Rte 189 between Potomac and Rockville – nice? scary?

[KLizotte]

I’m looking for new route ideas and came across this loop:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2682052

Can anyone tell me how bike friendly Rte 189 is between Potomac and Rockville? I looked at Google Streetview and see quite a few cars/buses along that stretch thought it is quite possible the google car went thru at rush hour.

A bike friendly loop from Arlington to Rockville would be a nice addition to my repetoire so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. 😮

Many thanks!

[sethpo]

I avoid Falls Road. No shoulder and busy. There is a wide sidewalk on the north side of the road but I’m not a fan of that.

Seven Locks is my preferred route north. From Bradley to Falls (just near the I-270) is almost entirely well shouldered. The lower part doesn’t have a shoulder but there is a wide paved path to use or just ride in the road which isn’t very heavily traveled below River.

My route from this morning headed in for example (but in reverse):
http://www.strava.com/activities/133672401

If you are looking for miles, there’s other routes out in Potomac we can discuss.

[KLizotte]

^^Many thanks. I’ve deleted the proposed route from my account. Seven Locks looks like a good option depending on where I want to go. Wish there were more “through roads” in residential neighborhoods; too many darn dead ends! Bad road planning. Sigh.

[PotomacCyclist]

All I know is that there are A LOT of short but steep hills in and around Potomac. Be prepared for a lot of hill climbing. None of them are too long, but the hills seem to come up one after another.

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