West Maui Cycles Suggested Ride of the month

West Maui Cycles Ride of the Month for July:
The Huelo / Ulupalakua Loop

West Maui Cycles July Ride: The Huelo/ Ulupalakua Loop - There are several ways to start the ride. But, starting in the town of Makawao is the best way..... From Makawao, ride state hightway 400 out to Huelo and then turn left on Hana highway. Ride to the town of Paia, turn left on Baldwin Avenue and ride 7 mi up to Makawao. Go straight through the stop and the road turns into Olinda road. Turn left onto Hanamu road (Rice Areana is on the left), veer to the left at two forks and go left on Haleakala highway 377, past Kula Lodge, and the sign for the park entrance. 377 ends at Kula highway 37. Go left on Kula highway. Where the road forks at Grandma's Coffe shop, stay to the right and ride out to Ulupalakua. This is the best part of the ride! Tedeschi Winery is there as well as the Ulupalakua General Store, a  great place for lunch, snacks, or a water refill. When you are finished at Ulupalakua area, turn around and head back down to Makawao the way you came.

Rent a bike on Maui and take part in our monthly Maui bike rides

Stats:

~68 miles

~6600' elevation

average time 4.5-7 hours

This ride comes from Alan Stroeve who is part of the West Maui Cycles 'family'. Alan can occasionally be seen at the shop in front assisting custumers or back in the service area wrenching away. Have fun and enjoy the ride!

Vacationing on need a bike to rent on Maui for this ride? West Maui Cycles is a full service bike shop. Our bike rental selection range from top of the line high performance road bikes or full suspension mountain bikes through Electra cruiser bikes for Lahaina Town.

Leave comments, questions and your favorite Maui bike ride in the 'comments' section below. Or, subscribe to our Maui bike riding blog!

Hawaii Bike Riding? 5 Tips for Maui Bike Rentals

Maui mountain bike rentals include performance mountain bikes by Giant and Specialized.

Headed to Maui for a getaway?There's no better way to leave it all behind than by renting a bike and riding on Maui! Every aspiring cyclist, whether a seasoned bike enthusiast or a first-time casual rider, will find the Maui bike rental they need at West Maui Cycles, West Maui's only full-service bicycle shop.

When it comes to cycling in Hawaii, it helps to know before you go. These 5 tips for Maui bike rentals will help you make the most of your Maui bike riding experience:

• Pick the route for your Maui bike ride - There’s a good reason why recent years have experienced a surge in Maui bike rentals: Maui has an amazing selection of road riding and trails that offer beautiful scenery, well-maintained facilities, and various degrees of length and difficulty depending on the comfort and rider ability levels. Knowing the specifications of the trail you are planning on riding will help you gauge your energy levels, and give you a realistic idea of how much you can accomplish in a given time period during your Maui cycling vacation. Check out the Maui bike trail maps of Poli Poli, Haleakala and the Makawao Forest Reserve. Or, use the Maui County bike map for Maui road biking information including wind and incline details.
• Select the correct bicycle - Perhaps you are embarking on your first ever mid or long distance cycling trip. Or, you’re a longtime cyclist who prefers to save on shipping costs rather than bring their trusty steed from home. Many hope that once they arrive on the island, Maui bike rentals will be numerous and high in quality. Make sure to do your research before you go and know which kind of bike you wish to rent in advance of your arrival. We recommend reserving your Maui bike rental  to ensure before arriving on Maui. Need a high performance road bike to ride up Haleakala and back? West Maui Cycles has you covered - we are an authorized Specialized bike shop and carry many quality brands such as Cannondale and Giant. If you are seeking a laid-back day of leisurely cycling in Lahaina town, West Maui Cycles rents Electra cruiser bikes and includes a lock with each rental. Maybe you’re honeymooning in Hawai’i and you and your beloved want to roll through Lahaina Town on a tandem bike? When searching for Maui bike rentals, choose the bike that’s right for you.

West Maui Cycles Maui Bicycle Shop

• Repair tools - Anybody going on a long ride on the island will not only want to research options for Maui bike rentals, they will also want to look into their options for on-the-go repair solutions. Air pump, tire repair tools, patch kit, and chain grease are all a must if you are planning to be out on the trails for more than an hour or two. A spare tube might also be in order, as patching can be difficult depending on location and weather conditions; still, there are some cyclists who prefer to simply patch a punctured tube over complete replacement. Proper preparedness makes for trouble-free rides.
• When the going gets tough, know where to go - Not all repairs can be done from the road. West Maui Cycles will make sure the repair needs of all West Maui bike rentals customers are met. If you blow a tire or break a chain, the friendly staff is there to get you back up on two wheels. As the only bike shop in West Maui, there is not a better choice when deciding who to turn to for Maui bike rentals and repairs.

Riding bicycles in West Maui!

• Be prepared - Bring front and rear lights in case you end up staying out past sunset. Pack accordingly for sunshine, rain, and anything in between. Think sunglasses, a light rain jacket, sunblock, plenty of water and food, and appropriate cycling clothing. The chances of encountering bad weather in Hawaii are slim, but no one wants to get caught out in the rain without protection and Maui has many micro climates around the island. In addition to meeting all your Maui bike rental needs, West Maui cycles can set you up with the right cycling clothing or any other gear you need for your ride or logo merchandise to remember your Maui bicycle rides.

The time of your life is waiting for you on Maui: Beautiful weather, astounding trails, and a smooth ride on a performance bike! Research your options for Maui bike rentals and you will be ready to take full advantage of your time on Maui. Please leave Maui bike rentals and riding questions in the comments section below.

Call (808) 661-9005 to reserve a bicycle for your Maui Vacation!

Buy Maui Bicycle gear, including West Maui Cycles logo jerseys online now!

An Airbag for Cycling on Maui! Is an Invisible Bike Helmet for You?

An invisible bike helmet, the Hovding deployed airbag.

I was astounded when I heard about the new invisible bike helmet! Though most serious cycling enthusiasts are likely to say "Quit whining and get on with your bike ride!", some bike riders simply grin and bear feelings of bike helmet discomfort because they know they need to protect their head while riding. When outfitting a bicycle rental on Maui or upon return of a bike rental after a long ride, we seldom hear grumbling about discomforts of bike helmets. While the helmets we include with our Maui bicycle rentals are as comfortable as possible, like the inventors of the Hovding invisible bike helmet noted, some bike helmets "are so bulky like a hard mushroom on your head".

Meet the Invisible Bike Helmet with Airbag Technology

Wouldn't it be amazing to have the option to go without a bike helmet with even better protection than available with current bike helmet technology? Well, thanks to a couple of very smart Swedish women, their invisible bike helmet may provide just what some are seeking in a bike helmet. Introducing, The Hovding invisible bike helmet with airbag technology.

"If people say it’s impossible we have to prove them wrong.”- Design students Anna and Terese took on a giant challenge as an exam project, something no one had done before. If they could swing it, it would for sure be revolutionary. The bicycle is a tool to change the world. If we use bikes AND travel safe: Life will be better for all.

Bike Video from http://vimeo.com/focusf on http://vimeo.com.

Mountain bike ride trails on Maui.

Powered by re-chargeable battery pack, the device detects motion using gyroscopes and accelerometers. The airbag automatically deploys and is filled with helium activated when the sensors detect movement and motion of a bike crash. The invisible airbag deploys over the riders head before impact, protecting the head and brain from serious injuries due to a bike crash. Unfortunately, the $600 price tag combined with the airbag NOT being re-deployable may prohibit sales to many bicycle riders. Like most helmets, if you crash hard enough for your bike helmet to absorb impact, you'll need to replace the helmet - an expensive proposition for the $600 Hovding airbag invisible helmet. Read more about this cycling innovation on the Hovding invisible helmet website at http://www.hovding.com/

Due to the device being is a little bulky for our tropical weather, I'd guess most bike riders wouldn't opt to wear the airbag collar while cycling on Maui. Still, a cool cycling invention worth noting in here in our Maui bike blog. Use the comments section below to share if you would prefer the new invisible airbag bike helmet?

Not quite ready for an invisible airbag helmet and looking for a traditional bike helmet to wear on your cycling vacation on Maui? Visit the West Maui Cycles bike shop for bike helmets and bicycle gear or cycling accessories. Be sure to ask our friendly staff about recommendations for tips about Maui bike rides. From bicycle repairs and service to a huge selection of bicycle rentals, West Maui Cycles bike shop in Lahaina has all your Maui cycling needs covered!

Ready to make a bicycle rental reservation for your next Maui cycling vacation?

Maui Mountain Bike Riding Video of Team Trek Hawaii Visit

Since it had been several years since visiting Maui and to experience the myriad of bicycling innovation that has occured, in May of 2011 Team Trek visited Maui to explore and experience all that Maui bike riding offers. In this video segment, originally featured on BikeMagazine.com, the Trek Team rides several of the diverse riding trails available to mountian bike riders on Maui. Team Trek visited West Maui Cycles to seek out our own 'Moose' for guidance on the best trails to ride on Maui. Of course, West Maui Cycles logo shirts were spotted in the Trek Team Rides Maui Video:

Trek Maui Team Trip from Bike magazine on Vimeo.

The Maui Bike video above was also recently featured in an article apprearing in the USA Today Travel 'Venture There' section and West Maui Cycles was mentioned in the article. Read the USA Today article titled: C3 Project: Mountain Biking in Maui with Trek.

Did you enjoy this video and article? If so, please leave a message in the comments section below. Visiting Hawaii and need to rent a performance moutain bike on Maui? Check out our Maui mountain bicycle rentals for the mountain bikes we rent. Or, be sure to stop into our full service Maui bike shop during your Maui bicycle vacation and we'll help you get to the best trails matching your riding experience and preferences!