If you get those stronglight cranks, since they are 110mm BCD, that is what a compact uses. You could start out without the granny gear, instead use a 34T ring in the middle position, but use it as a compact double. Then later if you decide you really want a lower gear, put the third ring on at that time.

There was a company here in the US that sold a bike for touring several decades ago, had two chainrings, but the crankarms were for a triple for those people that might want a lower gear they could add it themselves later.

I did just that on a road bike I love to ride. I left the granny off and used a mountain triple to get a low double gearing. What I like best about it is the small ring is right in the middle of the cluster and the big ring is a straighter line with the smallest cogs. It gave me a nice tight set of mildly low gearing up to about mid high gears. Not having any high gears and having to coast down hills was a good tradeoff for being able to get up the hills in the first place.

Sorry, but I am confused!

I'm no longer confused i know exactly what I'm going for.

Groovy custom.

A customor walks into a bike shop. "Do you need anything?"

Yes, a crank with 50/48 on top 38/36 mid and 24/22 small. I ride friction freewheels so my gearing starts at 13 or 14 and tops at 28. Oh, monster q-factor cranks are a no go.

On my touring bike I run a 12-34. The middle steps are a little wider than I like for fast around town jaunts. I could move to 9sp but all my bikes are 7/8 and gosh darn it I'm becoming a retro grouch.

You're right, in my defense, this is an enthusiast website/forum. If anyone ever asked me how to do it, I'd share :)

And I ride any q-factor without any complaint, my mamma didn't raise no q-factor *****....