Originally Posted by
52telecaster
I've run that crank with 26/46 and you do need to be careful but it can work well. The key to two by for me is having a very wide range cassette, 12-34 or so and using the 26 as a granny only. Frankly if I'm running a freewheel with a 14 small cog, 46 works for a touring chainring. If I am running a cassette with a 12 I go with 40 or 42 for the big chainrings. 40-26 is an easier shift.
I'm not as strong of a rider as I was even a few years ago- My big rings are 48s and 50s- I could totally do a 46 and probably not notice the difference. With a 5 speed I totally make use of half step gearing- if it's 6 or more I use the middle ring and use the 28 as a bailout and the big ring as 'overdrive.'
I think the issue here, for me, is the 46 is too big to be that 'in the middle AND big' and the 30 is too small to be 'in the middle AND bailout.'
I really haven't done a lot of riding on this yet- It's pretty, but I've already taken other bikes out instead of this one...