2012 XTerra Updates: XTerra Podcast and XTerra Razor Ridge Bike Video

2012 XTerra World Championship mountain bike course transition at Kapalua.

The 2012 XTerra World Championship is underway on Maui as we gear up for this Sunday’s off-road triathlon racing action at Kapalua Resort in West Maui! This week's bike blog includes a bike video showing the new Razor Ridge section of the XTerra bike course, my podcast interview with XTerra Coach Jeff discussing West Maui Cycles bike services for XTerra and a couple bike videos from The Caveman training for XTerra on Maui.

Listen to Coach Jeff's interview with Kahuna Dave providing inside details describing the race course and how the mountain bike course at Kapalua has been fine tuned for the 2012 XTerra World Championship. Kahuna Dave provided a lively discussion about the history of XTerra on Maui going all the way back to Aquatera and the now infamous challenges of The Plunge on the former mountain bike trails! Afterwards, Coach Jeff interviewed the XTerra media guy, Trey Garmin, who shared the challenges of capturing XTerra and interesting details about the live streaming feeds from the on course cams with synced GPS tracking features available at XTerralive.com. Then, at the 59:34 point, listen to the noted interview with yours truly as I talk about our bike services for XTerra. When you've finished listening, catch a glimpse of the new Razor Ridge section of the bike course and watch The Caveman as he reports on his XTerra training regimen from Maui.

The Athletes expo area and mini bike shop for XTerra World Championship at Kapalua, Maui.

Visit Coach Jeff's XTerra Podcast website.

Who Will be The 2012 XTerra World Champion?

Coach Jeff picked Conrad The Caveman Stoltz to win the race because 'he is due, he is hungry and keen. And, because the bike course changes suit him now'. Coach Jeff also picked the women’s winner but you’ll have to listen to the podcast above to find out who. After last winning XTerra in 2006, Kahuna Dave still thinks a longtime veteran, The Professor, will be crowned 2012 XTerra World Champion 'because he finished his house and got married to his longtime girlfriend'. Take note of Kahuna Daves prognostication of Helena Erbenova winning over favorite Lesley Paterson to win the womens XTerra race. Who do you think will win the 2012 XTerra World Championship at Kapalua? Use the comments section below to let us know if you agree with Kahuna Dave and Coach Jeff’s predictions for winners of the 2012 XTerra World Championship. Who will win?

Razor Ridge Section of the XTerra Mountain Bike Course

Enjoy this short 22 second video showing a rider on what is being called Razor Ridge, a new section of the mountain bike course added for XTerra 2012:

As the closest bike shop to Xterra at Kapalua, you can find West Maui Cycles at the 2012 XTerra too! If you forget to stop by our bicycle shop in Lahaina on the way to Kapalua, we’ve set up a portable bike shop for the XTerra on Maui. Beginning earlier today, we will be here throughout XTerra in the XTerra Athletes Expo area at the Ritz Cartlon Kapalua. We’ve also added extra staff to the bike shop and increased our bike parts inventory to be ready for any bike repairs. If you forgot any of your bike riding gear, stop by West Maui Cycles in Lahaina or at our booth at XTerra! A few riders have already been out practicing and posting videos and pics of the Xterra course on social media channels. Checkout some of the action below.

Maui XTerra bike rentals at Kapalua.

Conrad “The Caveman” Stolz has been on Maui training for XTerra and posted the following bike video showing his practice session making the transition from the swimming course to the bike course. Watch caveman transition from D.T. Flemming beach to the bike course at Kapalua:

And, Conrad talks about using the Command Post adjustable seat post:

Don’t forget to refer to our 2012 XTerra Tips sheet and updates. Or, review the entire XTerra course map with separate maps for the bike, swimming and running courses along with the elevation profiles for the running and biking courses.

Thanks to Luck Stone for presenting the on course camera feeds and other cool features for viewing XTerra live on XterraLive.com.

And a few more 2012 XTerra links:

XTERRALive.com on course cameras and GPS provided by LuckStone - CRUSH it!

http://www.xterraplanet.com/maui - Official XTerra World Championship website

http://www.XTERRALive.com – Live video streaming from on course bike and run cameras with GPS tracking and other media features, sponsored by luckstone.com.

Need a bike rental for XTerra or to ride during your Maui cycling vacation? Visit our bike shop in Lahaina (just behind the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell in Lahaina) for bike parts or cycling logo gear. We have extra bike mechanics on hand during for bike tuneups or repairs during XTerra World championship! If you are ready to reserve a bike in advance of your arrival, check out our huge fleet of performance road bike rentals and mountain bike rentals and then make bike rental reservation online. We'll have your bike ready and waiting for you when you get to Maui!

Reserve a Maui Bike Rental Now

Bike Tech Tips: How to Adjust Bike Derailleur from a Maui Bike Shop

Are you getting your bike ready for next summer or maybe a bicycle vacation? Thinking about touring Maui by bicycle? If you aren't renting a bike on Maui, you'll want your bike prepared and ready before the trip enabling yourself to start your Maui bike vacation soon after the plan lands. Regardless of getting your bike ready for winter or a bike vacation on Maui, the following bicycle maintenance video, from bicycletutor.com, provides a short tutorial demonstrating how to adjust the front derailleur on a bicycle:

And in another bike maintenance video, thanks to Mellow Johnny's bike shop in Austin TX, demonstrating how to adjust your rear derailleur:

If you found these bicycle maintenance tech tips informative and helpful in keeping your bike in ride ready condition, please leave a note in the comments section below. If you need bike reapair on Maui, including derailleur adjustments or a complete bicycle tune-up, head to West Maui Cycles full service bike shop in Lahaina. In addition to repairing bicycles, our bicycle shop sells bikes and we rent performance road bikes for bicycling touring on Maui. If mountain bike riding on Maui is included in your list of perfect bicycle vacations, then rent one of our full suspension mountain bikes. Maybe the Specialized Comp 29'er?

Keep up with the latest Maui bike news and happenings by subscribing to our blog!

An Ebike or a Scooter? The Audi eBike should be Maui Bike Rental!

An image of the Audi electric bike.

Ready to program your e-bike to pop a wheelie? It was less than two  months ago, as a Specialized bike store on Maui, we introduced the new Specialized Turbo e-bike to our bike blog readers. Now, with the introduction of the new Audi Wörthersee e-bike, it appears Audi is likely to give Specialized a bit of competition in this seemingly new category of high performance electric bikes. I admit, I'm still a little uncertain these speedy tech marvels are bicyles and won't be classified as a scooters or some other kind of alternative transportation vehicle when they eventually get to Maui and the US. Either way, with the exception of what looks like a very uncomfortable seat, I'm impressed with new Audi e-bike! With speeds over 31 mph and a charge lasting 2.5 hours via a lithium-ion battery, the 24 pound e-bike from Audi offers practical uses along with a slew of fun capabilities. Use your smartphone to program the ebike to pop a wheelie or to maximize the ebike's energy use! You don't even need to know how to do a wheelie! Watch some of the cool bike tricks done by freestyle trials rider Julien Dupone demo'ing the new Audi e-bike:

I want to get my hands on one these and try out some of the tricks featured in Audi's bike video (via PRNewsWire) at the new Lahaina skatepark! Then again, I don't think those who make the rules for the Lahaina skate park will allow e-bikes any more than they permit other bikes. For now, we'll need to enjoy the e-bike tricks from Audi's bike video below:

Front View of the futuristic Audi e-bike.

Check out the Audi e-bike press release and a couple larger images. Use the comments below to let us know if you would rent one of these high performance e-bikes on Maui? OK, so we can't rent the newest e-bikes from Audi or Specialized yet. Our West Maui bike shop offers high performance road bike rentals and full suspension mountain bikes and Specialized HT 29'ers. It's easy to make a rental reservation: Just choose a bike, then pick it up at our West Maui bike shop.

Reserve a Bike Rental on Maui NOW!

2012 XTerra World Championship Updates from Maui

2012 XTerra run course kapalua maui

Before you know it, the XTerra World Championship will be happening on Maui on the 28th of October. With athletes like four time world champion Conrad 'the Caveman' Stoltz already on Maui training, you can bet the competition for the $20K prize for winnning the 2012 XTerra world championship will be intense! With the off-road triathlon in the second year at Kapalua, the 2012 XTerra championship courses have been modified and tweaked to challenge the athletes. Check out the new 2012 XTerra running course at the right!

With many of the XTerra athletes and fans beginning to arrive on Maui after competing in last weekend’s Ironman over on the Big Island of Hawaii, XTerra excitement in West Maui is growing by the day! Below, you’ll find more news and information about the 2012 XTerra championship.

For the XTerra World Championship athletes competing on Maui for the first time, the ocean swim can be a little intimidating when compared to the usual fresh water XTerra swimming courses. A water safety briefing has been made available from the Maui county lifeguards. You’ll find an updated XTerra course map with a run course profile after the Water Safety video:

Take a look at last week’s Maui bike blog article for details about how to watch the XTerra running and bike racing via the on course cameras and where to park (DT Flemming beach) for the XTerra. Use our list of 8 Tips for the 2012 XTerra World Championship and stop in our West Maui bike shop in Lahaina (click the link for directions with map).

The latest 2012 XTerra World Championship course with bike and running course profiles:

Maui XTerra 2012 world championship course map showing the run, swimming and biking courses.

The 2012 XTerra Run Course Profile:

Maui XTerra running course profile at Kapalua for 2012 world championship.

Use the comments section below to let us know who you think will win the 2012 XTerra. For a little help, take a look at Kahuna Dave’s predictions of who the Maui XTerra World Championship winners will be. Curious which athletes competed on Kona and are competing on Maui? Take a look at the Hawaiian Airlines ‘Doublers’ to find out!

Will you be on Maui for the 2012 XTerra World Championship? Bike rentals are going fast! For the best choice of XTerra bike rentals on Maui, be sure to reserve your rental bike ahead of time. Choose your bike rental, specify the bike size and dates you’ll be renting. Your bike rental will be ready and waiting for you to pick up at our bike shop in Lahaina, West Maui Cycles. Make a Maui bicycle rental reservation NOW:

Reserve a Bike Rental

Maui Bicycle Vacation for Mountain Biking, with Bike Video

Looking for a little adventure on your next Maui vacation? Don't really feel like doing another bike ride down the volcano? The now defunct sugar cane and pineapple fields above west Maui offer a great opportunity to experience Maui mountain biking while remaining near the Kaanapali resorts. The dirt roads left in the fields from the old cane trucks hauling cane can be challenging single track trails for a mountain bike ride on Maui, especially after a little rain.

Watch this West Maui mountain biking video for a little sample of a mountain bike ride experience on Maui (aprox 7 min - we recommend mute the sound):

Full suspension Mountain bike rental on Maui

Convinced riding mountain bikes during a bicycle vacation on Maui would be the perfect activity to add a little adventure for days you aren't relaxing in the sun at one of the beautiful beaches on Maui? Then get your plane ticket, pack your bike shoes, riding pants and gloves. Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing: Renting a mountain bike on Maui is very easy! However, you should make a bike rental reservation before you arrive on Maui. By reserving a mountain bike rental on Maui before arriving, you'll be assured of the best selection to choose from full suspension or maybe a Specialized Comp 29'er Hardtail like several of the riders used at the XTerra world championships on Maui in Kapalua. West Maui Cycles mountain bikes are maintained and managed by our professional bike techs.

Review our rental bikes for Maui bicycle vacations.

Not ready to make your bicycle rental reservation on Maui just yet? Still looking for more information on where to ride a mountain bike on Maui or Haleakala mountain bike trails map? We welcome comments about the article with video above and we'll answer your Maui bicycle questions if you leave them in the comments area below. Or, subscribe to our Maui Hawaii bike blog to keep up with the latest Maui bicycle community rides and information.

3 Maui Mountain Bike Rentals Compared

Image of a professional bike mechanics ride on a West Maui mountain bike trail.

We know it can be tough trying to decide which Maui mountain bike rental to choose for that long awaited cycling vacation in Hawaii! The decision becomes more difficult when you need to pick from several high performance Specialized mountain bikes. At least knowing the rental bike you select is maintained by professional bike mechanics in our family owned bike shop will make it easy to decide the best Maui bike shop to rent from. However, choosing one of these mountain bikes to rent could be a tougher task. To help, use the mountain bike rental comparison chart below to narrow your choices between our three performance mountain bike rentals. Take a look at the specs and pertinent details for three of the best mountain bike rentals on Maui:

Stumpjumper Comp 29 HT	Stumpy FSR Comp 29	Stumpjumper FSR Comp
The aluminum Stumpjumper HT Comp 29 features an M5 manipulated alloy frame with an 80mm-travel RockShox Reba RL fork and custom SRAM 2x10 crankset for pro-level performance at a privateer price.	Built from an M5 hydroformed aluminum frame with 130mm of rear wheel travel, the Stumpy FSR Comp 29 includes a custom Fox Float CTD Evolution shock with AUTOSAG, Fox Float CTD Evolution air-sprung fork, and a custom SRAM 2x10 XC Trail drivetrain.	The M5 aluminum Stumpjumper FSR Comp has 140mm of plush and efficient FSR suspension, and is equipped with a custom Fox Float CTD Evolution shock with AUTOSAG, an air-sprung Fox Float CTD Evolution 140mm fork, and custom SRAM 2x10 XC Trail drivetrain.
FRAME:
M5 fully manipulated alloy, 29" geometry, tapered HT, PF30 BB, PM 140mm rear brake, 135mm dropouts, replaceable derailleur hanger	M5 hydroformed tubing, 29" geometry, tapered HT, PF30 BB, ISCG ’05, Command Post routing, 142mm dropouts, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, replaceable derailleur hanger, 130mm travel	M5 hydroformed tubing, tapered HT, PF30 BB, ISCG ’05, Command Post routing, 142mm dropouts, sealed cartridge bearing pivots, replaceable derailleur hanger, 140mm travel
SADDLE:
Speciallized Body Geometry Phenom Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mm	Specialized Body Henge Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mm	Body Geometry Henge Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mm
SEATPOST:
Specialized 2014 butted alloy, single bolt setback, 27.2mm, 15.5/17.5" 350mm; Others: 400mm	Specialized 2014 butted alloy, single bolt setback, 30.9mm, S/M: 350mm, Others: 400mm	Specialized 2014 butted alloy, single bolt setback, 30.9mm, S/M: 350mm, Others: 400mm
SEAT BINDER:
Specialized 7050 hard anodized alloy, 31.8mm, single bolt	34.9mm clamp, 7050 hard anodized alloy collar w/ QR, black	34.9mm clamp, 7050 hard anodized alloy collar w/ QR, black
REAR SHOCK:
N/A	Custom FOX Float CTD Evolution with AUTOSAG, Climb, Trail, Descend settings and rebound adj., 194x48mm	Custom FOX Float CTD Evolution with AUTOSAG, Climb, Trail, Descend settings and rebound adj., 194x51mm
FORK:
RockShox Reba RL 29, Solo air spring, alloy tapered crown/steerer, w/Lockout and rebound adj., QR, 15.5": 80mm, 17.5/19/21": 90mm travel	FOX Float CTD Evolution 29, air spring, tapered steerer, Climb, Trail, Descend settings and reb adj., 15mm thru-axle, 130mm travel	FOX Float CTD Evolution 26, air spring, tapered steerer, Climb, Trail, Descend settings and reb adj., 15mm thru-axle, 140mm travel
HEADSET:
1-1/8 and 1-1/2" threadless, Campy style upper with 1- 1/2" lower, cartridge bearings	1-1/8 and 1-1/2" threadless, Campy style upper with 1- 1/2" lower, cartridge bearings	1-1/8 and 1-1/2" threadless, Campy style upper with 1- 1/2" lower, cartridge bearings
STEM:
Specialized XC, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt, 31.8mm clamp, 6-degree rise, S: 75mm, M: 90mm, L: 100mm, XL: 110mm	Specialized XC Trail, 6061 alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree rise, 31.8mm	Specialized XC Trail, 6061 alloy, 4-bolt, 6-degree rise, 31.8mm
HANDLEBARS:
Specialized XC flat, 2014 butted alloy, 680mm wide, 8-degree backsweep, 31.8mm	Specialized XC Mini-Riser, 7050 butted alloy, 720mm wide, 10mm rise, 10-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep, 31.8mm	Specialized All-Mountain low-rise, 6061 butted alloy, 720mm wide, 8-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep, 31.8mm
GRIPS:
Specialized Sip Grip, half-waffle aramid-infused, S/M: Regular, Others: XL thickness	Specialized Sip Grip, half-waffle aramid-infused, S/M: Regular, Others: XL thickness	Specialized Sip Grip, half-waffle aramid-infused, S/M: Regular, Others: XL thickness
BRAKE LEVERS:
Custom Magura MTS, alloy master cylinder/lever blade, hollow lever pivot, reach adj.	Custom Avid Elixir 5 R SL, tool-less reach adj.	Custom Avid Elixir 5 R SL, tool-less reach adj.
FRONT BRAKE:
Custom Magura MTS, hydraulic disc, Hi Friction pad, alloy caliper, Storm SL rotor, 160mm rotor	Custom Avid Elixir 5 SL, hydraulic disc, alloy backed organic pads, HS-1 rotor. S/M: 180mm; L/XL 200mm rotor	Custom Avid Elixir 5 SL, hydraulic disc, alloy backed organic pads, HS-1 rotor. S/M: 180mm; L/XL 200mm rotor
REAR BRAKE:
Custom Magura MTS, hydraulic disc, Hi Friction pad, alloy caliper, Storm SL rotor, 160mm rotor	Custom Avid Elixir 5 SL, hydraulic disc, alloy backed organic pads, HS-1 rotor. S/M: 160mm; L/XL 180mm rotor	Custom Avid Elixir 5 SL, hydraulic disc, alloy backed organic pads, HS-1 rotor. S/M: 160mm; L/XL 180mm rotor
SHIFT LEVERS:
SRAM X7, 10-speed, w/MatchMaker clamp	SRAM X7, 10-speed, aluminum trigger, w/MatchMaker clamp	SRAM X7, 10-speed, aluminum trigger, w/MatchMaker clamp
CASSETTE:
SRAM PG-1030, 10-speed, 11-36	SRAM PG-1030, 10-speed, 11-36	SRAM PG-1030, 10-speed, 11-36
FRONT DERAILLEUR:
SRAM X7, 10-speed, 34.9 clamp, top pull	SRAM X7, 10-speed, S3 direct mount for DMD, bottom pull	SRAM X7, 10-speed, S3 direct mount for DMD, bottom pull
REAR DERAILLEUR:
SRAM X9 Type 2, 10-speed, mid cage	SRAM X9, 10-speed, mid cage, Type 2	SRAM X9, 10-speed, mid cage, Type 2
CHAIN:
KMC X10, nickel plate, reusable Missing Link	KMC X10, nickel plate, reusable Missing Link	MC X10, nickel plate, reusable Missing Link
CRANKSET:
Custom SRAM S-1250, 7050 alloy arms, 10-speed XC double, PF30 spindle, 15.5": 170mm, Others: 175mm	Custom SRAM S-1250, 10-speed XC Trail double w/alloy guard, PF30 spindle, S: 170mm, Others: 175mm	Custom SRAM S-1250, 10-speed XC Trail double w/alloy guard, PF30 spindle, S: 170mm, Others: 175mm
CHAINRINGS:
38/24	36/22, w/ alloy guard	36/24, w/ alloy guard
BOTTOM BRACKET:
SRAM PF30, OS press-in bearing, sealed cartridge	SRAM PF30, OS press-in bearing, sealed cartridge	SRAM PF30, OS press-in bearing, sealed cartridge
PEDALS:
Resin Test Ride Pedals with toe clips, CEN std.	Resin Test Ride Pedals with toe clips, CEN std.	Resin Test Ride Pedals with toe clips, CEN std.
RIMS:
Roval 29, alloy disc, 26mm wide, 32h	Roval 29, alloy disc, 26mm wide, 32h	Roval 26, alloy disc, 26mm wide, 32h
FRONT HUB:
Specialized Hi Lo disc, OS28 end caps, sealed cartridge bearing, QR, 32h	Specialized Hi Lo disc, sealed cartridge bearing, 15mm thru-axle, 32h	Specialized Hi Lo disc, sealed cartridge bearing, 15mm thru-axle, 32h
REAR HUB:
Specialized Hi Lo disc, double-sealed cartridge bearing, QR, 32h	New Specialized Hi Lo disc, 4x-sealed cartridge bearing, 142mm spacing, 12mm thru-axle, 32h	New Specialized Hi Lo disc, 4x-sealed cartridge bearing, 142mm spacing, 12mm thru-axle, 32h
SPOKES:
DT Swiss Industry, stainless, 14g	DT Industry, 2.0 stainless	DT Industry, 2.0 stainless
FRONT TIRE:
S-Works Fast Trak, 2Bliss Ready, 120 TPI, aramid bead, 29x2.0"	Specialized Purgatory Control, 2Bliss Ready, 60TPI, aramid bead, 29x2.3"	Specialized Purgatory Control, 2Bliss Ready, 60TPI, aramid bead, 26x2.3"
REAR TIRE:
Specialized Fast Trak Control, 2Bliss Ready, 60 TPI, aramid bead, 29x2.0"	Specialized Ground Control, 2Bliss Ready, 60TPI, aramid bead, 29x2.3"	Specialized Ground Control, 2Bliss Ready, 60TPI, aramid bead, 26x2.3"
INNER TUBES:
Ultralight presta	Ultralight presta	Ultralight presta

Grab this Maui mountain bike rentals comparison chart(PDF version).

In addition to the mountain bike rentals compared above, our mountain bike rental fleet includes the Cannondale Quick CX 4 Hybrid and Specialized Crosstrail bikes. Road bike riders won't be disappointed in our Maui road bike rentals, Specialized Roubaix Comact SRAM Rival. And, Electra bike cruiser rentals are available.

If you need help choosing a mountain bike or deciding the bicycle rental size, call the Lahaina bike shop at 808-661-9005. You may leave questions in the comments section below. Get Maui biking info on Twitter and Facebook. Have a great time biking on Maui! Ready to make a Maui bicycle rental reservation?

Maui Bicycle Rental Reservation

How to Ship a Bike to Maui – Do’s and Don'ts and Costs to Consider

The assembled 1940 era vintage schwinn assembled after shipping the bike to Maui.

At the end of August, I stopped at my mom’s house in Indiana and fell in love with the bicycle from my childhood all over again. Almost like an old romantic flame, seeing my first bike rekindled long forgotten happy boyhood memories. As I suppose it is with many pre-teen youth, acquiring my first full size bicycle was my first real taste of freedom. When I saw my old bike again, my head was flooded with visions from my youth as I remembered the fun and thrills of riding my first bicycle.

Vintage cruiser axle and chain after shipping the bicycle to Maui.

I instantly recalled the gliding feeling experienced cruising around on the old bikes big balloon tires. I wondered if the old bike tires would still hold air? In those early days, a bike seemed to make the world smaller, giving me an ability to travel further from home than just the few blocks I could walk and do it much quicker. I remember my mom telling me I could ride anywhere in the neighborhood but not to go here or there. And of course, I was told to always follow the rules of the road and be cautious on my bike. Even with those warnings and boundaries, my first bike was the instrument that expanded my freedom fastest. I suppose a child getting a first bike is a cultural rite of passage to some degree. After all, a bike enables you to choose the path to ride and get there as quickly or leisurely as you want. But I digress; you wanted to learn how to ship a bike to Maui, not why I shipped my bike to Maui!

A bike shipping box ready for shipping a bicycle to Maui.

For years, I’ve been hearing ‘get this old bike out of my garage’ and ‘I set the bike in the front yard and tried to sell it for $50.’ Then, an uncle started emailing me images of the bike and a few notes about the research he had performed. He had discovered the bike from my youth to be a pre-war vintage bike, a Schwinn estimated to be from some time in the 40’s. After seeing the bike images, I realized I needed to decide if I wanted the bike from my childhood and if I did I’d better figure out how to ship the bike to Maui and get it done while visiting. Since I provide marketing for our local Lahaina bike shop, West Maui Cycles, I’m fairly familiar with the problems and costs of shipping a bike to Maui on the airline you are traveling to as cargo. At first I considered shipping the bike on the airline I was flying and realized flying from a small airport may not be the easiest way to ship the bike to Maui. After calling the local air carrier, an express version of one of the large carriers, I lost confidence of their willingness or ability to ship the bike from the small airport. So, I began learning more details and options for shipping a bike to Maui using a third party carrier.

The bike frame boxed and ready for bike shipping to Maui.

First, I needed to determine if the bike warranted shipping it to Hawaii. Though the bike sounded as if it were in near road ready riding condition, I needed to verify the value of the bike was worth more than my sentimental values and as my wife requested, "at least the costs of shipping the bike to Maui". Though I already knew the bike’s value if it were sold, I still needed to find out how much time and how much it would cost to ship my bike to Maui. After a few quick Internet searches, I quickly found a company that specializes in shipping bikes anywhere in the world. ShipBikes.com advertises hassle free bike shipping door to door anywhere in the world and even sells and delivers bike shipping boxes! Since shipping to Maui wasn’t part of the online model setup, I phoned the company and found their staff to be more than willing to help me figure everything out. I needed to decide if getting a box from the local bike dealer was practical or if I should purchase a box. I opted to purchase a bike box, an ‘ebikeshipper’ container and had the box delivered to my mother’s home in Indiana. Cost for bike box with shipping: $52.95. ($34.95 + $18 for the box and Ground Shipping from Chicago area to northern Indiana).

Foam tubing on bike frame before bicycle shipping to Maui.

When I arrived in northern Indiana, my Mom noted she didn’t think the bike box would possibly be able to hold the bike I wanted to ship. I explained the box was a shipping box containing another bike shipping box. After assembling the box and reading through the detailed packing instructions, I began disassembling my bike. To accommodate the bike fitting within the box, I needed to remove the pedals, seat, seat post, bike handle bars, and tires with wheel assemblies and then place all in the box. The cruiser also had fenders I needed to remove and ship along with the bike. I had to leave the basket behind. Though the helpful folks at shipbikes.com had assured me the bike would fit in the bike shipping box, I was still concerned the bike shipping box may not fit my old vintage cruiser bike. After taking the bike apart, I packed the bike into the box. Disassembling the bike took approximately three hours, including a little extra time to free old frozen bolts and to hacksaw through one frozen screw on the chain guard.

How to ship a bicylce to Maui with bike packed in bike shipping box.

First, I placed the disassembled bike frame in the box and using the provided tie straps to secure the bike frame to the box. As the photo displays, I added foam heat duct tubing I had purchased at Lowes for approximately $5.00. After placing the seat post, pedals and a few other loose parts into a plastic bag, I secured the bag of accessories to the bike shipping box too. Next, I packed newspapers around the frame layer to fill out remaining spaces. I placed a layer of cardboard on top of the bike frame layer and then fitted the bike fenders and wheels into the box. I used the original shipping box to cover everything with another layer and added a shipping label before closing the ebike shipping box. The bike box was sealed with packing tape before being loaded into the back of my mom’s jeep with the rear seat down. We dropped the box at fed ex and was informed the bike would be delivered to Maui in about a week. Later in the day, ShipBikes.com provided updated tracking details via email.

Shipping a bike to Maui can be hazardous as this bike punched through the bike shipping box.

A week later, the bike arrived to West Maui Cycles. Nothing went wrong except for the rear axle covering not protecting the axle and punching through the bike box and cardboard liners during shipping. Fortunately, nothing was damaged. The issue was due more to the vintage bike using an old style axle rather than the new type the bikeshipper axle protective covers are intended for. Or, maybe it was due to my ignorance on installing with my old cruiser bike…. Either way, no damage and the bike shipment to Maui arrived safely!

As the images below show, I reversed the bike packing process and began unpacking the bike.  Though I’m certainly no bike mechanic and I invested time cleaning the components and spokes, another few hours were spent unpacking the bike and re-assembling everything.

Total Costs to Ship a Bike to Maui: $304.70

Costs of Bike Shipping Box: $52.95

Foam Plumbing Tubes for Packing: $5.50

Packing Tape: $3.25

Bicycle Shipping Cost to Maui: $243. (includes $10 for insurance)

Specialized high performance road bike rental on Maui.

Since I was shipping the bike to Maui for my long term use, my reasons and purposes were probably different than yours. But, for the costs involved and time spent, I would skip shipping a bike to Maui and instead ride a bike rental from West Maui Cycles! Yes, I may be biased. Since I just did the work spending a few hours first taking the bike apart and packing it up in Indiana, then unpacking and assembling it here on Maui, unless you are going to use the bike long term or must ride your own bike during your cycling vacation on Maui, I strongly recommend getting a rental bike on Maui! Enjoy the time you’ll save packing and shipping your bike by taking a Maui bike ride or relaxing on your Maui cycling vacation instead of shipping a bike to Maui!

Thanks again to West Maui Cycles Lahaina bike shop for receiving the bike shipment on Maui!

A 2012 West Maui Loop Bike Ride Video from the Whistler Bike Company

We always enjoy seeing bike videos posted by Maui visitors. Recently, a team of riders from Canadian Whistler Bike Company came to Maui and enjoyed a road ride around the West Maui Loop:

Maui bike ride on the West Maui Loop.

These fellas made their ride more challenging since they added about 60 miles round trip to their West Maui loop ride with a South Maui starting point in Kehei. You'll see how much fun the riders enjoyed and the bike video captures some of the scenery from the West Maui Loop (3 minutes):

Thanks to Whistler Bike Company for sharing your bike video experience from your ride on Maui. Be sure to stop and visit us in our West Maui bike shop the next time you are in Hawaii!

Are you up for the challenging West Maui loop road bike ride? Our Specialialized Roubaix road bike rentals are available through our online bike rental reservation system or by calling the bike shop at (808)661-9005. Looking for another challenge during your Maui cycling vaction? How about the longest continuous uphill road bike ride in the world? It doesn't matter if you want to attempt riding up Haleakala on a Specialized performance road bike rental or a mountain bike, check out our Maui bicycle rental fleet and reserve a Maui bike rental now:

Reserve my Maui Bike Rental Now!

The Maui Bike Rental Fleet Grows Again with Cannondale Hybrid Bikes

The Cannondale Quick CX 4 hybrid bike rental on Maui.

Got a cycling vacation on Maui planned and trying to figure out which bike to rent? Whether you are looking for a hybrid bike rental like the Cannondale Quick CX 4 pictured to the right, the best high performance road bike rental on Maui or a full suspension mountiain bike for the XTerra World Championships, West Maui Cycles Lahaina bike shop has you covered with our ever expanding bike rental fleet!

More new rental bikes arrived and were added to the  fleet of rental bicycles available at our West Maui bike shop in Lahaina. This time, we have a Cannondale Quick CX4 hybrid rental bike.

Cannondale CX4 Hybrid Bicycle Rental Features:

• All new Mountain Bike Inspired Frame - For 2013, the Quick CX gets an all-new lighter frame with more pronounced SAVE features and a smaller diameter 27.2 seatpost for a smoother ride.
• OverSized HeadTube - Junction Massive 1.5" Si headtube is connected to an oversized top tube and down tube for a level of steering precision and control usually found only on the World Cup Circuit.
• Custom Forks - For off-road control and on-road comfort, most Quick CXs are equipped with 50mm-travel, 1.5" steerer suspension forks, including the radically light and stiff HeadShok DL50.

Specs on the Cannondale Quick CX 4 Hybrid Bike Rental:

The Cannondale Quick C 4 Hybrid bike renal at West Maui Cycles in Lahaina.

• Frame - Quick CX Rigid, Optimized 6061 alloy, SAVE, 1-1/8" head tube
• Fork - Fatty Rigid Disc, alloy, 1-1/8" steerer
• Crank - Shimano M171 48/38/28
• Bottom Bracket - Tange Cartridge
• Shifters - Shimano M191, 31.8 clamp
• Cog Set - Sunrace CSG66 11-32, 8 spd
• Chain - KMC Z51, 8-speed
• Front Derailleur - Shimano M191, 31.8 clamp
• Rear Derailleur - Shimano Acera
• Rims - Maddux DC3.0, double wall w/eyelet, 32 hole
• Hubs - Cannondale C4
• Tires - Kenda Happy Medium, 700x35c
• Pedals - Quick CX Reinforced Composite
• Brake - Tektro Novela mechanical disc
• Handlebar - Cannondale C4, 6061, 25mm rise, 640mm
• Stem - Cannondale C4, 1-1/8", 31.8, 12 deg
• Headset - Tange 1-1/8"
• Spokes - Stainless Steel XD Black, 15g
• Grips - Cannondale Ergo Performance
• Saddle -Cannondale Quick CX Ergo
• Seat Post -Cannondale C4, alloy, 31.6 x 350 mm

This Cannondale Quick CX 4 hybrid rental bike would be great for riding on the Polipoli mountain biking trails or a fun Maui bike ride on the Lahaina to Olowalu Petroglyphs bike route. You'll get to test the road riding capabilities of this hybrid rental bike as well as the mountain bike setup on the single track trail ride out to the petroglyphs at Olowalu. Once you are done exploring the historic petroglyph site, restore your energy with a sandwich or fresh pie from Leaodas Pie Shop before you ride back on the road to Lahaina. Leave enough time on your ride for an ocean swim at one of the beach parks along the scenic bike route in West Maui! Pick out a bicyle and make a bike rental reservation NOW for your Maui cycling vacation:

reserve-a-maui-bicycle-rental

2012 XTERRA at Kapalua and the Cycle to the Sun Bicycle Races on Maui

The Kapalua Bike Trails and Run Courses for the XTerra World Championships.

Are you an XTERRA off road triathlon fan? Are you planning a bicycle trip to Maui for the 2012 XTERRA World Championship? After last year's move from Makena to the Kapalua Resort in West Maui, the 17th XTERRA World Championship returns to Kapalua on Sunday, Oct 28, 2012.

You'll barely be finished watching the Olympic mountain bike races in England before the 2012 XTERRA weekend of off road triathlon and bicycling on Maui! The week leading up to the XTERRA World Championship on Sunday is always exciting for Maui visitors attending XTERRA and local Maui cycling enthusiasts alike! Check out the XTerra trail maps or the XTerra bike and run profiles. Then, continue reading (after the vids) for info about a couple other upcoming Maui cycling events.

Still not convinced you should book a Maui cycling vacation for the 2012 XTerra at Kapalua? Check out the 2011 XTerra World Championship Course Preview Videos to convince yourself. Use the bike blog comments to let us know if you think the course for the moutain bike trails or the XTERRA run and bike course profiles at Kapalua will be difficult?

Prior to the XTerra World Championships on Sunday October 28, Kapalua is hosting a weekend of XTerra events including The Kapalua 5/10 Trail Run and Keiki K on Saturday. Recently signed, TS Restaurants renewed their title sponsorship for the 2012 XTERRA events on Maui. Don't miss the Keiki K for kids 10 and under. Sign up and run in The Hula Grill XTerra 5K Trail Run or The Duke's Beach House XTerra 10K Trail Run.Read the XTERRA Planet news release about TS Restaurants 2012 XTERRA title sponsorship.

Maui county island of Lanai Triathlon TriLanai logo

After the XTERRA World Championships on Maui, may as well stay another weekend and make it two Maui biking weekends in a row with the TriLanai Off Road Sprint Triathlon. The event is held across the channel from Lahaina on Maui's neighbor island of Lanai the weekend following the XTerra World Championships on Maui. Many of the XTerra participants, fans, sponsors and volunteers head to Lanai for a more relaxed TriLanai triathlon. The TriLanai triathlon features a .5 mile swim, a 10 mile mountain bike course and a 3 mile run. Go to the TriLanai Lanai Triathlon website for details and entry forms. Get a bike rental at West Maui Cycles in Lahaina and take the bike on the Lanai Ferry for only $10 each way. Even if you don't compete, mountain biking the Munroe Trail is a blast!

Though no bike component for this event, a tuneup running event on Lanai takes place this coming weekend with the TriLanai City Walk Run for half marathoners and shorter distance runners compete in 21K,/ 10K and 5K events. All events start and end at Dole Park in Lanai City.

Ready for the ultimate Haleakala bike ride challenge? The annual Cycle to the Sun Maui cycling event is coming up in a few weeks at the end of August. Cyclists from around the globe will descend on Maui to compete in the Cycle to the Sun bike race. Who will be first to the top of the longest steepest paved road climb on the planet? The 2012 Cycle to the Sun takes place on Saturday, Aug 25, 2012 and begins at 6:30 am.

If you'll be biking on Maui during any of these events, be sure to reserve a Maui rental bicycle. Our West Maui Cycles bike shop in Lahaina is stocked with Maui bike jerseys, bike water bottles and bike logo gear to remember your Maui cycling vacations. As you would expect from a full service bicycle shop, in addition to bicycle parts, bike gear and performing bike repairs, we rent high performance road bikes and mountain bikes. For high performance Maui road bike rentals, we offer the Specialized Roubiax SRAM Rival Carbon Fiber. If you want to ride a hardtail during the 2012 XTerra World Championships at Kapalua, a Specialized SumpJumper HT 29'er bike rental is the Maui bike rental for you! We've already booked a few bike rental reservations for XTERRA 2012 - Reserve your bike rental on Maui NOW!

Make Reservations for Maui Bicycle Rentals