Fast Talk 409: Fast Chats – New Research Challenging Whether We Should Do Efforts on Our Long Base Rides
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Feb 5, 2026 They question whether short intense efforts on long base rides actually harm adaptations. A study testing a three-minute all-out sprint during a 180-minute ride is examined and critiqued. The conversation explores neuromuscular work, motor unit recruitment, and practical ways to add short sprints, cadence drills, and plyometrics to boost on-bike explosiveness.
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One Or Two Sprints Won’t Ruin Base Rides
- A single or a couple of short sprints during a long Zone 2 ride likely won’t negate the endurance adaptations.
- There’s a tipping point where repeated or excessive efforts convert a base ride into an intensity session and harm recovery.
Place Intensity Late And Use It Sparingly
- If you add intensity, place short efforts toward the end of long rides to preserve the metabolic environment for Zone 2 adaptations.
- Be disciplined and limit frequency so you don’t slide into tempo or race-intensity work unintentionally.
Short Efforts Can Promote Fat Oxidation
- A short maximal effort can lower later lactate levels by depleting glycogen and shifting substrate use toward fat.
- That glycogen-depletion effect may actually support long-ride fat oxidation goals.