I'd like to introduce you to...

[esmorin]

1) awesome bike!!! I got a Dolce earlier this summer and I LOVVVE it!

2) to the not-so-newbies out there - why is the "pie plate" such a newbie mark? I know they get yellow and yucky...but don't they actually serve a purpose like preventing a situation like ncsrbug described? This isn't the first time that I've heard that 'real' cyclists don't keep them on the bike...anyone know why? i am just curious. i want to take mine off, but am afraid that my first ride with it off, it would be just my luck, my chain would get sucked into my wheel!

[WindingRoad]

I take my scissors to the pliable pie plate ones, just makes the hubs easier to clean when I wipe my bike down. They are supposed to keep you from shifting the chain off the cogs into the wheel but most derailleurs have a setting that won't let you do that anyways. I have yet to drop a chain off my cogs back there and I take that plate thingie off all my bikes even my cheapie commuter/hybrid. The reflectors on a road bike can be dangerous. Those wheels spin really fast and if a reflector comes off while you are going down a hill it's going to hurt someone. That's why they make you take them off in order to race. Plus they are really rinky dink too, they come off rather easily.

[sgtiger]

New bike, yay! It looks fast and fun. I hope you have many happy miles with it.

[esmorin]

Thanks for the explanation!

[Gowest]

Classic black and white....love it....of course my last few frames have all been black and white.....

lose the reflectors......my first road ride and my buddy David ripped them off and threw them in the bushes......never had the ring on the rear cassette. Oh and he laughed at me for going on a 30 mile ride with a camelback...(mountain biker before road cyclist)

oh - and with a bike that fast...consider clipless pedals.