Spoke guard / dork disc

[Andy.M]

Never knew the name of that plastic disc and had to look it up!
Just replaced my cassette and on the guard one clip was already missing and another cracked as I was removing it to have a good clean.
So google shows me that the cool guys bin them anyway so should I source a new one?
A quick search found just about none for sale in a large size like I need.

 

[Paulquattro]

Leave it off they do very little if anything to help

 

[steve_sordy]

I never knew that they were called a "spoke guard". I had always known them as a "dork disc".
When I say "always", I mean that it's the only name I have ever known them by, I can't remember for how long that would be.

 

[#lazy]

Once a dork always a dork

 

[jimbob]

I think Seth did a video on them a while ago. From memory he showed they didn't do very much, but were a legal requirement in some ccountries so they come as standard.

 

[steve_sordy]

Once, when I bought a bike I asked the sakes guy "why fit the crappy little bell, the front and rear reflectors and the dork disc"?

He told me that the dork disc was fitted by the manufacturer and he didn't know why, but the bell and lights were a legal requirement in the UK.

in discussion later, he said that the budget bikes needed a dork disc because after a few weeks the chain was likely to drop off the big cassette ring and the rider would most likely not have the riding sense to stop pedalling before doing serious damage to the spokes, or jamming the chain.

 

[Bones]

That's why I leave mine on, but I hadn't realised my 6k bike was classed as a budget bike

 

[steve_sordy]

That's why I leave mine on, but I hadn't realised my 6k bike was classed as a budget bike

I believe that even novice riders can buy a 6k bike and then take it back after a few weeks and expect the retailer to sort out the problems. It sounds like a safety-first policy by the manufacturers, after all they can't cost much to supply and fit.