Do you mean the rubber to mount the sprocket? Yes I use both, just did not have it on for the pic. And yes it always break's the head of the spoke; i have that spoke marked and it is alway's that spoke that break's. My spoke's were just fine when I left, I rode a long way's with the broken spoke and now that I have gotten home the other spoke's look like they have been stressed. I have no ideal what's going on and I'm sick of fixing spoke's. My chain does not rub anywhere.