Our Maui bike tours of Haleakala include all the biking equipment needed for the ride (Redline Monocog Mountain Bike with disc brakes and 29″ wheel, helmet, rain/wind gear, gloves, backpack, map, bike lock), as well as a narrated van tour on the drive up from sea level to the park entrance of the Haleakala volcano.

On this narrated van tour, we will familiarize you with the bike route back down the slopes of Haleakala to our shop. Our expert tour guides will explain the history of upcountry Maui, points of interest, Hawaiian culture, and geological features on the route along with various restaurants and cafes where you could stop for breakfast or lunch on the way down the volcano. Before you leave for the Haleakala bike tour, you will have a safety briefing explaining area guidelines and safety tips for the bike tour. We provide everything you need to have a safe, fun, and relaxing Maui volcano bike ride.

The bike ride down Haleakala is approximately 24 miles from the drop-off point near the top of Haleakala to our shop in Paia. Haleakala has an average grade of 5% and is 98% downhill.

After the 45 minute drive up, you’re usually beginning to bike around 10:30am.

Without stopping, the bike ride takes about 1 ½ hours to return to sea level and our shop around 11:30am-12pm.

However, on our self-paced bike ride, you can take your time and stop as you please. Many bikers stop to eat at the various restaurants along the route or stop to check out the little town with its many shops and galleries on the way down. On average, with stops, most people return between 12:30pm – 2:30pm.

Whether you have brunch in Kula, lunch in Makawao or take the ride straight down and eat in Paia, you’re sure to have a great day!

Closed toe shoes are strongly recommended. For the Haleakala Downhill, normally shorts and a shirt are okay since most of the Haleakala bike ride will be later in the day when the weather is warmer. At 6500′ around 10:30am it is typically low to mid 60’s. In addition, we provide rain/wind proof pants and jacket, as well as gloves included in the tour. We also provide a backpack to put any layers or purchases in on the way down. If the weather looks overcast, windy or rainy we recommend wearing some more layers such as pants and a long sleeve shirt that you can remove. With these conditions it can feel like mid to high 50’s.

All minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Children must be at least 12 years old and a minimum height of 4’10” to ride on their own bike.

We are the only bike company on the island to allow children under the age of 12. Children who are 7-11 years old and under 80lbs. can ride on a trailer bike where they pedal behind an adult without having to steer or brake on their own much like a tandem bike.

We trust the judgment of the parent or guardian in determining the child’s skill level. There are a few reasons behind this and they all come down to safety.

1. You are riding on country roads and sharing the road with cars. There are switchbacks and turns that could be unsafe if the child doesn’t quite know how to navigate turns, open views and sharing the road with cars.

2. This ride is 98% downhill with an average grade of 5%. This isn’t the same as trail riding or riding on a bike path. Due to the downhill momentum it is very serious that one not accidentally brake incorrectly which could cause an accident. While this could happen to anyone the risks are higher with the younger children.

3. Lastly, in the past when we have allowed younger children to ride on own, it didn’t end as expected for the child or the parents. These requests typically come from families that share their child rides bikes all the time, they are confident riders and familiar with hand brakes. The common issue for these families was the amount of breaking due to the downhill nature of this ride for 25 miles. It is a long distance to be braking and riding downhill on the road. The younger children have smaller hands and the constant braking can be difficult for them. Some have had to stop riding 5-10 miles into the ride and use our roadside assistance to finish the ride due to the child having difficulties.

The nature of this ride doesn’t require you to necessarily be in shape nor does weight matter as long as you aren’t over the bike manufacturers weight limit of 300lbs. This ride is quite easy and you BARELY even pedal! It’s 98% all downhill coasting.

However, what is really important is that the rider is CONFIDENT and COMFORTABLE riding a bike. This ride isn’t for beginners and not safe if you haven’t been on a bike in years. If it’s been a while we recommend getting out on a bike and practicing before you do this ride. It’s not a hard ride, it’s just that you are descending for 26 miles on an average grade of 5% braking a lot. You will be sharing the country roads with vehicles and riding the bike down the sloping switchbacks of Haleakala! It’s truly a fun and easy ride AS LONG as you are a confident cyclists and comfortable riding a bike!

There are just a few restrictions for your safety.
All Maui volcano bike riders must;

– be confident and experienced at riding a bike with hand brakes
– not weigh more than 300 pounds
– not be pregnant

Minimum age: Children must be at least 12 years old and a minimum height of 4’10” to ride on their own bike. We trust the judgment of the parent or guardian in determining the child’s skill level. Younger children who are at least 7-11 years old and under 80lbs. can ride on a trailer bike where they pedal behind an adult without having to steer or brake on their own much like a tandem bike. All minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Maximum age: No restrictions. We have had a 90-year-old bike rider join us, and he was an inspiration to us all. It was actually his fourth time to bike down the Haleakala volcano.

On this Maui bike tour, it is difficult to get lost, but it can happen if you aren’t paying attention. However, it is also easy to stay on route if you pay attention. On the drive up Haleakala, our tour guides drive you up the same route you bike down, giving very thorough directions and pointing out the turns on the route. You will also receive a detailed map with your biking equipment. The map also has a QR code that you can scan to pull up a live map showing where you are in relation to the bike route.

There are only 3 turns that you’ll need to remember (2 rights and 1 left) which are all in a half-mile range. For the rest of the Maui biking tour, all you have to do is follow the road downhill back to the beach town of Paia.

We provide roadside assistance, so in the event that you miss a turn, you can always call your guide. We can help you get back on track with directions over the phone. In most cases you can backtrack a short distance to get back on route. In the worst case situation, if you veer far off route, our guides can come pick you up and drop you off on the route or bring you back to the shop.

• No Refunds within 48 HOURS FROM THE CHECK-IN TIME OF THE ACTIVITY a reservation cannot be cancelled, and the full amount of the cost of the tour will be charged.
• Reservations made inside the 48 hours prior to the start of the activity cannot be cancelled, and the full amount will be charged to the credit card account on file, regardless of the client's participation in the activity, or not.
• COVID-19: If your reason for cancelling is due to not feeling well, you maybe getting sick or have been in contact with someone not well, please contact us immediately to cancel your reservation and we will offer a full refund. We will honor this in good faith and provide a full refund. Last-minute cancellations are costly for us, however, we understand we need to be flexible at this time with COVID-19.
• Travel Interruptions: If you experience travel interruptions due to Covid-19 we will be offering full refunds.
• For Parties of Eight (8) or more the cancellation policy time is 72 hours.
• NO SHOWS will be charged the full amount of the cost of the tour. No exceptions.

Maui Sunriders Bike Co. reserves the right to cancel a tour, without notice, due to SEVERE weather conditions, lack of participation or mechanical failure. If this occurs, Maui Sunriders will give you an opportunity to re-schedule or a full refund.

Terms & Conditions
Phone and online reservations are our principal booking systems. When upon a reservations a customer submits a credit card account number it is mutually understood and agreed that his/her reservation is confirmed, and at check-in time his/her space will be guaranteed.

• Absolutely NO BEGINNERS
• No PREGNANT WOMEN!
• No children under the age of 7
• MINORS (under 18) must be accompanied by an adult
• Bike Manufacturers weight limit is 300lbs. / 122.5kg.
• If you haven't been on a bike in over 10 YEARS, we highly suggest you re-consider this bike ride. This isn't a ride to re-familiarize yourself with biking, you should be confident and comfortable riding a bike.
• Bikes must be returned by 3:30pm or a late return charge will be applied

Rental Agreement
This is a contract to rent only and not a contract to sell, the undersigned renter agrees that he/she has rented the item(s) herein described upon the express condition that it will at all times remain the property of the rental agent, Maui Sunriders Bike Co., that he/she has examined said item(s) and found it to be in good condition and he/she will return it in as good condition as when he/she received it, ordinary wear and tear excepted; that he/she will return any item(s) not functioning properly to the rental agent at once; that he/she will pay promptly all charges when due which accrue because of this rental, including damages to said item(s). In the event the renter fails to abide by any of the terms of this contract, the rental agent may repossess said item(s) without notice to the renter, and the rental agent is hereby released from any and all claims arising therefrom. All charges are based on the time said item(s) is in the renters possession whether or not in use. The rental agent is not responsible for accident or injury caused directly or indirectly by the use of the aforementioned rented item(s).

You will have plenty of time to catch your flight as long as it is after 2pm. After our 45 min drive up the mountain, you will begin biking by about 10:30am. If you come straight down people usually return to the shop between 11:45-12:00. If you stop and have lunch and check out some shops riders are returning on average between 12:30pm-2:30pm. The airport is only 15 minutes from our shop in Paia.

You are more than welcome to store your luggage at our shop, customers do so all the time and we are more than happy to keep it secure until you return.

Yes, of course. Biking down Haleakala at your own pace allows you to experience the ride at a speed that feels comfortable to you, as well as allowing you to stop and go as you please without getting stuck in a group or to having to keep up with someone else’s pace. However, you do not have to sacrifice your peace of mind. If you need assistance with anything at any time along the Maui bike tour, we will always be available. Just remember to bring a cell phone with you to call us for assistance.

In the event that you miss a turn, you can always call your guide. We can help you get back on track with directions over the phone. In most cases you can backtrack a short distance to get back on route. In the worst case situation, if you veer far off route, our guides can come pick you up and drop you off on the route or bring you back to the shop.

It’s no more dangerous than any other bike ride. Of course, you have to be comfortable riding a bike, be able to use hand brakes, and be able to focus. Like any other activity, there are risks involved.

It’s important that everyone is confident and comfortable riding a bike! This ride isn’t for beginners and not safe if you haven’t been on a bike in years. If it’s been a while we recommend getting out on a bike and practicing before you do this ride. It’s not a hard ride, it’s just that you are descending for 25 miles declining an average grade of 5% = braking a lot. You will be sharing the country roads with vehicles and riding the bike down the sloping switchbacks of Haleakala! It’s truly a fun and easy ride AS LONG as you are a confident cyclists and comfortable riding a bike! There aren’t a ton of cars on the road but they do come by. This is why we start our ride later so that everyone is at work and school, less cars on the road.

At Maui Sunriders, we are committed to keeping you safe. We take great effort to provide you with the safety awareness, guidelines, and briefings you need to have a safe and fun trip. However, ultimately you are in control of the bike. Remember this is a Maui biking tour, not a race. If you decide to bike down Haleakala at 50 mph, then you can make the bike ride very dangerous. And, of course, this is not the place to learn how to ride a bike, so you need to be experienced at riding a bike. Although it is not a difficult ride, you should be a competent, confident rider.

On the Haleakala bike ride, you will have many opportunities to stop for brunch or lunch at various restaurants along the route. Our Maui tour guides will point out all the available options on the ride up. You will only need to pack food for your Haleakala bike tour if you prefer to have a picnic instead of purchasing food along the way.

Bike locks are provided so that you can lock your bike and helmet and be free to go to a restaurant or simply to check out the little towns along the Maui bike route.

We do ride rain or shine. Maui is a tropical climate and it can rain any day of the year. For this reason, we provide rain/wind breaker jacket & pants, as well as bike gloves every day of the year. As long as you are confident and comfortable riding bikes, it can be safe riding in the rain and wind. We hope that our riders have all been on bikes recently (like within a couple years minimum.) If it’s unsafe for anyone, it would be those who haven’t been on a bike in a long time….and are a bit wobbly on a bike to begin with!

When there is rain and wind, it is ok to ride as long as you slow down and anticipate the rain and wind gusts at all times. The upper portion of the ride can be windier as it is more exposed with less trees and the lower portion can be more protected, aside from the occasional gusts coming around a corner. If for some reason the wind or rain is too much for you at the start we can always put you on the bikes at a lower elevation where it is less exposed. If you feel nervous about it, contact us to reschedule. We have a 48 hour change policy so if you give us notice we are happy to move the reservation for you. Feel free to contact us any time if necessary.

We do occasionally cancel a tour if we receive Warnings from the National Weather system and we determine it to be unsafe to ride. Due to our unpredictable and fast changing weather systems on Maui, we can only cancel a tour the morning of the ride. The forecast can change the day before or the morning of, as tropical weather is spontaneous! We aim to make the final decision by 7:30am daily. In the event that we cancel a ride, you can reschedule for another day, or if you can’t book any other day we also offer a full refund.

Yes, you can bike into the park but there are a couple important things to note:

First, the bikes that we provide you are downhill specific. They aren’t geared to climb. So while you can go up, it will be very difficult with these bikes. We do have a bike upgrade option to climb. (see below)

Second, it’s important to know that you will have to pay to enter the park. The bike entrance fee is $15 per bike. The National Park accepts credit cards only.

Third, note that once you enter – it doesn’t look that much different from where you just came from or what you will experience in the first 30 minutes of your downhill ride. From the gate entrance it is an additional 11 miles and 3500′ climb to reach the summit. On a geared bike and being an avid cyclists, that could take about 2 hours to reach the top. You have to gain a couple 1000′ feet to start to see the change in geology and what some consider it to look like mars.

We now have a bike upgrade option for cyclists that wish to climb. We have Scott carbon & aluminum road bikes and Scott hardtail Mountain bikes available, which allow you to climb to the summit and earn the coveted 36 mile downhill. This option is ONLY for experienced cyclists that are in very good shape. This is an advanced & difficult 47 mile ride and there is no roadside assistance within park boundaries. (you must also know how to change a flat tire)