Sometimes a big ring is pretty nice to have up front. Here are my 2 triples:

In this one, the freewheel is 14-28, so I really need that 52 on the 52/42/32 (ST oval tech crank and Deore RD)



This one, has an 11-28, so I can live with 46/36/26 (full M500 -Exage 500LX- components)



(of course, the 2 bikes serve different purposes, but I've got to keep going on the flats and down hills in both...)