloped this essential piece of bicycle history by refering to it as a "Dork Disk." Thank you very much!

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder...I think.

It has been modified for bicycling - please note its frequent use in the Roadie forum.

Obsessive Compulsive Poseur

And - who cares what others think, anyway?

I keep my dork disks on until they fall off.

Dork disks add to the flywheel effect of your rotating tire. Thus you will be able to go farther with less effort when you hit the flat at the end of your downhill speed run. It can even help you on the uphills. The small amount of energy you expend to get the disk up to speed will pay dividends. I am thinking of getting one in say a 25 inch diameter made of depleted uranium. Once I get it up to speed I won't have to pedal again for 20 miles!



(For those OCP's that may pop in from the road forum, this is a joke.)

Looks like me, only skinnier.

Why didn't I think of that? Depleted uranium dork plates.....may have to sneak on Fort Hood and lift a few anti-tank rounds.

"Obvious Cycling Priss"

Chrome ones have better longevity. They'll last for many decades!

And please, give the honor and due to the mechanic or engineer who invented them--- "Spoke Protectors!"

Then I would have to play mechanic trying to figure out how to mount them, I would get mad and say some things unpastorly, and break something else, ending up with an expensive bill at the LBS!