My commuter is fixed gear, but...

My camping bike is 2x7 with downtube shifters. 44/24 crank and 11-34 cassette. All the gear I'll ever need. Unless you plan to routinely pedal at 30+ MPH you don't need the super tall gearing that every stock bike comes with.

The subcompact double is fantastic. I use the 44T for everything except steep hills. Very little front shifting. I use it like a 1x but with low gears when I need them. My "road" bike has the same setup but with taller gearing.

This is with 26x2.2" tires, by the way. Adjust gearing for your tire size accordingly.

Further reading: https://www.renehersecycles.com/how-...ur-chainrings/