I'm in the bike biz, and a serious rider. It used to be that when I was riding, folks would ask me what gear I was riding in. Like, since I was an "expert" it would somehow make a difference to them, or they would want to follow my lead. I used to say "I don't know" which was true, and still is today. I shift according to need, not by some formula.

You have a bunch of gear combinations to choose from, if you need a higher one (your legs will tell you) change up, Likewise if you need a lower gear. The only time you need to know is when you're at the end of your rope (end of gear range) or possibly when it's time to switch chainrings.

Folks get too worked up over which exact setup is ideal, and IMO the answer is none. You're dealing in a real world continuum of conditions and choosing from a finite number of steps closest to any exact need. If 53/14 is perfect for level cruising then you'd need 53/14.5 for a slight headwind. Getting worked up about exact gearing is a bunch of BS, but it seems to be the kind of BS techies love to debate.

Set up your own bike according to the overall range you need, and try to have a number of closely spaced combinations in the range where you spend the most time. What others do, think or debate is meaningless.