4 Reasons Why Maui Mountain Biking is Hot

Specialized mountain bike rentals at West Maui Cycles in Lahaina

As the only West Maui bike shop renting bikes for more than 10 years, we’ve observed the Maui mountain bike scene grow from humble beginnings into one of the most popular activities on Maui! Mountain bike riders are attracted to Maui for a number of reasons, among the best being our perpetual summer weather with tropical conditions combined with unmatched diversity of mountain biking opportunities close to nearby world class resorts. Some choose Maui as their cycling vacation destination because of the many activities available to participate in with their families in addition to mountain biking. Others choose Maui for a cycling event such as the XTerra World Championship or the Cycle to the Sun road bike race.  Many are simply looking for alternate fun ways to explore Maui while doing something they love, mountain biking! For mountain bike rides, Maui serves up some of the best bike trails with the most options available for all levels of riders. Read on for the primary reasons more cyclists are opting for Maui mountain biking for their next cycling vacation:

Single track Maui mountain biking in West Maui.

• Variety of Mountain Bike Riding Terrain – All types of mountain bike trails are available across the island of Maui. With multiple micro climates and elevations ranging from sea level to the 10,000 foot dormant volcano of Haleakala in South Maui or the slightly shorter West Maui mountain capped by one of the wettest locations on earth, mountain bike riders of every level find bike trails suitable to their skill level along with plenty of variety and challenge. We live here and ride these Maui mountain bike trails daily! We are never bored or tired of riding on Maui! Accordingly, you can be certain you won’t run out of mountain bike ride options and opportunities to go mountain bike riding on Maui. From professional bike riders competing in the XTerra World Championship at Kapalua or mountain bike rides down the famous Skyline trail on Haleakala to single track trails in the defunct pineapple fields above Kaanapali to Kahana, mountain bike riders on Maui have all levels of riding in any kind of terrain available on Maui!
• The Best Mountain Biking Weather on the Planet – Where else can you find mountain bike trails with the diversity offered to bike riders on Maui? From tree covered shady trails winding through mountain forests in the Makawao Forest Reserve or on the PoliPoli mtb trails and an extreme downhill mountain bike ride down a volcano on the Haleakala Skyline trail to the single track bike trails through the pineapple fields above West Maui or in Kihei areas of South Maui, mountain bike riders have every kind of ride available in the climate they prefer!

Specialized Stumpjumper mountain bike rental from West Maui Cycles

• Easy to Get To Mountain Bike Trails – From beginner mountain bike trails to the some of the most advanced mountain biking available anywhere, Maui offers it all with everything in between without spending a day getting to the mountain bike trails! Even the Skyline trail for a ride down Haleakala, the most difficult to get to of Maui trails, takes no more than a few hours to reach. Begin early to combine a Haleakala bike ride with an amazing sunrise from the top of the world before descending on the Skyline trail. Maui roads are easy to navigate and make getting to the best mountain bike rides on Maui quick and easy! Bike racks are available for rent. Check out our Haleakala Downhill Special with the bike carrier and mountain bike rental combo deal!
• Easy Access to High Performance Mountain Bike Rentals – When you want to go mountain biking on Maui, you won’t need to worry about renting a high performance mountain bike. Our West Maui Cycles bike shop in Lahaina and a few other Maui bike shops offer a fleet of mountain bikes matching your favorite brand and type of mountain bike. Our performance mountain bike rental fleet features the full suspension Specialized Stumpjumper FSR 29’er  and Specialized Stumpjumper FSR with 26 in wheels. For HardTail fans, our mountain bike rentals includes the Specialized Stumpjumper HT 29’er Comp mountain bike! Rounding out the fleet for less competitive bike riders but still plenty of technical mountain bike prowess, the Cannondale Quick CX4 Hybrid and the Specialized crosstrail bike rental are more than capable for riding the Olowalu Petroglyph trail and other mountain bike trails. West Maui Cycles bike rentals are available in a variety of sizes. Ask us and we’ll help you match a rental bike to your size and type of mountain bike riding. Use our online reservation system to ensure the mountain bike rental you want is available for your bike vacation on Maui!

Maui mountain bike riders have no shortage of bike rental options.

With all these great mountain bike trails available on Maui, you'll probably be hearing even more about Maui mountain biking! Use the comments below to share your favorite mountain bike ride on Maui! Ready to book a vacation to go mountain biking in Maui?

Maui No Ka Oi Got Down and Dirty with West Maui Cycles Bike Mechanic!

We're a family bike shop on Maui, so don’t let that title fool you! This Maui bike blog article is about getten’ down and dirty as in Maui mountain biking!

We’re thrilled the popular Maui No Ka Oi Magazine recently published a story describing the excitement and adrenaline of Maui mountain biking! Mountain bike rider and writer, Lehia Apana of Maui No Ka Oi magazine, bravely put her fate into the hands of West Maui Cycle bike mechanic, Aaron Reichert (Moose), to gain firsthand experience of what is in store for anyone lucky enough to go mountain bike riding on Maui! Lehia begins with an enticing recap of her experience single-track riding on the makeshift west Maui mountain biking trails and finishes with a spine tingling description of the her descent down the infamous Skyline bike trail on Haleakala.

Quotes from Maui No Ka Oi Maui mountain biking article, beginning with vivid descriptions of the mountain biking single track trails in the West Maui mountains:

“Oh yeah, you got this,” my guide, Moose, yells as I hurtle past him down the steep single-track trail, snaking through knee-high grass and manmade berms.

I’m in attack mode: butt off the saddle, pedals parallel to the ground and knees slightly bent. As gravity propels the bike to full momentum, I repeat one of Moose’s favorite lines and try to convince myself that “speed is your friend.”

Fighting my instinct to slow down through the rocky, rust-colored terrain, I slam down on the pedals and push forward. Moments later, I clench the rear brake and skid to a stop along a flat patch of dirt.

To the untrained eye, it seems like a barren field dotted with rocky outcroppings and dirt mounds. But a true mountain biker will see a free ride trail with drops that could crumble even the best shocks, and chutes ripe for high-speed descents.

And a little info on a recently formed Maui mountain bike community chapter, too. Speaking of Moose, founder of a local Maui chapter of the IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association):

Through the IMBA Maui chapter, Moose hopes to establish legitimate alternatives to guerrilla trails like those torn down in Makawao. In doing so, the group plans to partner with land managers and trail designers to create safe and environmentally sustainable riding areas.

“Between Polipoli, Makawao and the West Side, the potential here is unreal because we have so many different climate zones to ride in,” he explains, adding that the quickest way to experience Maui’s diverse landscape is along Haleakala’s Skyline Trail.

A couple of Lehia's comments about mountain biking down Haleakala’s Skyline Trail:

While my body is thrashed, my mind is still high on endorphins. Never mind the aching muscles or bruised ego—this is fun stuff.

As I reflect on the past couple hours, I begin to understand the appeal of mountain biking. It’s the childlike freedom, the chance to reconnect with the outdoors and the thrill of danger. There’s no trace of civilization, no cars to contend with, and despite the chaos of the descent, the beauty of this place is staggering.

By now, you should be primed to go read the whole article. Thank You to Maui No Ka Oi Magazine! We appreciate the exposure and hope to see you on the Maui MTB trails again soon! Photos by Jason Moore.

Yes, the Full Suspension Specialized Stumpjumper Performance Mountain Bike rental Lehia described and used her article returned unscathed. Though Moose performed a minor bike tune up in our Maui bike shop after Lehia’s Maui mountain biking adventure, the bike is ready and waiting for you to use to create your Maui bike tours! Reserve this Maui mountain bike rental.

Are you ready to Unleash your inner daredevil on Maui mountain biking trails? as Lehia experienced? Then head over to our Maui bike rental page and make a reservation:

Book a Maui Bike Rental Reservation NOW!

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