Originally Posted by
benjaminlin
I want to replace my front derailleur, and question is my chain is fairly new less than 500 miles, ( shimano ultegra chain ), can I unlink the chain, replace front derailleur and connect the chain again? do I need to get new chain link or something? thanks
Modern chains made for more than 8 speeds, including Ultegra, cannot be cut and spliced by pushing a pin out and back in.
This isn't to say it cannot be done, and many do successfully. However, these narrow chains have the plates sitting at the end of the pin, and depend on the pin being peeled over to keep the plate from migrating out and off the end. When you push a plate out, you break off those peeled edges, and lose the resistance to migration.
So, it's a made for the job splicing pin, or a connecting link.