Sadly, the support site doc is severely lacking in details and uses the old “gearing doesn’t matter” cliche, that is not correct.
Simply find a gear that keeps the noise down, leaves your chain pretty straight (no sense increasing wear on your drivetrain with a crossed chain) and forget about shifting, even when you move in & out of the saddle.
We are most likely talking about the “Marginal Gains” end of things when we look at ERG gearing.
I have been meaning to write a more comprehensive post about the options and potential impact. So much depends on variables like the rider history and ability, trainer ability (and limitations) and other interests like sound, drivetrain wear and others. This falls well into the “it depends…” world so there are no concrete answers without looking at a wide view.
I don’t know what if any difference there is in actual training impact (which is a very real question that we have asked long ago in this thread, hoping that some scientist will take up this question), but I can tell a real difference in the max/min situations on how I feel with respect to muscle loading and eventual fatigue in some intervals (typically 5 mins plus).
I suggest that people try similar intervals in max vs min gearing and see for themselves. Right, wrong, good, bad… I make no claims. But I do think there is a difference that can be felt by some riders and trainer combos. Best to test and see what you think than guess or assume.
I agree, I can “feel” a differance and for me as an MTB’er the small ring “feels” like it should give me a better training effect. Whether this is reality or not I have no idea.
OK thanks for the reply that clarifies it a lot for me. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing something. Love the software so far and where the chain currently sits it all feels smooth and quiet. 2nd ramp test is Monday and I feel like it is going to be a huge improvement. Not just from power ability but from technique and a better understanding of the smart trainer and erg than my 1st test a month ago.
I found that my ramp test FTP is lower when using the small ring. I used to used the big ring for all my workouts, but have switched to the small ring. I don’t know if it makes any difference as long as you are consistent, but the workouts feel harder for me in the small ring, so that’s what I do.
But depending on the trainer, small ring might not allow high enough power. I started in the small ring but once my FTP went up some way I have to use the middle ring to hit power targets (Yes I am on a x3 front ring).
Hey guys, somebody just asked on the Podcasts if in erg mode they should be in the big or small chain ring, i.e. big or small gearring. Nate said he used a bigger gear.
I always thought it was better to be in the small gear so the trainer would be quiet and it would feel more like climbing? What do you all do?
Small chainring - quieter and subtle cadence changes have less impact on your power. Unfortunately your speed and distance are lower but those don’t matter indoors – except to Nate
We have several threads with discussion about speed and distance in ERG, so it does matter to some people. There are a range of reasons and I don’t fault anyone for taking it into consideration, along with the other options within ERG use.
Indeed, it is a need for some trainers to use a combo of high and low gearing to hit the top and bottom power targets. It is a known issue with many low to mid level trainers and a simple fact of life for those users. No brag at all, IMO.
I have only heard the same to be fair, it was merely a joke at Nate’s expense because well it’s Nate, and he’s our mate from the podcast that we can joke around with like this. (even if we don’t know him at all)
Hi Guys
Quick question on a very interesting thread. I have been doing most of my TR training in the big ring until I discovered this thread. I have subsequently tried a few workouts in the small ring and have found them quite a bit more challenging. I am new to all of this and have my first crit race on Sunday . Going forward what would you recommend, training in the big ring due to what i assume are higher speeds on a flat criterium course or stick to training with training in the small ring as it is weaker for me over the big ring.
My primary suggestion is that you perform any ERG based FTP test (Ramp, 1x20m, 2x8m) in the same gearing that you plan to use for most of your ERG based training workouts.
We have seen enough differences in RPE and overall feel from ERG gearing changes, that I think it is best to test like you plan to train.
That may well explain why you feel the small ring was more challenging. If you had tested in the small ring, and trained the same, you might not have that challenging feeling. That has been my experience since I test and train in ERG at 34t x 17t in most situations.
That said, for most flatter and faster riding, I think higher/faster gearing in ERG makes good sense. It’s not absolute (nothing in this area is) but from a concept and application standpoint, I think that works.
I’m finding during training my HR is 10bpm or more lower at the same cadence and same wattage if I am in the inner ring than if I switch to the big ring or further down the cassette. Why would this be? Surely watts at a certain cadence should feel the same regardless of gearing in erg mode?
I am aware of ‘speed’ issues between gearing when imported into strava, this doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but the quality of my training does. Am I cheating myself/getting less benefit from using a lower gear ratio? I mean 10bpm is pretty darn significant and during SS its very much the difference from being right where I feel I should be for repeatable efforts and being at or beyond threshold where my legs are burning up and my HR is climbing to infinity and beyond!
I was too powerful for my trainer 
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