Gearing question

[Chile Pepper]

My DH switched from a standard double to a compact a few years ago, and he has often said that while the compact is easier for climbing (and at our age, that's a big plus), it makes it harder to keep up with the guys. That sort of logic may be why people object to the idea of switching to a smaller big chainring--you'll limit your speed on the upper end. But if that isn't a problem and if it will give you more gearing options, then I don't see why it wouldn't work.

[Seajay]

46T will work just fine as a large chainring. Cyclocross riders do it all the time and lots of people use them on winter bikes when we have no business using a 53 anyway.

it makes it harder to keep up with the guys.

Well, technically the issue isn't that the gears aren't tall enough. As said above, the typical 50x11 top gear of compact is actually a higher gear than the typical 53x12 of standard gearing.
What is more likely happening is that at a fast pace you have fewer high gear options because the 50T gets you into "midrange" sooner. For normal people this is a good thing. For peloton riders it can be an issue.

50x 53x
11 122 ----
12 112 12 119
13 104 13 110
14 96 14 102
15 92 15 95