FR4NCH1SE

I think you guys call it the girly disc or something along those lines, its that plastic disc at the end of the large cog on the cassette. I was wondering how can I take it off? I tried earlier today, but it wouldnt budge, do I have to take out the wheel from the bike or what do I do?? I have a cheap walmart road bike, which is breaking down as the days go by. One of the spokes came out of the wheel. I cant wait to buy a new bike.

umd

It's a dork disk. You can cut it off or you can pull the cassette and slide it off. I am of the opinion it should not be removed unless you know how to remove it without cutting it. Think of it like one of those puzzles.

KiddSisko

Considering it's a WalMart bike, I'd leave it on for the resale value.

spinerguy

I'd leave in place for safety reasons. Cheap rear derailers are known to be finicky.

KiuBWhy

I attacked it with a pair of Diagonal Cutting Pliers. Went well.

FR4NCH1SE

I guess I have to let the dork disc be then, It sure adds alot of weight, I wish mine were made of carbon fiber..... That one piece would actually cost more than my whole bike, ROFL.

noisebeam

it does make the wheel more aero

Bah Humbug

That actually makes a great deal of sense.

YOJiMBO20

I don't think it's the dork disc that makes your bike heavy.

FR4NCH1SE

That's a good way to look at it, but I wanted to remove it for the cosmetics and the weight saving, but yea Im keeping it because it makes me more aero.

mzeffex 

Weight savings? Unless you are racing, and even then, it won't make any difference in noticable weight. It weighs probably 10 grams. On that bike, if you are a weight weenie, then you're going to have more serious problems than it.

umd

Incorrect

Flatballer

An excellent point. That makes a lot of sense.

Homebrew01

FL_MarkD

Ah, a great product idea: carbon fiber dork disks.

spry

The bike mechanic at Walfart will remove it for ya.

Quel

I melted mine with a blowtorch. Only two teeth on my 27t cog got ruined in the process, so the chain only skips a little bit when I'm climbing. But BF told me to get rid of it, and I didn't have a chain whip or a pair of scissors around.

roccobike

I've worked on some of those Wally World simulated road bikes. The rear plastic Shimano derailer is notorious for breaking where the limit screws press against the plastic housing. While that might be enough to total one of those bikes, if the rear derailer breaks and travels into the rear wheel spokes, the bike would certainly be toast because it would not be worth the cost of repair. Save your time and leave the dork disc on. Then save your money for a nice used or new LBS road bike.

awesomobob

even if you have high end derailleurs, i'd keep the dork disk

i have a 70s british bike with a suntour seven (second to the cyclone) derailleur,

my friend rear ended me, (I stopped suddenly in traffic because some jerk in a white car decided to speed up when he saw two cyclists crossing a street). He apparently hit my derailleur, but I didnt notice as I was more interested in the wellbeing of my friend than my derailleur, sure enough when i went to shift onto the biggest cog, the derailleur hit the dork disk (thankfully not the spokes, which would be dangerous, and expensive, and i just trued my rear wheel too)

I re-adjusted it when i went home though, I did however do approx 45 miles that day, saved by the dork disk.

Braden1550

A bike bought from a department store.
Oxymoron.
It's actually 15+kg or so of cheap materials cobbled together in a bicycle inspired ***.

ptle

If you take it off make sure you have the limiting screw adjusted correctly. If you don't your rear derailleur made end up hitting your spokes. Although I'm sure crappy Walmart bikes would flex enough so that could happen.

kindablue

Nice! I had to use a sledge hammer (only tool I had at the time). Only problem is that my rear wheel seems not to be true anymore...