We’ve seen a number of disc guards over the years, but this simple plastic example spotted at Eurobike 2018 from Italian accessories manufacturer Roto is by far the cheapest so far, at just €14.
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Like other disc guards, this unnamed guard is designed to protect you and others from rotor-related injury, should you be involved in a pile-up during a race.
Unlike the other guards we’ve seen previously that attach beneath the brake caliper, this one clips onto a special quick release skewer with a machined lip on the outside edge of the nut.
For thru-axles, a plug similar to the quick release nut slots into the end of a proprietary thru-axle.
The top of the guard is held solid and steady on the frame with a rubber band.
Why does this guard matter?
We’ve seen a number of disc guards over the years but, for the most part, they’ve been prohibitively — arguably unnecessarily — expensive. This guard is far more affordable and we suspect it might herald the start of an era where we see these far more widely specced and used.
The question of whether they’re necessary in the first place still stands, but that’s beside the point.
