I put the 48/36/26 Deore crankset you show on my new build and my only complaint is the two-tone appearance. I would prefer all silver or all black but it's not a big enough deal to change a brand new large chainring. I've been very happy with it and chose it primarily because I wanted to try an external BB.

The Sugino Alpina or Sugino XD triples would be my choice.

The Alpina rings will work with 5-10 spd and the rings are of finer quality

The XD works with a 5-9 spd and is about $60 cheaper

Correct!

50-40-24 works for me.. even when the top gear cog was 14t, on a 700c wheel
so a 95" high gear . 24:34 low.

Old school stuff is just so much more forgiving.

Brad

No, it's not. For that matter, it never was. When you work trying to resurrect old school stuff every Saturday, it's difficult to be nostalgic about it.

I bow to your experience, I just didn't have issues with the older parts.

Brad

Depends on the parts, I searched out and found some Suntour components from the 80s for a couple of my touring bikes. Was very happy I found a bike shop that had some new old stock parts.

Being a certified old guy, I find I like lower and lower gearing as I have gotten older. I have found several 94/58 cranksets on Ebay that I have used to build new bikes or rebuild old bikes in recent years. It may not be really necessary, but I like 20-32-42 rings on my cranks for climbing steep hills at the end of a long day.

Now thats a range of gears that speaks to me.
My two bikes are both IGH but I've gotten approx 17-90 gear inches and its a rare super steep down hill where I get close to approaching the higher range at all (if ever).
If I still used a triple, thats what I'd be looking for in the way of rings and I'd be sure to have a 36T at the low end of my cassette on the rear.
I think I spoiled my knees somewhat in my younger days pushing too big a gear.
Now I enjoy slow and low with a 85-90'ish cadence.

While riding the GAP-C&O Canal Tow Path we stopped late on a hot day in Harper's Ferry. I rode up the hill of the main drag in town in a 20-36 with no problems. Most others were walking.

It seems that the TA Vortex crank and their chainrings will do the trick...:

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/ta-vortex.asp

I can put together a crank with a 46-36-26 combo.

Someone had mentioned a 38 middle being an all round "better," ring for the middle...wasn't sure why.

If it's a 74 BCD for the granny gear, you can go as small as 24T chainring. If you decide to do that, having a 36T is probably preferable to a 38T (even with 46-26, I'd go with 36T in the middle).

I have ridden the Deore 26-48 for 3 years in my Fargo (9 speed) and it has been flawless. Not too expensive either. Also if you are interested I have abeautiful and near new Specialites TA triple 9 speed crank I am about to lost on eBay if you are interested (square taper JIS BB).

Have a look at this from Sugino, their Compact+ crank... They've managed to nest a 110 & 74 BCD spider. I think the 46t-30t with an 11-36 rear will do the trick nicely:

My choice of touring cranks was a 42/24. I would get rid of the 11 on the rear if I could, I just don't see the need for that high of a gear

Sugino XCD 801
https://www.suginoltd.co.jp/japan/chainwheelset_XCD801TSQ_japan.htm

Here's a new Sugino 9 speed 48/36/26 crankset. You can use Google Chrome so you can read translated version of the page.

Sugino XD 500 is 48/36/24...
https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/cranks/11074.html

same here and I'm running an 8 speed 11-28 in the rear. I went from NYC to Joplin Mo like that and I'm 250lbs plus I had 50lbs of gear on my bike. Could i have used a 32 in the rear? possibly but honestly the 22/28 is pretty low, it's just that on some of the steeper climbs, my legs were still mashing at a cadence of about 60. The 32 would have made it a little easier on me but not gotten me anywhere anyfaster. At any rate, when I got home from that trip and got on my race bike, I was an ANIMAL going up my local hills!!!!

That is a nice looking crank BUT for touring I prefer a triple for one main reason. The bigger the cogs are in the back, the more issues with shifting. A well setup system it's usually not much of an issue, but my 29er has a 10 speed 11-36 on the back and trying to shift from the 32 to the 36 is sometimes not the cleanest of shifts, I would prefer to keep my cassette tighter spaced for cadence purposes and cleaner shifting in the rear. Of course, some people hate the shifting of triples from granny to middle. At the end of the day, only you know your fitness levels and the style of touring you are going to do but if it were me, if i were looking at a double that only had 46 tooth for a big ring, I'd probably rather have the Deore with the 44tooth big ring and then give myself the option to go down to a 22 tooth granny for the big hills but again, I'm 250lbs to begin with so i need all the help I can get going up and it's not a problem to spin like crazy if I want to go faster (plus a 300 lb load tends to go pretty fast on the even the slightest of downhills! )

26/36/48 is considered a Trekking triple, 22/32/44, mountain compact. 53/39/30 is Road.

the FD for each Differ..

I have Suguino XD 600 26/36/46 on a recumbent bike, trike and Fuji Tourer, all coupled with 9 speed 11/32 cassettes. Shifting is flawless with Sram. Shimano and Barends. It was originally recommended by Sheldon Brown and I have am quite pleased. Over 10k miles on each recumbent.

Cranks used:

700c
No name 48-38-28 x 13-28
Sugino 48-36-24 x 13-28

26in
Alivio 48-38-38
Truvativ 48-38-28(26)
Deore 44-32-22

The only crank I did not like was the truvativ. Until I switched the middle ring somthing was just chunky with the shifting.

As for gearing a 32t on 26in wheels is just icky for urban light to light unloaded riding. A 28t on 700c wheels is not low enough factoring in age and touring weight.

Finding nice 110 5 bolt rings is hard.

or ... SRAM Dual Drive and you dont really need a triple crank. not even a double

a 3 speed hub with a cassette-driver.

Huh? lmao. What is that?

This : https://www.sram.com/sram/urban/family/dd3 you need to get out more..