What 'gear' should i do my Ramp Test in?

[jandres]

This is where most of that debate lives:

Big vs Small Chainring - Same Power (ERG Mode Gearing)

I recently did the Antelope workout which has 10-min intervals at around 90% FTP. Since I use a smart trainer in ERG mode, I normally do not shift gears and just leave it in my small chainring and a cog that makes the chain straight. Five minutes into the first interval, and holding a cadence of 85-95 (Antelope recommendation), I found myself really struggling. I shifted to the big chainring and one cog easier (one cog easier just to offset the big chainring a bit), and finished the second and …

I think the general consensus is that it depends. I test in small chainring, mid-cassette. Most workouts I do in the small chainring with the exception being VO2Max in the big chainring. (Original KICKR)

I’ve tested both at FTP and found that the small chainring feels a little harder at the same wattage, but the KICKR seemed to control the power better in the small chainring.