I’ll be vacationing in the outerbanks next week and I would like to take my bike. Anyone have some good routes around there? Thanks.
By Outer Banks do you mean Nags Head or Buxton/Avon? If you are down in Buxton (where the CH lighthouse is), only real riding is going to be up and down highway 12. In between the towns is like 6-10 mile clear sections with fairly wide shoulders. I used to live in Buxton and would ride from the ferry to the bridge over the inlet, and it’s almost like 85 miles round trip. Highway 12 is only real road connecting the islands but I’ve always felt with enough shoulder it was fine to ride in. I actually just sit up when riding in the towns for the few miles and then got back in TT position with no hesitation on the wide open parts of the road in between the towns.
If you are up the coast in Nags Head/Kitty Hawk, go ride out near Manteo and go over the old bridge and get on main land and you can find some really quiet roads. Just dont go down Highway 64 (2 lane highway with like no shoulder). You can likely ride on the beach roads but just be careful of cars going 28 mph and then turning Left here, right there, etc.
The OBX is a tough place to ride, especially in summer. If you’re in the Corolla area, ride before 8:30. You can get 30+ in by riding in Whalehead Beach (3 streets each 3 miles long paralleling the ocean), up to 4 wheel drive territory, down to Duck and back. NC12 has a 3 ft should on it. Repeat laps in Whalehead Beach if you need more miles. But be off the roads by 9:00 at the latest. Traffic increases significantly and the tourists have no problem pulling onto the shoulder in order to pass a car waiting to turn left.
If you’re in the Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills area, there used to be a 6:00 am ride from the Food Lion near where NC12 heads north toward Duck.
If you’re in Manteo, old US64 is not as bad as it once was. It bypasses all the small towns.
We’ll be Corolla. Don’t know where that is relative to everything else.
Thank you. I’m usually on the road by 5:30am and finish up by 7:30. This should work.
In the Kitty Hawk area there are a few marked bike routes, the one marked with a 1 or 2 is a ~10 mile loop. Doing that loop (mostly on neighborhood roads and a designated bike lane) and then adding on with an out and back on hwy 12, you can get some decent mileage. I would definitely suggest riding as early as possible and avoid riding on Sat/Sun if possible when there are more people traveling to/from the OBX.
We’ll be Corolla. Don’t know where that is relative to everything else.
I was there in 2015. I just left Duck NC and road up to Corolla and back on 12. I seem to remember it being decent riding, very flat and there was some traffic but wide lanes and shoulders. I went up and back a few times. I don’t think you’d want to go much further south than Duck, as that’s where I remember it becoming more congested. There’s a club in Duck that has a lap lane pool. I stayed near that place, and I would ride North of there up toward Corolla.
Everything Brooks said. Plus, if you have some time, I recommend the TT of Ocracoke. You can take your bike across on the ferry from Hatteras and then hammer a 25 mile down and back TT on the island.
If you’re in the Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills area, there used to be a 6:00 am ride from the Food Lion near where NC12 heads north toward Duck.
Maybe they changed it… but it used to be the “5:30 crew” and they left promptly at 5:30. Show up at 6, they’re long gone. It was a serious ride, we were 30mph+ down the beach road almost right out of the blocks.
It’s been years since I stayed there, last time I did I was in the Currituck Club area and rode up to Corrola and back on 12… you want to ride early before the traffic picks up. I ran a lot when I was there… better place for that and lots of OWS of course.
I just left Duck NC and road up to Corolla and backThat’s my preferred route as well. I go bright and early and have never had an issue.
You are right- it is 5:30. I am old and forgetful.
I was just down there last week.
I left early and rode 12 south and went left to stay on the beach road (left at the rite-aid). 75+ miles with one turn and 25ft of elevation gain. ugh.
Do not try and ride south of duck on the weekend. And I would recommend starting early. I never have any real problems, just dickheads telling me to “use the fucking bike trail” as if that is suitable for someone doing 20+ mph. Also, check the wind before you leave so you can be prepared for which way is going to take 10% longer on 20% more watts. My Monday ride was 25mph on sub 200 watts going south and 19mph on 230 watts coming home.
Nice! Thanks.
Everything Brooks said. Plus, if you have some time, I recommend the TT of Ocracoke. You can take your bike across on the ferry from Hatteras and then hammer a 25 mile down and back TT on the island.
Took the ferry and drove down to Ocracoke just last week. FWIW, the base of the dunes had crept completely across the shoulder of the northbound lane in many places.
And that ferry ride is ~ an hour each way. Looking at a map, and the short distance between the two ferry ports, we thought it would be 10-15 minutes. Little did we know they’d have to take a very non-direct route because of the shallow waters. The TT Ocracoke might be cool, but you’d spend 6-7 hours just to get to and from the start/finish from Corolla where the OP is staying.
Yeah, that ain’t happening. This is a trip with the wife and kids. I’ll be happy just getting in a couple hours first thing in the A.M.
I love riding there. If you go early it is great. If possible bring a strobe light to attach to the front of your bike to alert anyone coming out of the cross streets. Sleepy people going to get their duck donuts might not be fully aware. Other than that it is fast and flat. If you have a tribike you can really enjoy it there. From where you are you can do a loop out towards the light house to the end of the island and back. At the end of the island there are some grates to stop the horses before the very end- so watch out for those- it is not worth bringing the bike past that point because it is just a short sandy stretch until the very end. Hydrate and bring some cash to grab a donut.
You might also bring a little extra grease for your chain- the salt air seems not to be so good for it.
You might also bring a little extra grease for your chain- the salt air seems not to be so good for it.
I took my old mountain bike there last week. Did a complete drivetrain cleaning before leaving. Between the rain on the drive and the salt in the air, the chain looks like it’s been sitting outside, unused, for 25 years.
We spend a good bit of time down there every year. Just be very careful right as early as humanly possible. People on vacation either drunk or preoccupied always hear about people getting struck by cars down there . The one year we were down there an entire family was hit and killed just out for a walk. If you do get a good long ride in go down to Oregon Inlet below South Nags Head and tell me how much of the new bridge they got done
If you do get a good long ride in go down to Oregon Inlet below South Nags Head and tell me how much of the new bridge they got done
It’s ~ 1/4 done. The bridge over New Inlet is in the early stages.
If you are in Corolla then ride early as others have said. Early would mean be home by 9am. Anytime after that and you are playing with fire up North and moreso coming in and out of Duck. If you don’t mind driving then meet the ‘5:30 Crew’ at 5:30a (obviously) at the Food Lion in Southern Shores (6a on Saturdays). They do about 25 miles and it gets pretty quick at times and depending on who is in town. Saturdays then sometimes just do a full on TT from Southern Shores down to South Nags Head and back. I ride out there a lot and love it, but you have to be really careful with drivers.