Hard Sessions - Where??

[Rider123]

I have noticed that a lot of people are doing their 2x20 min blocks and other interval sessions out on the road.
I have always done my hard intervals on my bike trainer in the backyard. I have found them to be boring even with music and wished i could go out side to do some of the intervals, but it has always seemed to dangerous and hard to maintain a decent pace. (traffic lights/ undulations)

Just wondering how safe/effective it is to do hard/fast intervals out on the road with cars flying past.

[DanielS]

I'm lucky that I live 20-30 mins ride from the base of several different hills are sufficiently long to do 20 minute intervals.

[ColinOldnCranky]

For once I can relate what I CURRENTLY do to what you guys do all the time instead of remembering a time that I rode bikes. For the couple of months between surgeries I shifted office to Freo and rode daily along Leach HIghway - bumpy slightly taxiing paths and a few long hills. I love it!

So, +1 to Daniels suggestion. If you can find a route with hills and stick with it. Wind too. When I used to ride for fitness and my sport I also used the prevailing winds in my route plan though I don't think Adelaide has anything strong and predictable like the Freo Doctor.

[ft_critical]

Having some painful experience to the negative on this, but, I would say it depends on the interval (and location of course.)

If you need to spend a lot of time looking down at your instruments to control the interval, work out what is going on, then the road is not the place. Thus I think 20min is okay. Repeat 5min and less (esp 10x30x30) is not okay on the road or the hard shoulder either. You are too distracted and if you are on the limit, not able to react not to mention how fast you are potentially going.

I know Twizzle does his on a crit track, this is the ideal non-trainer location.

On road with Traffic, however, sporadic = no for me.