Originally Posted by
Kopsis
Big-big+1" ... however ... if you think there's any chance you'll want to switch to a bigger chainring (42T or 44T) or bigger max cog you can add another couple inches and everything will still work fine. Your RD (even a short cage) probably has plenty of excess capacity on a 1x, so sizing a little long has no down-side and leaves a little room to grow.
Hi Kopsis,
A 1x drivetrain does simplify things considerably and probably does reduce the problems of a too-long chain---a little. However, some of the more demanding riders probably won't like it. The setup that I described above, is a 1x also. But you have to remember that most 1x drivetrains also use a wider range of sprockets on their cassette. This removes some of the 1x advantage regarding chain length and a single chainring.
Whether or not it makes sense to add links back on a chain depends on the type of chain. Some have reusable pins and adding back a few more links is no big deal. Others require a special replacement pin---again, no big deal as long as you have the required pin. But some of the high-end chains are not so easy. For example, they may use hollow pins that cannot be replaced, making the addition of more links in the future problematic. Unless you are willing to use multiple master links (or PowerLinks) and I don't favor that.
It depends, too, on how critical the rider and/or mechanic are. I can think of many situations where I would not be willing to use a chain that had links cobbled back onto it if I can avoid it. Racing, long-distance rides, extreme climbing, to name a few.
If the OP anticipates changing the max chainring or max sprocket in the future, my advice is to buy a new chain when he does. Why not have multiple chains that are the exact right length, one for each setup that the rider/mechanic plans to use. That would be the ideal way to deal with it.
Kind regards, RoadLight