Originally Posted by
bwilli88
Is it better to have a large front gear with a bigger rear than to have the same ratio but with smaller gears? E.g. 53/13 = 4.08/1 or 44/11 = 4/1
That is way to big of a ratio for any type of riding...but to answer the meat of your question: a bigger ring and cog will make your chain last longer and put less friction on your drivechain.