Originally Posted by
The Smokester
I look at the different front rings as giving access to different "ranges" of gearing.
That's my point.
Tom's 39 chainring with the 12/27 cassette pretty well has him covered for most situations. His granny ring gives him 2 or 3 (if you don't use the 39/27) additional hill climb ratios. The 52 gave him 4 additional downhill ratios including one with 117 gear inches that he would almost surely never use.
Swapping the 52 for a 46 cut the number of additional downhill ratios to 2 the biggest being 103 gear inches which is probably still plenty. That part is fine. His other 8 ratios, however, are all near duplicates. He got rid of some gears that were irrevelant, but I don't see that he's gained anything.
Then again, his bike isn't responsible for making me happy so I guess it's OK.