That plastic thing behind the cassette

[RenegadeRick]

I busted a spoke and I'm gonna have to remove the cassette to replace it. Should I keep the guard behind the cassette?

I had looked up some advice on this guard previously, and based on that, I removed this part. Now sometimes my chain drops off into the wheel.

What are your opininions on this part? Should I put it back on when I replace the spoke? Simply adjust the rear deraileur limits properly instead?

Thanks!

[binary visions]

In theory, your rear derailleur should be adjusted such that you will not jump your chain off the cassette. Even if you have the plastic guard on there, your derailleur should be set up properly.

In practice, that part isn't hurting anything and protects your spokes if something bizarre happens and the chain jumps. It can accumulate mud, so if you're finding a lot of mud in there behind your cassette, you can pull it off. I usually pull mine off just because they're ugly :p

[RenegadeRick]

...protects your spokes if something bizarre happens and the chain jumps.

What sort of things could cause this? It doesn't happen at home while I am working on the bike. It only happens while I ride it.

[GotMyGED]

maybe a bent tooth on the cassette?

[binary visions]

What sort of things could cause this? It doesn't happen at home while I am working on the bike. It only happens while I ride it.
Make sure your limit screws are set right and that everything is aligned properly - that is, your dropouts are straight, your derailleur hanger is straight, and your derailleur cage isn't bent. Could be an issue with your cassette, too, so check your biggest cog and make sure nothing is bent or broken.

[Sorgie]

Check your chain also. Mine started jumping the other day because one of my links was tight.

[MOVIN]

if you like replacing spokes..go ahead and remove it

[McGRP01]

if you like replacing spokes..go ahead and remove it

:rolleyes: you're kidding right?

[Vulcan]

I've had those dumb gaurds removed on just about ever bike I have owned. Never had a problem.

[mastercycleman]

if you like replacing spokes..go ahead and remove it

:stupid: yeah ever since i removed that darn thing i just cant stop replacing spokes:mad: :help: :hot:

[El Caballo]

I leave it in there. People make fun of me sometimes, but I make fun of them later when they have to replace half the drive side spokes because the chain got sucked behind the cassette.

It's only happened to me once, but that was enough to make me never want to deal with it again.

[Wordbiker]

In my experience, removing the plastic guard is just as dangerous as tearing the tags off your pillows.....Beware!

[Spunger]

I took this off my bro's store bought bike. It was annoying me :)

But.....don't break it or tear it off. Take the cassette off and get it off the right way. You may mess something else up by just tearing into it.

[b-Rad]

Take it off. It just creates a lot of unwanted noise/rattle.

*it will break off eventually anyhow.

[MtnBikerChk]

I never had one before but the wheel my LBS let me borrow while they built me a new one had it on there. It didn't bother me. I think if I had a wheel with it on, I'd leave it.

[Wumpus]

What sort of things could cause this? It doesn't happen at home while I am working on the bike. It only happens while I ride it.

One of the biggest causes of it jumping behind the cassette is shifting under load. :nono: I haven't had it happen in years because if I have to shift on a hill I soft pedal one revolution of the cranks until it shifts then go.

[mastercycleman]

you could be running bad chain lines, do you have a tendecy to to this, such as little ring, and smallest cog, or big ring and biggest cog
bad chain lines:nono: :nono: :nono:

[mastercycleman]

In my experience, removing the plastic guard is just as dangerous as tearing the tags off your pillows.....Beware!
I heard that was illegal, and you could recieve the death sentence,
so i wouldnt speak to loudly of it.;)

[mshred]

i bought my bike brand new and it didnt have one. i asked my LBS if it was normal (cause my costco bike had one) and he said it was normal. if i wanted he could put one on.bah who needs them? they look ugly and they just get in the way. in my opinion:D

[dhphoto]

Toss that stupid piece of plastic...like most of these guys have said, its not worth a damn. I've only had my chain pop off the top cog due to an improperly set limit screw. And part of the problem also came from a crappy sram cassette, which has since been removed and replaced. But really, you're gonna have to replace spokes along the way at some point, so there's no way around that.

[johnbryanpeters]

Keep it. It's cheap insurance. Ignore the style whores.

[partsbara]

it doesn t do anything... pull it off and check ya limit screw and hanger allignment...

[Boxxer]

Heres the bottom line:

If your bike is neglected and you cant tweak a rear derailleur by yourself, leave it on.

If youre cool take it off. I havent run one for 15 years on as many bikes and never had a problem. I DH, DJ, park and even ride road.

Its akin to the devision between lycra and baggy, between urban and street and between those who think they know and those who actually do.

Cheers!

[VaNIlLin81]

In my experience, removing the plastic guard is just as dangerous as tearing the tags off your pillows.....Beware!

My poor pillows!! AGHH

[el_gordo]

Isn't the spoke material a factor??? I.e. it needs to be there on Mavics with the aluminum spokes -- otherwise a jumped chain will cause serious damage. On the other hand, I had the chain get stuck between the cassette and spokes on a Bontrager with the disc removed. It knocked the paint off, but no serious damage.

[novarider]

it supposedly there to stop the chain from jumping off and secondarily to keep mud and guck out of your cassette. whats it gonna hurt to leave on?

[alaska]

yeah , chances are it will just keep getting more and more beat up..just be sure to set you're limit screws up right so the chain doesn't fall in there.