Won't stop me, either, Terrierman. Here's a further simplification.

If you're in high range (middle chain ring in front) try to stay towards the higher gears on the cassette.

In mid range (middle chain ring) it's nice to be somewhere around the middle range of the cassette.

Low range (smallest chain ring) try to be in the lower range of the cassette.

Try to stay away from the extreme high and low ends of the cassette, if you can.

Okay, that's vastly oversimplified. It won't make your chain line right all the time, but you won't be terribly, terribly wrong, either. Now, if I'm climbing a hill and need the smallest ring in front, and the largest cog in the rear, that's what I'm going to use. The alternative is to get off, but a bag over my head and walk up the hill.

Here's what I don't understand (please try not to laugh too hard... I'm still learning ): When I have gone as high or low in the rear derailleur as I can go, and I need to shift the front derailleur, do I first need to adjust the rear closer to the middle again before shifting the front?" Not laughing. I don't know either, but here's what I usually do - if I'm at the high end of the middle ring, and am going up, I just use the left shifter to move to the large chain ring. The difference isn't so large as to make a difference most of the time. In other words, whichever works for you. This works for me.


Erm, on my Cypress SX (good choice, if I haven't said so before) I had the standard small ring replaced with one that is quite a big smaller. Original had 36 teeth, the present one has 26. Unless I'm going from level ground to a really steep hill, I drop several cogs before getting into the smallest front gear. This is an odd setup, though. Just wanted you to know I don't always do as I say.