Originally Posted by
1saxman
That's shocker - I put chains back together with the old pin for years when I was riding. I never had one get loose. I'll look into the quick-link.
This is fine for a chain or bike of the pre-hyperglide era, sually 7 or fewer speeds. It's the advent of Hyperglide that changed the rules. The gated shifting of Hyperglide makes for more positive shifting, but it puts much more side pressure on the plates when shifted under load.
Post hyperglide chains have rivet heads peened over the outer plate to resist plate movement. When those are broken, the lip sheers off so the pin needs to be replaced with a special pin made for the job, or the chain closed with a connecting link.
If you don't go to 8s Hyperglide you're fine continuing your chain closing practice.