Quote from larry on May 4^th, 2009, 9:55pm:

 
May I suggest that there isn't an "optimum pattern" as such, simply because it's dependent upon the terrain your encountering at the time, and your particular ability to keep the pedals spinning...  But for the situation you describe, you're doing the right thing by staying in the middle ring!  If you can keep your pedal rotation up and avoid "mashing" too much, you're fine.  I have an EZ1, and the 20" wheels naturally give you a somewhat lower "gear-inch" range for climbing, although the bike is heavy.
 
The "cross-chain" wear issue, where you're in the gear extremes (big ring up front, big ring in back, or vice versa) is really more of a problem on DF bikes, with their "standard length" chain -- there is about 18" of center-to-center distance between front and back gears on a DF, but you've got almost 2.5 X that distance, so the relative angle of the chain is reduced.
 
If, while climbing, you find yourself staying in the largest rear gears for what seems to be a significant amount of time, and you occasionally have to mash at the low end while climbing, feel free to shift into the "granny" gear up front for that section -- you'll essentially gain an extra two lower gears (just watch that your chain doesn't drop off the gear to the inside -- check your derailleur limit screw setting).  And same with the opposite scenario -- if you're always in 7 or 8 on a flat or downhill section, shift to the big ring if you like!  But personally, I wouldn't worry too much about "optimum" or cross-chaining wear...
 
It's really a personal preference, tied to how adept you feel at shifting the front chainring -- because to shift to the granny while climbing requires you to slightly reduce your pedaling pressure to allow the chain to release from the larger gear.  So stay in the middle ring, and be happy!  

You've got it, Shellene....
 
Here's a drawing I put together a while back, comparing the EZ1 chainline to a DF bike...  Again, the primary concern, as such, with "cross-chaining" is wear of the gear teeth and chain links due to friction from being out of line, and (very) minor effects from loss of power.  You can see that, on most 'bents, cross-chaining ain't no big thang compared to a DF chainline, because the angle is significantly reduced....  But in general, it's still a sound idea to avoid the maximum gearing opposites of "granny/11T" and "BigRing/32T"... (but not critical)
 

 
Also, trigonometrically and statically speaking, on a DF you lose about 0.12% of your power transmission strictly due to the angle of the chain (excluding friction components) when you're at gear extremes -- but with 42" between your front and rear gears, it is about 0.02%  (if I've done the math right, Shellene?)...  So as I said, "It ain't no thang..."  

I know when I push the lever one way it gets easier, and the other way it gets harder, except on the bikes I have no lever, then it just just gets easier and harder.  

Yeah it kinda ends being individual by feel.  
 
Here's how I used to do it when learning:
 if I have 9 cogs in the back and 3 in the front.  I did it this way:
downhills - big ring in froint, small 3 cogs in back
flats - middle ring in front, middle 3 cogs in back
uphills - small in front, big 3 cogs in back
 
But I now do it all by feel, based on what I know my body likes.

Quote from evblazer on May 5^th, 2009, 3:24pm:

 
 
And, Lord help us, this always does seem to be the case!!!!  

Quote from FlyingLaZBoy on May 5^th, 2009, 11:02am:

 
Excellent diagram!  Thanks for sharing
Shellene

Quote from FlyingLaZBoy on May 6^th, 2009, 10:32am:

Hmm.. Maybe that is the real reason I like the Hurricane. It is too low to really talk to anyone so I can just give a little wave or nod and never have to talk to any other cyclists, at least non-recumbent ones
 
But yeah beware of where you stop and plan your time accordingly sometimes when I lockup I get alot of attention and questions which can hold up my schedule when I'm running errands or getting my wife lunch.