52/36 - 11/28 is the trend. Trends do not mean that its what one needs.
Basically as a new road cyclist, you will be fine with either of your stated options and changing a chain-set further down the line should be no problem as you grow into cycling.
I have 2 bikes now, 50/34-11-28 (Giant Propel) and 52/36-11/28 (modified Giant TCR).
I started off with 50/34-11/28 (Trek Alpha). Its fine and the good thing is, should you find yourself screwing up like totally running out of energy or, taking a route with a surprise of a hill greets you, the 50/34-11/28 gives you some (what I like to call) get out of jail free gears. I now have this on a standard Giant Propel aero bike and its my go-to machine. I have only ever once needed to use the lowest of gears on a 50/34-11/28 once where I oddly felt terrible 1/2 way through my usual ride and on the climb, had I not had those gears I'd have probably stopped. However, I used the lowest gears to tackle the climb and then stopped.
As I have grown stronger with cycling (better understanding my cycling strengths and weaknesses), my training is mainly an equal amount of flat and climbs, I have no issues with the 52/36-11/28 and prefer it for the flats but, I take the 50/34-11-28 Propel as its tangibly a beast of a bike. So the Propel is getting a DI2 conversion with a 52/36 or 53/39-11/28 when it needs new cables.