Originally Posted by
Barrettscv
I like half step gearing when using a 2x6 drivetrain. For example: when using a 13, 15, 17, 21, 24, 28 freewheel, I'll use a 46 & 42 chainring set. I can shift the bike in full steps, using just the rear derailleur, or I can fine tune the cadence by shifting with the front derailleur from the 42 chainring to the 46 chainring. This is the classic half step gearset. It takes a while to learn to upshift and downshift in half step increments. 50% of the shifts involve shifting both the front and rear derailleurs to complete a half-step gearchange.
That sounds pretty cool. I've got 53-42 rings on my crankset and a 14-30 freewheel. With a 14T smallest cog, I
might sometime have a reason to want a 53T chainring, but most of the time I could probably do without it.