fun time

Hey, everbody! I just got back from a week in Hawaii and want to tell y'all something fun to do if you go to Maui. The Maui Downhill Co. in Kahalui has a ride from the top (about 10,000 ft) of Haleakala (dormant volcano) to the beach (0 ft.) It's a blast--you just coast downhill for 38 miles! The bikes are funny cruisers with some sort of gear that only engages if you're going under 10 mph. The brakes are very good. The co. provides you with long pants and jackets to put over your clothes in case of rain. You don't need cycling shorts, but you should dress warmly. It's pretty chilly on top. And you have a meal included. I did the sunrise trip, but I would advise going a bit later in the day. Meeting them at 3:15 am was a bit tough! Plus--I live in Eastern OR and we have much lovlier sunrises and sunsets. It's a controled ride, but it's really fun and really safe. Let me know if anybody else has done this....I also did a zipline on Kaui which was super wonderful, but that's another story.

I read this post out to my biking family and my son asked if it was on or off road... I said I assumed it would be on the road...???

Riding as the sun rises... I like that...

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Originally Posted by Aint Doody

The Maui Downhill Co. in Kahalui has a ride from the top (about 10,000 ft) of Haleakala (dormant volcano) to the beach (0 ft.) It's a blast--you just coast downhill for 38 miles!

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I was in Hawaii years ago, and went up Haleakala with my Mom (in a car). I remember seeing people cruising down on bikes as we drove back down. At the time I thought it looked terrifying and nearly impossible. Now, 20+ years later, it sounds really, really fun! (I was so much older then, I am younger than that now! :rolleyes: )Thanks for telling us about it. Lise

I've done the ride with this company many years ago, it's a hoot, I would do it again.

http://www.mauibike.com

I highly reccomend them, you ride your own pace where with other tours you can't ride any faster than the slowest rider, had a couple spots where we just went off and rode where he suggested interesting detours.

The owner of this tour is a 2 time Haleakala ride winner (race UP the mountain). He's very safety aware. A problem is that riders take turns wide and are a hood ornament. He drives behind the group and promised to take anyone who did that off the road.

He pays attention to bike fit and was just giddy when we (my ex, well at that time she was not my ex) well anyway when we made reservations and asked for 47cm & 50 cm bikes, brought our own gloves, helmets he was thrilled. At the time he used Raleigh bikes, very well maintained and of course the brakes worked great.

I just checked and now he uses Trek comfort bikes, and provides you PI jackets and full finger gloves (good idea).

Because this tour does not wear the "space suits" and full face helmets of the other tours as the park requires they do not start from the very tip top of the mountain. Instead it starts just a leetle tiny bit further down.

But being able to ride your own ride, see and hear everything instead of cut off by the full face helmet, plus the great service of the tour owners, I highly reccomend these folks. But whatever company you choose it's an incredible ride. Wouldn't it be great to fly our bikes there and ride UP then down? Ah, mabe not. :rolleyes:

I lived on Maui for ten years, and had a friend who led those rides down the crater. They must be much better now, because he always used to tell me about how people would go too fast and go off the road...

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Originally Posted by RoadRaven

I read this post out to my biking family and my son asked if it was on or off road... I said I assumed it would be on the road...???

Riding as the sun rises... I like that...

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You're right - it's definitely on the road. Narrow and winding in sections, but paved.