Pie plate?

alomac
alomac Posts: 189
edited November 2010 in MTB beginners
I know that they're not necessary on a road bike so long as the rear mech is kept well-adjusted (and that, among roadies, having one is a faux pa akin to putting your sunglasses under your helmet straps), but is it worth keeping the spoke protector on your MTB?

Comments

  • singlespeedexplosif
    singlespeedexplosif Posts: 1,564
    exactly the same arguments for off-road.
    1) not necessary so long as the rear mech is kept well-adjusted
    2) sunglasses over helmet straps at all times.
  • dubcat
    dubcat Posts: 737
    Evans removed mine without asking me when they took the bike in for its free service. I think mine was broken though as it was definitely hanging off centre. I didn't even know what it was until this thread :)
    Dub
    2010 Specialized Rockhopper
    2012 Bianchi Infinito
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    My Rize came with the bell, reflectors and spoke protector in bag :)
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    singlespeedexplosif wrote:
    1) not necessary so long as the rear mech is kept well-adjusted

    And never gets bent :wink: I don't use them but when I hooked my mech off in france it took the chain straight into the spokes, lucky not to do some real damage, and that wouldn't have happened if I was less vain. Still, didn't make me fit one but it's not a bad idea.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • alomac
    alomac Posts: 189
    Oh, I had assumed that if the mech bent, it would be at the cage outside the spoke protector's area of coverage. Hmm, maybe I should go all out, take off the current pie plate, and replace it with one of those ginourmous Mavic road jobs:
    r-sys.jpg
    (I firmly believe that anything worth doing is worth overdoing)
  • stingmered
    stingmered Posts: 60
    Ditch the DORK DISC!

    (I can't claim that was mine, saw it somewhere else on Bike Radar.)
  • CraigXXL
    CraigXXL Posts: 1,852
    Whats wrong with sunglasses under straps?
    GT Force 1.0

    Evil Sovereign
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    alomac wrote:
    Oh, I had assumed that if the mech bent, it would be at the cage outside the spoke protector's area of coverage.
    Same here, I don't think they help that much.
  • paulbox
    paulbox Posts: 1,203
    Lol, I was changing my tyres a couple of weeks ago and was so close to removing the ugly little thing, but I bottled it... :oops:

    Haven't had one on my hardtail for years, don't know why I got scared this time... :?

    And I can't remember whether I have sunglass arms inside or outside of helmet straps, must be done on autopilot.
    XC: Giant Anthem X
    Fun: Yeti SB66
    Road: Litespeed C1, Cannondale Supersix Evo, Cervelo R5
    Trainer: Bianchi via Nirone
    Hack: GT hardtail with Schwalbe City Jets
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    alomac wrote:
    Oh, I had assumed that if the mech bent, it would be at the cage outside the spoke protector's area of coverage

    The mech will but the chain won't be, and if you're pedalling when it goes you can pull the chain right over the top of the sprocket and into the spokes- if there's much pressure on that's a quick and easy way to damage every spoke down that side, if you're unlucky. The mech was never in the wheel in that one but the chain was
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I don't follow. If the top wheel of the mech does not go that far over, then there will be nothing to pull the chain that far along the cassette.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    The wheel's further out from the hub, so the mech/hanger can be bent inwards enough to take the chain off the top, without neccesarily fouling the spokes. It's much the same effect as adjusting the mech badly. Except that I adjusted it with a big rock rather than a screwdriver.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    +1 for ditch it just on a looks point of view makes the bike and therefore the ride a bit nerdy.

    As for sunnies well if your a roadie they are normally on the outside - tri/duathlete will be inside straps as easier in transition.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Northwind wrote:
    The wheel's further out from the hub, so the mech/hanger can be bent inwards enough to take the chain off the top, without neccesarily fouling the spokes. It's much the same effect as adjusting the mech badly. Except that I adjusted it with a big rock rather than a screwdriver.
    Oh yeah! :oops: :lol:

    Does it actually happen though? I've never seen it in nearly 20 years :? Maybe I'm just lucky.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Yeah, bit of a freaky one, you need to bend the mech or hanger just enough, not too much, not too little, and I guess it wouldn't have happened if I'd been in a higher gear either. I'd be happy if it never happens to mine again :lol:
    Uncompromising extremist
  • cycleschemie
    cycleschemie Posts: 60
    Sunglasses: straps should be OVER the legs.

    Then, when you take off the helmet, glasses stay on and you look cooler.

    Obviously.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Sunglasses: Seriously, who gives a ****?
    Uncompromising extremist
  • peter413
    peter413 Posts: 5,120
    Northwind wrote:
    Sunglasses: Seriously, who gives a ****?

    Yeah, safety specs is where its at :lol:
    Transition Patrol
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