I have a Kickr for a year, and have only used big ring. I’ve had multiple setbacks this year, but have completed SSB1 multiple times. Each time I’ve improved climbing performance including best HC climb earlier this year (despite lower ftp), first 20mph metric century (flat terrain), and recently was only 3 seconds off a PR on 35 minute climb despite a lower W/kg.
Tonight I did Colosseum, a 90 minute aerobic endurance ride between 50-80%. First 35 minutes in little ring, the rest in big ring. Always in middle of cassette. The little ring felt like riding down a shallow hill, even during 80% interval. It felt like my pedaling could never “catch up” just like when soft pedaling down a small false flat. And the power chart after the ride shows it was unnaturally smooth (a little jaggy, but not much). Honestly felt like I was getting nothing but junk miles in little ring, again like I was going down a gradual decline for 35 minutes. The big ring felt like I was on the road, either on the flats or a small incline (going up a false flat). Here it is:
Same experience tonight as when I tried little ring last month: Form Sprints in ERG mode - #18 by bbarrera
Honestly don’t understand why my experience is so different. Ok, so you have a wheel on trainer while I have direct drive. But others with a Kickr swear by the little ring. I’m around 200lbs / 95kg but that can’t explain the “too easy like riding down a false flat” feeling of little ring as my weight has no influence on a trainer.