Originally Posted by
rpenmanparker
Well it doesn't allow for crazy big largest and second largest cogs, which are where the danger lies. But that really isn't an issue on small arm derailleurs. If you are pushing beyond the recommended limit, however, and that is an issue for you, perhaps one of the other methods would work better. But if you confine yourself to the recommended maximum cog for a short derailleur, which is usually 28 teeth, I don't see how it could fail you.
It could fail if you have a large spread in the chainrings. I'm not a believer in the idea that there's only one way to do things, and, like you use a chain longer than the minimum. However unless I'm 100% sure that I won't have an issue, I take a moment to confirm that I'll be longer than minimum BEFORE I cut the chain.
BTW - there's a fringe benefit to cutting chains longer, and that's if you make a mistake, you can always cut a long chain shorter, but not the other way around.
One other note that relates to the forum. When working on my bike, or helping someone I know, I might use or suggest a method different from what I'd post on the forum. However, I never know who's reading a post or what skills they have so I make every effort to only suggest practices that are 100% bullet proof.