Derailleur hitting spokes!? (Snapped?)

[snorri]

if it is that bit of plastic it is not strictly necessary and can easily be removed
the plastic bit is also known as a pie dish, dork dish etc etc
Cheers Ed

Ed
1 Why do bike manufacturers fit the bit of plastic?
2 Explain an easy method of removing a chain that has become jammed between spokes and cassette as a result of some idiot removing the "pie dish"

 

[young Ed]

Sorry Young Ed I didn't see your post. No, it's not the plastic.

This is the bike:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.escape.2/14980/66557/

okay it's not the 'spoke gaurd' (fancy terms there! ) and i thought it looked like a cheap horrible bike but i now know and respect to it! you really should clean and lube it a bit more though

if it is that bit of plastic it is not strictly necessary and can easily be removed
the plastic bit is also known as a pie dish, dork dish etc etc
Cheers Ed

Ed
1 Why do bike manufacturers fit the bit of plastic?
Timidly-To protect the spokes?
2 Explain an easy method of removing a chain that has become jammed between spokes and cassette as a result of some idiot removing the "pie dish"
Greasy hands!

Cheers Ed

 

[young Ed]

Young Ed, would you encourage somebody who has limited technical ability to remove the plastic disc, or spoke guard as some call them? if so please explain in your own words why.

Internet experts, no wonder people are so confused.

SNAP!
Cheers Ed

 

[Somewhere]

As it's a hard tail I can't honestly think why it would change when you're sat on it.

I agree that the pics are not the best but I would suggest that it's a simple set up issue, the upper jockey wheel looks very close to the cassette currently and it will only get closer when you change into a easier gear. I suppose the simplest test you could do would be to very slowly turn the pedals whilst pushing the right shifter as far as it will go (not hard!) and see if the rear mech touches the spokes... If so here is your problem.

Re Spoke guard, pie dish or whatever you want to call them, I don't like them and take them off. If the gears are set up correctly then there is no real need for them and they eventually brake or come lose and noisy or jam the cassette.

I do agree that you do need to be very careful what you believe on the internet so maybe you should ignore me!!

 

[BrynCP]

Hi, I hope these pictures are better. This is shifted into the gear with the problem.

The camera isn't the best and makes it look like there are some slits in the tyres, be assured there aren't!

 

[boydj]

Looks like the limit screw should come back just a touch, which might just stop the jockey wheel from touching the spokes.

 

[MontyVeda]

I'd give adjusting the L screw as per my first post a try... it looks like the chain is going a tiny bit beyond the line of the big cog, so half a turn on the L screw to stop it going quite so close to the plastic dish thingy might be enough. I'm only talking about a millimetre, if that.

edit... beat me to it boydj

 

[BrynCP]

I'd give adjusting the L screw as per my first post a try... it looks like the chain is going a tiny bit beyond the line of the big cog, so half a turn on the L screw to stop it going quite so close to the plastic dish thingy might be enough. I'm only talking about a millimetre, if that.

Thanks both, will give that a try. Do these things naturally happen or do you think my LBS has made poor adjustments?

 

[Cyclist33]

The derailleur does look like it's angled slightly towards the wheel.

If it's not actually bent, which it doesn't seem to be, then the lower limiter screw needs adjusting, as described above by someone else. There will be two small philips head screws next to each other on the cage (that's the bit that has "Altus" written on it). Hopefully one will be marked L for Lower. You get behind the bike and tweak this screw a little at a time and watch the derailleur move on the horizontal plane. From your pics it looks like you need to move the derailleur a couple of mms away from the wheel. It should hang directly below the cassette cog you're on at any given time.

Stu

 

[Somewhere]

+1 for limit screw but I'd re index them. If you're having to use the limit screw to push the mech back then it's likely that you've got to much tension on the cable. With an 8 speed set this is possible as you don't have to be super accurate with it for it still to work.