Riding in Maui
Geoff Casey from Baron Bicycles wrote to ask me about riding in Maui. Below are my responses.
I’m going to Maui on the 24th, bringing a bike…what should I know?
Excellent. It’s way less Blue Hawaii and more strip malled than you’ll expect, but ride a few miles out of town and you’re good. They have new bike paths along the main highway and you’ll ride every ride along highways. The locals there are tolerant of bikes with some haters. I got nearly killed two years ago by an angry hippie in a bio-diesel Mercedes with a No Iraq War bumper sticker. Maui is car-centric and all those white sedans you’ll see are tourists.
I’m staying between Kapulua and Lahaina
Ride in either direction for two rides. The ride to Mr. Steepy and the Banana Bread stand is the second best to riding the Winery Road.
I love the Mr. Steepy ride and where I get in shape while you suckas are riding around the lake again with in the cold, wet Winter. It’s all hardman terrain. Pam and I went all the way around once, as the locals do. Stop here at these pools.
Then go the other way past Lahaina until you run out of road. You’ll end up here at this snorkel spot.
Go Cycling has the best maps – that’s an ex-pro who retired to run tours in Maui.
The best ride is to Hana and we either do that in one or two days (if one day, drive to the Haiku Community Center and ride out and back). If one day, we carry packs like these and stay in a cheap hotel and return the next day. Go early or after lunch to avoid the tourists. They will not believe you’re riding it, but you’re going faster than they are on the curves. If you hear a local’s truck, get out of the way.
In this video, Pam drops me and did it the whole ride – pissed me off for a day. Note that I have a giant pack and she’s got a tiny saddle bag …
I’m bringing a GPS. Know any good resources for ride routes?
Best are Bicycling’s Ride Maps. Oh and this guy, he lives to drop tourists. If he finds you, don’t let him gap you on the rollers.
Another tip is that I ride good rubber with 25s in Maui. The main roads are fine, but the side roads are all beat up. You’ll cross lava fields, thorns, palm fronds, etc.
I stop at West Maui Cycles to pick up Co2 and other supplies. Mention Bike Hugger if you do.