Drive gear cover a scoop for debris?

I love my Evolve but surprised that the 2nd day I lodged a pebble into my drive gear. I didn't notice until I felt a bulge coming form my drive belt. Popped it out. But worried my plastic drive gear may be scarred, my belt sure is. Pebbles kill belts.

I'm thinking now to just run the covers off, therefor they are not a scoop for debris.

My metroboard has an inward facing motor, not rear, but the front of the motor pulley is exposed. From lots of riding I've had 2 times that pebbles have been lodge in the rearward aluminum drive sprocket. Front is driven by a steel sprocket to be resilient against wear. Having my Evolve 2 days and getting a pebble lodge in there is very odd. Guess I may need more time, could be random which this stuff is. But has anyone else had this happen? Check your belts at the wheel drive to ensure no pebbles are lodged in there.

 

Looks better without the covers and easier to change over wheels. I got a stick wedged in so hard it split the cover, never put back on.

 

I havent had this problem yet but make me wonder if I should take my covers off.

 

I did notice that it collects mud and sand and starts grinding the belt even not using it on rough terrain.

 

A chain drive that's sealed from outside dust and debris is best for AT. But I guess we can't have everything, nice having the ability to go AT and back to street.

 

This happened to me on my second day of riding. I may leave the covers off in the future.

 

I haven't got my board yet (checking my in-box constantly .... Where is it?). I'm currently blasting trails on my One Wheel don't dig boring pavement and hope my future GT can handle these New England Dog Town trails. We have lots of hidden granite rocks popping out through the leaves which with the OW you can surf swirl around most but with 4 wheels today I got the feeling that these trails are too intense. Fellow off-roadies proof me wrong... I ride the OW with a fender which competely eliminates the kicked up rocks and dirt that was filling up my back shoe but the GT has open gears so I'll strip off the guards to let those lilttle gremlins out.
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Personally, I feel the drive gear covers are mainly there because of attorneys. Whilst riding, the covers serve no useful purpose. But, somewhere, some idiot will try to stick their finger between the motor gear & belt, with bad results... Just my $0.02 worth..