Hi all,

I don't think this is particularly bike manufacturer specific...

 

I have just broken my plastic rear sprocket protector (shark fin) practising on rocks.

 

Firstly is this common damage? Or am I being rough on my bike?

 

Secondly, obviously I need to replace it, are carbon parts just fashion and lightness or are they more robust in these areas.

 

I have never bought carbon bits before so have no experience of them.

I am not interested in the weight savings to be gained from a small piece of plastic to a small piece of carbon so low down on the bike and I am not into the bling, really.

 

So to recap...will a carbon shark fin be stronger and better than the standard plastic or not?

 

P.S.

While I am "at my chain"...are engine case savers worth it? or are they just bling?

Does the chain really derail?

 

 

I would stick with plastic for the shark fin as it will have more give than carbon. Case savers? depends on whether you think a new case is cheaper than a saver I suppose! For a few quid is it worth the risk?

If you keep your eyes open there's scrap plastic all over the place. I found a broken council household bin on the beach. The bit I rescued kept me going in chain tensioner blades for years. A sharks fin should be easy to make.

There's monie a mickle maks a muckle as the saying goes.

Edited March 21, 201610 yr by 2stroke4stroke

Yep I have made my own out of the white kitchen cutting board material, when the wife was not looking of course.?

Cheers. Taff

I purchased a carbon fibre shark fin to replace the white plastic one on my 4RT, it wore away twice as fast as the original.

 

I bought an a small offcut of 4mm 'wear strip' from my local plastic supplier and made 3 more for a Fiver. Still have the 2 spares hanging on a hook years later.

 

Case saver around the gearbox sprocket is important on a 4RT, seen a couple of flywheel covers broken and boots covered in hot oil pushing the bike back.

Thanks guys, answers my question well.