# How di I remove the plastic cassette guard disc?



## Ironchefjon (Mar 23, 2007)

As the topic says, how do I go about removing this unsightly guard off my bike without removing the rear wheel. A pair of tin snips?


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## Sixty Fiver (Apr 10, 2006)

Remove the rear wheel.

Remove the cassette. 

Remove the spoke guard.

Re-install cassette.

Re-install wheel.

With the right tools, (chainwhip and freehub tool) you're looking at 5 to 10 minutes of work.


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## Offrampmotel (Mar 10, 2006)

Or do what I did, if you can stand the toxic fumes:

1) Heat up soldering iron

2) Burn through plastic disc with soldering iron


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## SnowMongoose (Feb 18, 2007)

not ugly enough to warrant any work to remove it.


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## GT0neX (Feb 23, 2007)

From what I hear, don't remove it unless you want ugly things to happen if your rear deraileur is ever out of alingment :nono:


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

Cut it up. Mine usually explode after a few weeks of riding hehe.


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## VTSEAL (Apr 20, 2004)

Keep in mind that it isn't worth bending a spoke or your big sprocket to try and break that thing off. It won't hurt your bike any more than those reflectors that came on the wheels (actually those may save your life if you ride on the road). Racer types pull them off to shave a couple grams. Dorks pull them off because they think that may actually make them cool. Most people pull them off because they serve no purpose, and so why drag them around the trail for 20 miles. 

Sixty Fiver posted the smartest method, but if you're going to use bruter force, then: Shift into the smallest sprocket. Some are easily cut with shop shears, or snapped with pliers. Just don't pry against the spokes or the big sprocket... Oh, and if you thing it looks dumb with a plastic ring, try showing up at the next ride with 1/2 a plastic ring because you started and couldn't get it all the way off...


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

I just let them bust off.

Did you know that the Mavic SLR sexy expensive wheels, come with a chain protector, it small and black so most people cant see it.


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## Ironchefjon (Mar 23, 2007)

yanked it off this morning. Thanks guys.


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## DRTRIDR (Jun 26, 2006)

Congratulations!


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## Sixty Fiver (Apr 10, 2006)

Wheel mounted reflectors put stress on the spokes they're attached to and over the long term can cause them to loosen... 3M reflective tape is a better option as it does a better job of reflecting light and can be affixed to the stays / forks to offer 360 degrees of reflective material. 

Spoke guards do serve a purpose and you will miss it if you ever have a derailleur problem that causes the chain to jump the largest cog into the spokes.

With that being said, I remove them too.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Dec 2, 2005)

I used a pair of snips to cut it off. It took maybe 5 min and I didn't even break a sweat.


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## giantyukon (Mar 17, 2007)

I wouldn't recommend removing (destroying) the spoke guard, it comes in handy, even though I've never had any problem with the chain reaching the spokes, what pisses me off in my budget bike is the chain comes up on the big front sprocket, and since the chainguard literally destroyed itself, I've to put the thing back in place


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## Freerydejunky (Sep 21, 2006)

I cut mine with some wire cutters. JUST DONT CUT A SPOKE! It came off in 5 mins.


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## thebigred67 (Mar 29, 2005)

I use Cutco® scissors.


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## anirban (Apr 20, 2006)

heat a straightened paper clip.
slide through the pieplate until it loses heat.
repeat.

shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. Each cycle cuts the pieplate down about an inch.

After that, make sure you have enough money in reserve for a wheelset, and then keep a screwdriver handy and check your lower limit screw often!


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## mf9point8 (Feb 20, 2004)

im not sure why everyone is making a big deal... just cut the thing off...


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## Timeless (Mar 23, 2007)

VTSEAL said:


> Keep in mind that it isn't worth bending a spoke or your big sprocket to try and break that thing off. It won't hurt your bike any more than those reflectors that came on the wheels (actually those may save your life if you ride on the road). Racer types pull them off to shave a couple grams. Dorks pull them off because they think that may actually make them cool. Most people pull them off because they serve no purpose, and so why drag them around the trail for 20 miles.
> 
> Sixty Fiver posted the smartest method, but if you're going to use bruter force, then: Shift into the smallest sprocket. Some are easily cut with shop shears, or snapped with pliers. Just don't pry against the spokes or the big sprocket... Oh, and if you thing it looks dumb with a plastic ring, try showing up at the next ride with 1/2 a plastic ring because you started and couldn't get it all the way off...


Hey I removed my my wheel reflectors because it is one less thing I have to deal with and with them gone it can not get caught and damage my spokes when it breaks. Well I wish I could say that but I also removed all the other reflectors off my bike and the reasons I did it was I do not need them and honestly they take up space I could put to better use else where. And after all the others are gone the ones on the wheels just look out of place so they are the next to go. That why would I want to carry them around on the trail if they have no use. And the fact that they look stupid is just another reason for them to be removed. I think they lasted about 30 mins on my bike after I bought it (20 of it was transporting it home) and now they still are on the floor in my back seat.

As for the plastic ring it will come off my bike when it starts to break.


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## GreenLightGo (Oct 24, 2006)

If you ride on technical trails often, remove the plastic reflectors. I get tired of seeing broken reflectors littering up the trail.

Reflective tape is the way to go for on-road low light visibility.


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## Thrasher (Jun 18, 2005)

Just found this thread using search. I had an over shift yesterday going up White Ranch hill and it cracked the plastic guard. So, while cleaning it last night I just removed it cause it was causing it to rub against the chain after it cracked. Glad to hear this doesn't seem to cause any issues! It also looks clean. :thumbsup: Hope it works out good for me. L8rs, Chris


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## Big Pwn (Jul 13, 2007)

The 2008 Shimano XT 9spd Cassette comes equipt with small pins on the back of the large cog to do the job the red-headed step-guard used to do....if anyone is interested!


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