Hi all,

I've just started playing about with bike maintenance beyond seatpost adjustment. So please be patient I'm at the chain stage right now. I've been reading docs on the Web so I'm beginning to form an idea. My question is this: what's wrong, really, with cutting a chain by simply pushing a pin nearly all the way out and then back in when I reconnect the chain? I've taken my old (6000kms) Veloce 10sp chain off the bike and have been practicing cutting and joining bits of it using the Park CT-5 tool. It seems fine to me and I can loosen stiff links. Can anyone explain to me why this technique should not be used? Does a pin that has been pushed out, even if not entirely, lose the property of holding a link well enough? The Campagnolo manual mentions the word "death" on every other page...

Thank you for your time.

Mario

Get a master Link for the chain

When you extract a pin on a modern chain, you enlarge the hole in the sideplate slightly. The original pin will not have the same interference fit as it did before being removed and can cause the chain to fail..

Thank you, supcom. I understand now. So that's why the special "retention" pin is slightly different (more ridged) from all other pins, I guess.

You can do that on older 7/8speed chains but it weakens the link a bit. On 9 and 10 speed it weakens the link beyond safe. It is always easier, quicker and cleaner to use a master link such as SRAM powerlink. They come free with every chain. Practice unliniking on a clean chain off the bike, it is harder when they are dirty.
Relinking the chain using a chaintool is a bit of a lost art and useful to know for a backup.

I did this to the chain on my mountain bike a few months ago to save myself a trip to the LBS. About two weeks later, I snapped the chain when out of the saddle and hammering hard on it. I didn't crash, but it hurt and I swear I'll never try that again!