Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Sturmey Archer S3X 3 Speed Fixed Hub Gearing Options

I'm really interested in the hopefully soon to be released Sturmey Archer S3X 3 speed fixed gear hub http://sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspot.com/2008/09/s3x-fixed-gear-3-speed.html for use in my Steamroller. I love riding fixed and would like to go on longer group rides but the idea of 1km plus climbs put me off and this hub would be an interesting way of making the Steamroller more flexible without losing the fixed experience. The hub is geared to be -37.5% 1st gear, -25% second and direct drive third. What I'm undecided on is how I would set up the gearing on my bike. Do I have 3rd with the equivalent gear inches as I currently have and 1st and 2nd as climbing gears? Or do I have second set to my current gear inches and have one climbing and one descending gear? I'm also unsure if there is any efficiency or reliability loss by not running in the direct drive gear most of the time.

Currently I'm leaning towards the first option as this will allow me to have a wheel built and simply swap between the 1 speed and 3 speed hubs using the same chain.

Does anyone else have an option/preference?

I selected the first option from the standpoint of going on longer rides and having the right gearing to complete even the toughest climbs. That said, I think that the second option is better for group rides. You will be dropped on the descents if you don't have a high enough gearing. Some early reviews of prototype and tester S3X hubs indicated that there was little or no noticeable efficiency losses when the hub was in the 2nd or 3rd gear.

Thanks darksiderising, I guess I would need to decide carefully the type of riding I would be using it for :)