… those plastic things you get on new bikes that site between the hub and the spokes. Anyone use them? I’m guessing most people on here run fairly expensive wheelsets and would want to protect the spokes in the event of the chain getting derailed?

Only wheels I’ve ever had these on was a Mavic factory set.

I took it off and hoped I’d got my rear mech adjusted correctly…

As above – proper set up much should avoid the need. I’ve never had a chain launch itself at the spokes in about 10 years.

They should be removed along with reflectors, warning stickers etc. It’s the law!

Nope, almost everybody takes them off. I’ve litrally never had a chain come off there.
If you leave it, people at trail centres will jump out their Audis, hop onto carbon full sus rigs, point and laugh.

Phew – luckily I’ve been doing it ‘right’ then. Was just pondering it while in the garage last night.

pie plates.

just adjust the rear mech properly.

Whenever I get a new bike or a new rear mech I make sure that I adjust the mech screws accordingly.

What are those protector things made of? You’d think you’d be able to crack the material, but they just bend and stretch. I ended up having to take a hot stanley knife to mine.

If they made jumbo jets and cars out of that stuff, nobody would be hurt in crashes anymore.

Nothing do do with adjustment, it’s insuring against when your mech gets hit and damaged, throwing the chain into your spokes. My son took his off (on the basis of how many times does the chain run off the large sprocket), and guess what…yup, the very next week! I’ve not run my chain into my spokes yet, but I’m ready for when it happens.

Why take if off? Weight? Doubt it. Fashion?

“And why is Sir wanting his wheel rebuilding?”

“Well, I wanted to be like everyone else and…”

Be a leader, not a sheep.

Be a leader, not a sheep

So I’m a sheep for following other people’s lead by taking it off and I’m a sheep if I follow your lead by leaving it on?

Shall I just go for half of one to assert my own leadership?

If your mech gets hit and damaged, it’s far more likely to lodge itself in the spokes – a bit of plastic around the cassette isn’t much use then.
Anyone else remember the D-shaped metal mech protectors that mtbs in the early 90s used to come with – heavy things that attached on the axle? Maybe think about using one of those as well.

I like the mech protectors on Lapierres.

I was thinking about putting spoke protector on after I had a chain jump into my spokes when setting up the mech (went a bit too far with the end stop). Maybe a carbon fibre one with ‘XTR’ on it would be more acceptable? 😉

aka Dork Disc

Get it off pronto.

They trap mud and generally shout “I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SET MY BIKE UP” and they look shit.

They are basically a big sign that says “I have to take my bike to the shop just to fix a puncture”

Nothing do do with adjustment, it’s insuring against when your mech gets hit and damaged, throwing the chain into your spokes. My son took his off (on the basis of how many times does the chain run off the large sprocket), and guess what…yup, the very next week! I’ve not run my chain into my spokes yet, but I’m ready for when it happens.

Why take if off? Weight? Doubt it. Fashion?

“And why is Sir wanting his wheel rebuilding?”

“Well, I wanted to be like everyone else and…”

Be a leader, not a sheep.

+1
I’d rather have have the extra bit of protection, however unlikely the scenario, it’s more likely to happen the day after you take the spoke protector off.
I can understand somebody not being bothered to put one on if their bike didn’t come with one, but I can’t see why people would go to the bother of taking one off if it did.

It took a couple of riding buddies half an hour to get one off on the trails when the pie plate itself half disintegrated and prevented a rear wheel moving. That was fun.

I’d take it off now for that reason alone

They do trap mud and I’ve also had one (on a mates bike!) disintegrate mid rid and they are an arse to get off trail side.

It is personal choice – but for me the potential pay off from the fairly limited protection it offers (as said above, bent mechs in spokes are far more destructive than the chain down the back of the cassette) ain’t worth the hassle.

you’re only allowed to take them off once a more experienced and RAD cyclist assesses you as good enough to not wear the beginners badge.

yeti took mine.

Whenever I get a new bike or a new rear mech I make sure that I adjust the mech screws accordingly.

What are those protector things made of? You’d think you’d be able to crack the material, but they just bend and stretch. I ended up having to take a hot stanley knife to mine.

If they made jumbo jets and cars out of that stuff, nobody would be hurt in crashes anymore.

leave them for 15-20 years and they go nice and brittle so you can smash them off

In 30+ years cycling never had a chain go into the wheel. Until….
A couple of years ago during an extremely muddy cross race my perfectly adjusted rear mech did just that! Resulting in a wrecked Ultegra mech, bent hanger, knackered chain and 3 sliced spokes on a Mavic Ksyrium wheel…..Ouch! That was an expensive race.
Still don’t run spoke protectors though! Dumb or what!