# Route 1 in DE



## tornado (Nov 26, 2004)

Will be on vacation in the Rehobeth Beach area and have looked online for routes. Most are just out & backs on Route 1.

How safe is Route 1 for early morning rides?


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## Gregpape23 (Jul 29, 2008)

From what i remember (haven't been to rehobeth in a while) it's pretty good. It's basically dead flat and dead straight. To be honest, it's kind of boring since there is heavy traffic right beside you. However it is still safe as there is like a large designated shoulder for bikes/runners. It makes it quite easy to crank out a metric century though, just 30mi out 30 miles back!! Wind will eat you up tho.


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## tornado (Nov 26, 2004)

Thanks for the reply. 

I expected flat, straight and windy (hopefully only in one direction). I was concerned about safety sicne I assume Rte 1 is the major road in that area.


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## Dream Plus (Feb 4, 2004)

Rte 1 south of Rehoboth/Dewey is flat and relatively safe with marked bike and pedestrian lanes. North of Rehoboth Rte 1 is not much fun. I have ridden it many times and is neccessary to ride on if you are heading for quieter roads to the west. It has fun features such as bike/bus lanes thattransform into turn lanes at the outlets.

An alternative to Rte 1 heading north is the Junction and Breakwater Trail:
http://www.destateparks.com/downloads/trails/j-and-b-trail.pdf


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## tornado (Nov 26, 2004)

Thanks. I'm looking to be able to ride 20-25 miles early in the morning before the family gets moving. The Trail doesn't look like the answer, but I appreciate the info that I should head south rather than north.


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## foggypeake (Sep 11, 2005)

Check the Potomac Pedalers website. They have several cuesheets for rides in the Rehoboth area. I haven't ridden them, but they look far better than the simple north/south headwind/tailwind of route 1.

http://www.bikepptc.org/cuesheets/by-loc


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## lumber825 (Jun 28, 2009)

Don't know if you have been down there yet or not. Came back yesterday from Ocean City. I rode from the OC Inlet to Bethany Beach. Other than no shade any where it is a great and safe ride. Delaware has a dedicated bike / walk lane. When you hit MD it is a bus/ bike lane.


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## tbellrun23 (Jul 10, 2010)

just rode down there a week ago the bike lane on route one is massive, it gets a little sketchy at indian river inlet though. Also if its windy it really sucks.


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## Tommy Walker (Aug 14, 2009)

Was at Rehoboth last week and rode Rt 1 everyday; great ride, very safe; you get a lane to share with pedestrians going the other way. Rehoboth to OC is 20 miles, so that gives you a great 40. 

Three great bike shops on the road, two in Bethany and one in Fenwick. Did not ride the Junction/Breakwater trail, but that connects right to it at another good bike shop in Rehoboth.

Lot's of great riders, probably all with the same goal in mind.

The only tricky part is the bridge construction at Indian River, it's not that bad though, the lane is small, there are two joints on the bridge, still not a problem. Coming off the bridge is the best part, you'll hit 35 MPH and back into the bigger lane.


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## Har (Oct 16, 2002)

*Local here*

Dont get on this site as much as i should, so you guys have come and gone. Get with us locals next time, we love RT 1 but use just as part of one of our loops. Rt 1 south out of Reho down to Bethany then west out of Bethany start working the country roads southwest to Bishopville MD then head north back to DE up through Selbyville, Dagsboro, Millsoboro, then a straight shot back to Reho for about 55 or we add a few more country roads and make it a 70 mile loop.

Or we continue down Rt 1 out of Reho, and go to Fenwick instead of turning in Bethany and head west on 54 and pick up the same route above.

If you can get safely northwest of rehoboth over towards the town of Milton miles and miles of low traffic county roads 15 - minutes from Rehoboth. The part of RT 1 where the all the outlets and businesses are north on Rt1 we avoid. 

None of venture into OC, just wat to crazy with the trafffic and all the lights and transprotation busses.


Breakwater Junction is great at lesiurely family pace. And when you hear soemone say sure you can ride a road bike down it, sure you can, but do you want to? Heck no. I'm not riding my new Cervelo down it.


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## tornado (Nov 26, 2004)

The bike lanes from Dewey Beach to Ocean City were great. Well marked for bike and pedestians/runners and were as wide as a car lane with great road surface. The only place the lanes narrowed were over a bridge about 5 miles north of Bethany Beach that was being repaired. Even then they were at least 3' wide.

You want to turn around about 10 miles south of the bridge that's under construction to miss all the lights if you head further south.

There was always a pretty stiff headwind every morning. With the exception of one day it was from the south.


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