dbg, maybe your problem is the same one which dictates that we should put aside the ego and get somebody else to teach our kids to drive.
The Smokester, thank you so much for taking the time to type out that explanation. Seeing it explained that way makes a LOT of sense to me, and I'll be putting in the effort to practice and try to get an approach like that to become 'automatic' for me. All too often, as I've found from coaching other activities with newbie adults, the problem with the teaching lies in the telling of it, and too much of the subtlety remains unsaid because it's taken for granted. Your explanation doesn't do that. instead it fills out and explains the necessary subtleties.
As you have noted, though, unless you plan ahead switching the front rings can also break your rythmn.
I'll be fitting in a reasonable ride tomorrow, and plan to go put some time in on a hill which is the 'challenge' component of a group ride I wish to join in with during the weekend. Next week I suspect it'd be a good idea to transport the bike out of town a few days, and put my practice in riding around steeper country. I'll be able to put more time in working on the approach you've described if I do that.
wobblyoldgeezer, as far as I can determine the pedals I have on this bike are called 'Nylon comfort' platform pedals. I ride in comfortable 'slipper' type sneakers with chunky soles on them, and they mesh rather well with the pedals to give me good grip. Despite not using toe clips or clipless I'm certainly getting power into that '4 o'clock to 8 o'clock' part of the rotation you mention, when I'm working at riding rather than just lazily meandering along. I read plenty of comment about clipless pedals/cycling shoes when I got here, and why people use them, and made conscious effort to incorporate that principle into my riding. It's getting to 'feel' quite natural to do so now, and I no longer really consciously think about it.
Maybe that'll change when I start to do more climbing and work harder at it. If I start to feel that I need the better 'connection' I plan to try toe clips pretty quicksmart.
The gear change on this bike is very good. There are a couple of small adjustments need to be made, but the bike is due back for 'after-sales' checking and adjustment anyway, so that'll be attended to. changing to '1' on the crankset necessitates a second quick flick of the thumb. The bike doesn't particularly like '7' on the cassette (especially of the front is on the middle cog) and at times jumps between 6 and 7. Not really problems, and they're minor matters which I expect to see resolved with the service. Other than that the gear changing is very precise, and I'm very happy with it.
And no, by the way. There was no misunderstanding in the communication on that club ride. What was said to me was definitely to set the gearing on the cassette at about the middle and then to use the crankset for gear changes afterwards. I adopted that approach on the ride which was lengthy and rather hilly, wasn't comfortable with it at all, and then afterwards had difficulty trying to find and adjust to a different and better approach.