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One is better off joining the chain with the KMC MissingLink or Wippermann ConnexLink
FTFY.
I would not, under any circumstances, join modern narrow dérailleur chain the "traditional" way, it's asking for fiery death.
gbj_tester-
How are you defining narrow? 11-13sp? 10-13sp?
-clarifying words
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I'm surprised you assert this. Until I encountered the Shimano quicklink mentioned, I've always joined Shimano chains with the Shimano chain-tool, whose design makes it impossible to drive the pin too far. (I imagine this accounts for a good number of chain failures.)
Shimano chains joined in this 'traditional' fashion ran and changed smoothly and have not yet delivered me to a fiery death. To be fair, neither has the chain joined with the quicklink but it was a devil of a job to fit — I had to take the bike outdoors to ride, and give the pedals a proper kick to get it pull up tight.
Eseman
HarmanMogul
Oddly, it doesn't on the Cervélo RS, which has an Ultegra clutched rear mech and conventional 50/34T compact. Possibly the chain is a couple of links too long. It was a devil of a job fitting it with the Shimano so-called 'quicklink' — last time I'll bother with that. One is better off joining the chain in the trad way imo.