The sunrise bike tours down Haleakala are great for the first day you're on island as you'll most likely be getting up early already, and these exciting tours pick you up"very early" in the morning
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 Bike Tours Down the Volcano on Maui |
 Bike It Maui - Guided Bike Tour w/group photos  |
| Cruiser Phil's Volcano Riders - Guided Haleakala Bike Rides |
| Haleakala Bike Co. - Self Paced Mountain Bike Rides - for experienced riders |
| Maui Downhill - Guided Haleakala Sunrise and Day Tour Trip |
| Maui Mountain Cruisers - Guided Haleakala Sunrise and Mid-Day Trip |
| Mountain Riders - Guided Haleakala Sunrise and Mid-Day Tour |
Maui Bike Tours-The Maui Downhill Bike Ride
Imagine the thrill of riding down one of the largest dormant volcanoes in the world on a bicycle, and never having to pedal. This is a reality on Maui's Downhill Bike Tours.
Thousands of Maui downhill biking enthusiasts have experienced this adventure on Maui since the industry began in 1982. Of all the activities on Maui, the Maui Downhill bike ride is the most unique - the Maui bike ride that can't be done anywhere else on Earth.
This is how most of the mountain bike tours operate:
- You're picked up at your hotel and transported to the top of Mount Haleakala and its famous crater at a height of 10,000'. Here you're fitted with the windbreakers, helmet and gloves you'll be wearing on your bicycle downhill journey. You'll also be served a continental breakfast. This enormous crater is 21 miles in circumference, 3000 feet deep, and is large enough to fit all of Manhattan Island within its perimeter. If you choose to bike downhill at sunrise (a good choice) you will also see one of the most spectacular solar displays found anywhere on the planet.
- From here you'll be transported via your van down to the entrance of Haleakala National Park at about the 6,500' level where you will begin your Maui downhill bike ride.
- Each group of about 10 to 12 participants follows their "lead guide" down the mountain and he (or she) is in continuous radio contact with the "chase van" that follows the group with cameras and warm clothing, etc. Many stops are made on the way downhill for extraordinary views of the island. A luncheon stop is either made at one of the restaurants on the mountain or at the small town of Paia which is reached during the final descent to the seacoast.
- Once at the bottom, the experience takes on a somewhat surreal quality as your mind keeps replaying the constant series of turns and roadways that led you're bike downhill to your final destination. One glance up at the top and you realize that you've conquered a mountain. You've connected with Maui on your Maui bike tour in some way that you know is different. You smelled the camphor of the eucalyptus trees as you passed through the forests, and you breathed the cool thin air from Maui's highest slopes. Today was a different day for you; the day you took the famous Maui downhill biking adventure and one you won't soon forget!
A Word of Caution regarding your Maui Bike Tour
- The Maui bike tours down Haleakala have been among the most popular tours of any sort on Maui. Literally hundreds of thousands of cyclists have descended the slopes on these exciting bike tours. You must remember however that you are on a moving vehicle that is traveling at speeds generally a bit in excess of 20mph. It is incumbent on you to ride your bike safely. Though there have been relatively few accidents with regard to the overall volume of bike tours that descend the mountain some of the accidents that have happened have been simply disastrous and in fact there have even been some fatalities. Once again you must remember that the movement of your vehicle and how and where you guide it is ultimately up to you. If you feel at any point on the bike ride that you are not up to the task or feel in any way that it is un-safe you are encouraged to stop your bike and enjoy the rest of the ride downhill in the chase van.
There are two types of Maui downhill tours:
- Maui guided bike tours are bike tours you take down the mountain in which you are provided with a guide and a "chase van" that follows your group of bike riders. You always stay with your group and follow the instructions of your bike guides.
- Maui Free-Style downhill bike tours are tours in which you are given instructions by your guides but then you take off down the mountain on your own and return to the bicycle base yard on your own.
Tom's Tips -- Maui Bike Tours
- A sunrise bike tour is best to plan on your first or second morning on the island. You'll still be on 'home time' and waking up very early. Take advantage of those wee hours and do something outstanding!
- Long pants, sneakers and a sweatshirt are essential on these bike trips. Remember to pack them.
- Dress in layers on the morning of your bike down Haleakala. The temperature warms considerably as you reach sea level.
- No cameras are allowed on the bike, but bring one anyway. It will ride safely in the "chase van" and you can take advantage of photo opportunities at various locations down the mountain.
Bike Tours and Bike Rides in Maui - Options Below:
Bike It Maui Bike it Maui may be the smallest downhill company to roll down Maui's Mt. Haleakala but it is big on performance. The company's owners, Ralph and Petra, go out of their way to make their trip enjoyable. Quality bikes and gear are their mainstay and their choice of Charley's restaurant for lunch n Paia is excellent (the cost of the lunch is already included in your ticket price). They also post digital photos of their daily rides down the mountain on their website so friends and family can…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $121.90 - To: $121.90) |
Cruiser Phil's Volcano Riders Cruiser Phil is a well known personality in the Haleakala biking industry and his company has always rated well on performance and on safety. We have known him for years and his proactive efforts to make his company one of the best on the mountain have gone a long way in creating the desired result. In the National Park Service Safety Analysis Report published in February of 2008 they wrote: "The accident rates vary considerably by company, which may indicate that the business practices of different companies…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $99.00 - To: $115.60) |
Haleakala Bike Co. Ben Hall's Haleakala Bike Company was the first bike tour company on Maui to specialize in providing a Self-Paced bike rides down Haleakala. These bike rides generally take you up to the summit of Haleakala to see the crater (and possibly the sunrise), then bring you back down the mountain in a van to a staging area just outside of the entrance to the Haleakala National Park at about sixty-five hundred feet of elevation. Then you're off on your own to coast back to the Haleakala Bike Company headquarters in Haiku…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $34.99 - To: $114.99) |
Maui Downhill Maui Downhill is the oldest and certainly one of the most respected bicycle downhill companies to operate down bicycle trips down Haleakala. The predecessor of Maui Downhill, Cruiser Bob’s (which is no longer in operation), was the very first company to operate on the mountain. Rich Goodenough and "Cruiser" Bob Kiger were the original owners of this company and founders of the industry in general. Rich eventually created Maui Downhill and continued the legacy that began with his and Bob's origin…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $85.90 - To: $104.90) |
Maui Mountain Cruisers Maui Mountain Cruisers founders Jon and Cheryl Thuro have done a remarkable job over the years in pioneering many of the industry standards that are used by downhill bike tour companies on Maui today. As one of the original companies and one of the largest on the mountain today, Maui Mountain Cruisers provides an excellent full-service downhill experience. They have been recognized as an industry leader for years and have received extravagant reviews from many media icons including The Wall Street…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $91.90 - To: $119.90) |
Mountain Riders Mountain Riders is one of the larger bike tour companies that offers bike tours down Haleakala. Mountain Riders has been operative since the late 1980s and serves up an impressive variety of bike tour options. One very impressive part of Mountain Riders operation is that they have…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $81.99 - To: $119.99) |
This page contains information about: maui bike tour, maui bike, maui bike ride, maui mountain bike tours, maui mountain biking, maui bike rentals, maui moutain bikes, maui biking, guided bike tours.
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