# Spoke Protector?



## cgilker (Dec 7, 2004)

I've removed the reflectors, but why the spoke protector?


----------



## bikeboy389 (May 4, 2004)

cgilker said:


> I've removed the reflectors, but why the spoke protector?


There's no particular reason to remove the frisbee, except that folks think it looks lame. There's not a ton of reason to have it on either--the theory is that it keeps you from shifting your chain off the inside into the spokes, but IMO it doesn't even really do that, since your derailler will be in the spokes before the chain comes off. A poorly adjusted derailler isn't any safer with the frisbee in place.

We left it on my wife's bike until we had a good reason to remove the cassette (which you need to do to get it off, usually). At that point, she wanted to take it off so we did. Unless you have your cassette removal tool and a burning desire to get rid of it NOW, I wouldn't bother.


----------



## Sintesi (Nov 13, 2001)

cgilker said:


> I've removed the reflectors, but why the spoke protector?



Same reason you removed the reflectors. To keep from looking like a novice.


----------



## alienator (Jun 11, 2004)

Funny story: the Secret Service removes the spoke protectors from all of their bikes and gives them to the Prez, 'cuz he likes to pretend they're flying saucers invading Earth that need to be stopped by his GI Joe commando unit.


----------



## Cory (Jan 29, 2004)

*Think of them as partial aero wheels*

That's what I told my kids when they were small and thought the things were uncool.I didn't care one way or the other if they had them, I just didn't want to pull the freewheels (this was pre-cassette) and take them off. You can go a LOT faster with that mini-disc on there.


----------



## Zaurusman (Feb 2, 2006)

I've removed mine. Why? Because the 13-year-old bike's "clear" spoke protector is yellowed with age and looks terrible. The bike has scars from laying it down 12 years ago when I was cut off in the rain, so I figured I could part with this testament to use.

If your derailleur is properly adjusted, your chain will never hit your spokes. If it's that far out, you've been living with way-poor shifts for far too long. My chain never hit that thing, ever.

Besides ... didn't you know that extra 30 grams of rotating mass is worth 2 mph average?


----------



## Jack1576 (Sep 23, 2005)

Is there a way to take it off without removing the cassette?

Trying to avoid the newbie label...


----------



## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

Jack1576 said:


> Is there a way to take it off without removing the cassette?
> 
> Trying to avoid the newbie label...


Something sharp....last time I did mine it was a combo of a razor and a wire cutter tool.


----------



## bikeboy389 (May 4, 2004)

Zaurusman said:


> Besides ... didn't you know that extra 30 grams of rotating mass is worth 2 mph average?


No, no. All that extra weight is so close to the hub that the rotational inertia is not as big a factor as simple inertia. It wouldn't be good for more than 1 mph, and that only on rides more than 19.847 kilometers with no less than 43.7 meters of climbing (assuming an equal amount of descending). 

It's a lot of excess weight, but jeez, man--do the math and get your facts straight.:mad2:


----------



## Zaurusman (Feb 2, 2006)

Bah! You're thinking of those Campy Record carbon ones that take one nick of the chain and then catastrophically disintegrate taking out 2-3 rear spokes and the derailleur hanger depending on velocity and wind direction.


----------



## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Might as well say it too . . .*



> _All that extra weight is so close to the hub that the rotational inertia is not as big a factor as simple inertia. It wouldn't be good for more than 1 mph, and that only on rides more than 19.847 kilometers with no less than 43.7 meters of climbing (assuming an equal amount of descending). _


Are you able to tell us another independent entity that has performed rigorous scientific triple-blind spoke protector testing and made the results available to the public? Somehow I think not!


----------



## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

You guys are missing the whole point! The real reason to keep it on is the aero effect it has. It's almost like a partial disc wheel on one side. My very, very educated guess is that it's worth 2.637 mph.


----------



## Chris Oz (Oct 8, 2005)

You slightly off track about the partial disc wheel idea, they actually put them on to decrease the fan effect from the rear cassette (they partially block the end off) I don't have the link but apparently once you have shaved your eye browse off it should add at least 5 kmph to your average speed. The other option if you don't want to look like a beginner is to fill you cassette with foam (I hear it is what all the pros do).


----------



## Breakfast (Jan 1, 1970)

You take off the plastic spoke protector because it looks stupid and does nothing. 

The rear derailleur has a limit adjusting screw that keeps the chain away from the space between the spokes and the cassette.


----------



## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

Chris Oz said:


> You slightly off track about the partial disc wheel idea, they actually put them on to decrease the fan effect from the rear cassette (they partially block the end off) I don't have the link but apparently once you have shaved your eye browse off it should add at least 5 kmph to your average speed. The other option if you don't want to look like a beginner is to fill you cassette with foam (I hear it is what all the pros do).



wait, wait, wait...since the disc is on the drive side, shouldn't you only shave the left eyebrow off?

tin snips....and a pair of vice grips!...and off she comes...no more ugly nasty yellowed greasy plastic that you can't clean without a pessure washer! (which is NOT a good idea on a bike)


----------

