I was a huge fan of 53 (or 52), 42, 28 X fairly small and close freewheels forever until I aged, Now it is 50-38-24 X freewheels and cassettes getting as large as 28 teeth. (Basically the same thing, just easier.) Lots of redundancy and I love it. I spent most of my time before I went to the smaller chairings on the middle ring. Now, for the next couple of years I am relatively strong for the rings and I am about 50-50 large or middle and usually choose the one that puts the chain just to the right of center where the shifts are close and fine tuning is easy. (I have had 47 years to get tired of that chainring pattern and it hasn't happened yet. Everything else I have ridden has come and gone.)
I an likewise a huge fan of the old square taper 110-74 BCD cranksets. So versatile.