I honestly tried front derailleurs this year. I do a lot of climbing after all. But once you've lived without a front derailleur, you just can't ever go back.

If you enjoy algebra, that particular set up yields the range of standard road front gearing with an 11-26 cassette. Plus I have that extra little edge at the top end, since it is a 54, after all.

Just watch those last steps. They're big ones!