Difficulty in ERG mode while changing chainrings

[chidlow]

Probably one of the biggest threads on this forum, enjoy!

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 …