Q:

Question about chain re-attaching

I have a question about chain "closing" (not sure of the english word, but you get it, right?).
I know how to open a chain with a chain tool, and I know I must not "go too far" as to remove the rivet from the outside hole. And I consider I have gone far enough when the chain can be opened. So it's pretty straightforward.
But when closing a chain, how do I know I went "far enough"?

A:

I push the pin to it's 100% correct position (similar to other pins) and 1/10 of a mm more. Assume blue pin on photo.
Then I remove the chain tool and do the following:

with my hands I bend the chain laterally (at the direction where it's not bending) mildly back and forth a couple of times. That is the red arrows on the photo.
I turn the link completelly to one side and to the other (at the direction that the chain is bending) to make sure that the movement is complete and safe. That is the green arrows on the photo.
I apply 2 drops of oil on the link that I've worked on.
redo step 3 once, check again
done

That ensures that the metals on the link (I don't know the exact terminology of the parts) do not remain "packed" together and the link is not stiff. If I don't do this I'm afraid that when it becomes "unstiff" and the metals are unpacked, the pin may not be in the 100% perfect position and this may cause a problem later on when pedaling hard. The worst problem could be that the chain would break while riding.

