Ok, I'm a dork. Help!!!

[Veronica]

Hey Veronica, I loved your website with all those cool tour pictures! Especially the pics of Rivendell Bike Works. I should be getting my very own blue Rambouillet in the next 10 days or so....I'm going out of my MIND waiting!!!!
I liked the redwood pictures too.
Thanks for the great website!

Thanks... my Nova Scotia pictures should be up in a day or two.

V.

[DirtDiva]

You're supposed to take that thing off? Who knew? (Other than everyone but me, I mean. )

[Geonz]

What is it supposed to guard?
Many people think you're a dork if you don't quickly snatch those reflectors off, too. "Excess weight." Is the spoke guard in that category? Or is it part of the packing stuff for shipping? (I don't think I"ve got one.)

Queen of Dorkdom, here! (Of course, given the etymology of dork, that conjures up its own images.) True Freds have all that stuff.

[DebW]

It's supposed to guard the rear derailleur from shifting into the spokes. But that would only happen if the derailleur was badly out of adjustment (i.e. the "L" screw was too open). Sometimes the adjustment can get just a little bit off and you'll hear the edge of the jockey wheel cage just tick a spoke as the wheel turns. That's not a big deal. I guess the spoke guard is really supposed to protect idiots from themselves when they really screw up their derailleur adjustment.

Generally spoke guard don't do any harm unless they rattle and drive you crazy. They are just unnecessary. And would certainly not be found on a very high end bike.