I still consider myself very much a novice on my road bike. Dealing with a compact crank, I have accidentally found myself crossed chained more often than I'd rather admit. So to better know whats going on (below and behind) me, I often find myself looking back to see what cog I'm in. I'm getting better at shifting and sensing where I am and (more importantly) where I need to be. Still just curious, how confident are you in knowing where you are on your crank and cog? Cadence and (perceived) speed are my (only?) tools at this point. Do others have advice on gear management and knowing the difference between a 12 and a 13, and more to the point, is it important??