I am a dork so I keep it in for identification purposes.

I might install one just to bug the bike snobs.

This one always gets a chuckle out of me when I see how strongly people feel about it. Obviously if it's causing any issues while riding like in your case it's gotta go, but outside of that I don't even notice them on bikes half the time. I had to check my bike just now to see if I have mine on (I do 😅)

It provides a protection. I don't care what other people think, I lleave mine on.

On my folding bike, I kept them on because "they serve a purpose", but then realized that they were not allowing my wheels to turn freely no matter how they were adjusted.

Once I removed them, my wheels now spin forever. LOL

If they weren't causing trouble, I would have just left them on.

Edit: Ignore that I'm making it sound like there are two dork disks on my bike... it was on one wheel (rear) and only there was only one! LOL

They're fine. I won't look down upon anyone who leaves theirs on. However, I'm a snob and take them off all of my bikes. The bike looks cleaner without the disc.

I try to remove anything that isn't totally necessary. So they're a no from me, dawg.

I walk with a pair of pliers, giving folks instant upgrades. Thieves steal bikes. Snobs snap dork discs off.

I like the looks of a bike without them but not enough to remove them unless I have the casette off.

I have no issue with them, so until I do it stays. If something that small gets someone's spandex in a twist so be it!

Depends if it's noisy or not. If they rattle, they're gone, otherwise I don't worry too much about it.

Hmm, is that what my salesperson called the "pie plate" iirc? In that case, I cut mine off right away, since it was a racing bike, and I did a few races with it, and couldn't risk being the only person in the race with that lame extra weight that screamed "n00b!" (or at least that was my fear..)

If your rear derailleur is adjusted correctly, then it's absolutely useless. I have never seen a point in keeping one on. Every one I've had has broken at some point or another, so it makes sense to just remove it preemptively the first time I have the cassette off.

Serves no purpose. I've had my chain fall between the cassette and spokes several times but nothing broke because I managed to stop the bike immediately which often is the case because you're already on the lowest gear by then anyways.

I think the term is unhelpful. I would not have one on my bikes (I had to remove one from a carbon canyon), but i can adjust a derailleur. But they are practical and keeping a practical item doesn’t make people dorks. We should show love to all cyclists regardless their bike or gear - we are an endangered species!