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 because of the time change. Browse through our selection of Maui bike toursin the yellow box below.
 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 |
| Easy Riders - Guided Bike Tours |
| 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 |
| Segway Maui - Wheel thru Lahaina |
Maui Bike Tour - Maui biking down Mount Haleakala
The Maui bike tour offers one of Maui’s greatest activity thrills. Imagine coasting thousands of feet down the slopes of the world's largest dormant volcano on one of the exciting Maui bike rides!
Thousands of Maui bike enthusiasts have experienced this Maui biking adventure since the industry began in 1982. Of all the activities on Maui, the bike Maui ride is the most unique - the Maui bike tour that can't be done anywhere else on Earth.
|
Information Related to Bike Tours Down the Volcano on Maui |
|
How the Maui Bicycle Downhill Adventure Got Its Start! |
|
Do the Maui Bike Tours Go All the way up Haleakala? |
|
Are the sunrise bike trips worth it? |
This is how most of the bike Maui 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 Maui bike tour. 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 Maui’s downhill option 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!
What is the Best Time of Day to Take a Maui Bike Tour?
Without question the very most popular time of day to take a Maui bike ride down the slopes of Haleakala is for sunrise. The Maui sunrise bike tour has both positives and negatives. By far the most positive aspect of taking this tour is that you will be able to see the spectacular sunrise at the rim of the crater of Haleakala. For many years people have been going up the mountain to view this spectacle on their own anyway, and it is something you would certainly want to see regardless of your taking a Maui bike ride. The colors are unbelievable and the views are forever. The downside of taking one of these Maui sunrise bike tours is, of course, that you have to get up “way early” to meet the van that picks you up in front of your hotel, and two, that you will be driving up the mountain in the dark and won’t be able to see the countryside. The positive side of this downside, if you will, is that if you arrange your Maui Sunrise Bike tour for the first morning you are on island you will in all likelihood be getting up ridiculously early anyway if you are traveling to Maui from the continental United States so you will be able to be using your waking time to its optimum.
The so-called Mid Day Maui Bike Tours will leave anywhere between 8am to early afternoon and will give you the advantage of being able to sleep-in late and to view the scenery both on the way up and down the mountain but of course the big disadvantage is that you will miss the spectacular Haleakala sunrise. It’s your call, both Maui bike experiences are great.
What type of Equipment is used on a Maui Bike Ride?
The bikes used on the Maui bike rides down from the crater are invariably bikes that are designed to go downhill in comfort. Since you will not be doing much if any pedaling on these tours there is only one gear on the bike. What you will be doing however is a lot of breaking and so most of these bikes are specially assembled with that in mind. Many of them will have disk brakes similar to a car although special modifications are always occurring from company to company but always with the notion of providing a good braking system on their vehicles. In addition you will be riding in a fully erect position on these bikes for better viewing and the seats are large and are padded so you can further enjoy the Maui bike tour experience.
A Word of Caution regarding your Maui Bike Tour
The Bike Maui tour experience down Haleakala has 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 bike 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 Tour
- 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 Cafe O'Lei at the Dunes Country Club in Kahului is excellent (the cost of the breakfast 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: $125.00 - To: $134.90) |
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: $121.00) |
Easy Riders Easy Riders is Maui's newest Guided Downhill Bike Tour Company. They offer two day tours daily, at 8:00 AM and Noon in small groups of just 8 riders and the longest guided downhill bike tour (25 miles). Owner-operated, safety oriented, knowledgeable and experienced guides. Spend your day seeing the parts of Maui that most never will. Meeting them in Paia gives you the opportunity to choose from all of the great restaurants Maui's North Shore has to offer and they will be happy to direct you to the one that suits you best. This is the longest and best priced downhill bike tour available on Maui. …(more info) | Price Range: (From: $99.00 - To: $792.00) |
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 shop in Haiku. The route will take you on a winding road that passes through open fields that eventually lead into a eucalyptus forest. On the ride down you'll pass flower farms, art galleries and bakeries as you make your way down the hill through the upcountry towns of Kula, Makawao and Haiku. The Haleakala Bike Company provides great tours for those who wish to take their time going down the mountain, progress at their own pace and stop whenever they want to and be on their own schedule. Ben was one of the first to recognize the desire of many individuals to ride the mountain on a self-guided basis. Being free from the group can be a real adventure. However, be forewarned that while going on the ride by yourself (without a group) frees you up to do all kinds of things you cannot do otherwise, it does open up a whole new set of dangers and hazards. You are responsible for the passing traffic, navigation etc.…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $34.99 - To: $112.50) |
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 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 original idea. Today his company is the largest on the island and he has established many of the industry standards that have become a hallmark of the downhill community over the years. Since the beginning the mission has always been the same. To get people out of the resort areas to see some of the other things Maui has to offer. Most of the resort communities on Maui are scattered across the Western and Southern shores of the island and it is not uncommon for visitors to stay within the boundaries of these plush resorts without ever leaving to explore. These bicycle trips offer not only an exciting way to spend the morning or afternoon but also a great way to do some sightseeing and see the other sides of Maui. The top of Halea kala is over ten thousand feet tall and at its' summit sits a crater so large that Manhattan Island could sit comfortably inside of it. Between the cold, windswept, cinder covered environment of the summit and the warm, tropical beaches along the coastline sits almost every type of climate zone on earth. Since the creation of the industry the Haleakala bike trip has been one of the top items of the must do list of activities for Maui's visitors.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: $102.90 - To: $112.90) |
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 Journal, National Geographic, Travel Today, The Weather Channel, The Christian Science Monitor, Travel Magizine and Sunset Magazine.…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $99.99 - To: $119.99) |
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 partnered with what may be considered the most experienced and respected sightseeing tour company on the island, Temptation Tours, to handle the Haleakala Park portion of their tour. Clients will have an unparalleled education of "all things" Haleakala after experiencing this portion of the tour with Temptation Tours.…(more info) | Price Range: (From: $81.99 - To: $119.99) |
Segway Maui Ride on a Segway through paradise. Enjoy guided tours on the newest Segway PT models, the coolest machines in the world, zero emissions, great for short distance trips and sightseeing. Your guides are fun and informative making your tour a great learning experience about Maui. …(more info) | Price Range: (From: $41.90 - To: $938.90) |
