Wheel protector to avoid rear derailleur entangling

generalcyclist

I know there are plastic protectors (better name ?) to prevent the chain from dropping inside from the cassette (I have one)

But can you get extra large rear wheel 'protectors' that might stop a rear derailleur from entangling with the wheel (major malfunction) ?

I just had this problem (probably RD too short for amount of teeth). It wouldn't have stopped the malfunction (chain went outside the pulley) but if it may have stopped it entangling with the wheel that would have been something ? I think entangling with the wheel bent the RD and dropout to the max.

singleton

I don't know about a "better name" but I have seen these plastic protectors referred to by a few names, some of them are not terribly polite.

You may find that MTB's have larger disks than road bikes, but I think that for it to stop a derailleur it would need to be huge.... If you adjust your mech correctly and set the stops, you should never need it.

The Rookie

As stated, the best protection is to do the job right, with a long cage mech you'd need a full disc wheel, you could try aero wheel discs perhaps, or just set the bike up properly.

Spoke protectors, rookie rings, pie dish are the polite versions, none of my bikes use one and none of the ones I've built for family members do, number of incidences, NIL.

imatfaal

per the above replies

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment#article-section-2