Quote from esbee on Aug 12th, 2011, 8:40pm: ....now what is cross-chaining?
"Cross-chaining" isn't anything a recumbent rider needs to worry about, unless it's a Front wheel drive 'bent... It's the term describing being in the opposite extremes of gearing front to back with your chain -- the largest (outside) front chainring and the innermost (low gear) sprocket on the back, or vice versa. This takes the chain out of the parallel plane of the gear teeth, causing it to pull at an angle, as such. You lose some power doing this, but you also increase the wear rate on your chain and gear teeth.
On a DF bike, the chainring and rear sprockets are about 18"(?) apart - but on a 'bent, they're about FOUR FEET or more apart - so the angle is reduced greatly. I drew the angles up and posted it in a prior thread, but it was so long ago I can't find it.... But, like I said, no worries.