Haleakala Downhill Bike Tour Self-guided Ride With Maui Sunriders

Great for outdoor activities, wonderful view . Be prepared to go down hill fast. Friendly staff we a lot of suggestions and support

This was truly a highlight of our trip! The views as you come down the switchbacks is breath taking, plan on stopping to take pics. We were lucky and rode down through clouds, which just increased the experience. The owner and employees were so much fun to ride with and chat with.

Totally fun. Like the Haleakala Sunrise Bike Tour, except for the freezing and the sunrise, of course

Guides (Remy, especially) were so friendly and knowledgeable. We loved the personal touches and recommendations!

We booked the self-guided downhill bicycle tour with Maui Sunriders. The guides were polite, knowledgeable, and helpful, and the bicycles and other equipment were in good condition. Safety was clearly a priority, and the staff took time to explain the route and its potential hazards. Unfortunately, despite these positive aspects, the overall experience was disappointing in several respects. The ride begins at approximately 6,000 feet on Haleakalā. One might reasonably expect a relatively continuous downhill bicycle ride through some of Maui's beautiful scenery. That isn't what we experienced. After riding for approximately 20 minutes, we had to stop, load the bicycles onto a van, and be transported around a section of the route where cycling is restricted. Apparently, complaints from local residents and motorists frustrated by cyclists contributed to the closure. This interruption made the experience feel disjointed. Instead of enjoying a continuous descent, we found ourselves repeatedly getting in and out of the van as the tour progressed. Getting in and out of the van several times is another consideration, particularly for older participants. People with mobility limitations, arthritis, or back problems may find the repeated climbing in and out uncomfortable or challenging. This is something prospective customers should know before booking. Although advertised as a downhill experience, the route also includes two uphill sections. These may not be especially challenging for experienced cyclists, but they are worth mentioning, particularly for older participants or those expecting a leisurely downhill ride. The road itself demands considerable attention. There are sharp turns, sections with limited visibility, and cars and trucks sharing the road with cyclists. Some motorists appear irritated and impatient with bicycle riders, which adds another element of concern. Cows can also wander onto the road, so riders need to remain alert even when no animals are visible. Condensation and potentially slippery cattle grates present additional hazards. These conditions require considerable concentration, leaving less opportunity to appreciate the surrounding landscape. One of the principal attractions of bicycling down Haleakalā is the scenery, but I found that much of my attention was devoted to navigating the road safely. There were also aspects of the guides' interactions with passengers that I found uncomfortable. While it's understandable that they want to create a friendly atmosphere, asking passengers to introduce themselves and share personal information should be optional. Not everyone enjoys speaking about themselves in front of strangers. Those who prefer to remain quiet should be allowed to do so without being pressed to participate. I was also uncomfortable with a guide's solicitation of tips in the range of 15–20%. Gratuities should be voluntary expressions of appreciation, not something passengers feel pressured to provide. None of these criticisms should obscure the positive contributions of the staff. They were courteous, informative, and attentive to safety. The equipment was good, and the company appeared to take its responsibilities seriously. Nevertheless, the interruptions, uphill sections, traffic hazards, repeated transfers in and out of the van, and need for constant concentration diminished what I had anticipated would be a scenic and enjoyable downhill bicycle ride. Other visitors may enjoy the experience more, particularly those who are comfortable cycling on winding roads with vehicle traffic. For us, it was an interesting experience, but not one I would consider a must-do activity on Maui.

Wonderful experience! Our guide Remy was the best. He was very helpful and knowledgeable about everything including the island of Maui Do not hesitate to book this biking tour

Great time, views were beautiful, really slow speed to take it all in. I was able scared at first. Ty

Had a wonderful experience! Great weather and the logistics were handled very streamlined by the guides and shop personnel. Our guide was Kanji and he was great! Couldn’t hear some of what he was saying on the way up because we were clear in the back of the van and the speaker wasn’t picking it up real well. The only disappointing thing somewhat is that we couldn’t ride the whole original route because of the newer county rules so the ride turned out to be around 14.75 miles in total. Also, we ended up not getting much time in the town we stopped at in the 2nd portion of the ride…not sure if this was because of how much time we lost on the loading and unloading for the portion we couldn’t ride through…?

Excellent trip with high quality equipment and excellent guides!

Ride in group van as driver entertained us with his riding and life experiences Gave good briefing and historical significance of the area. Bicycles were very simple in design and easy to operate. No gears at all and mostly coasting down hill. Riders’ main activity was to steer and brake while staying 30 feet away from others. Staff were friendly and organized. We joined a great group of folks interested in cycling the area. Glad we did this excursion!

5* for our guide Mathias and the preparation and experience of the company. The bikes were good and we felt readied for the adventure when we reached the start of the ride. Opted for gloves - recommend since lots of breaking. Nice lunch break midway. And visual arts center was worth a stop.

This was exhilarating, highlight of our trip to Maui. Bike guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining.

Wonderful bike ride! Enjoyed the views and seeing the towns along the way. Our guides were amazing-very helpful and provided a lot of information about the area.

Our tour guide Remi was outstanding. He was knowledgeable and entertaining throughout the whole experience. Highly recommended.

What a fun ride with amazing views along the way. This is our second time doing it with this group. Highly recommend!

I could not believe how amazingly knowledgeable Matthias was with our group and the facts about Hawaii and the islands in general. It enhance the experiencebecause a lot of the time you’re in a van going to the top of the mountain. Also, the bikes are top-notch and the brakes are so effective and they work really well. If you’re nervous about this trip, you might think twice about going because you may just be riding your brakes all the way down the mountain and that might not be fun for you. But either way, choose to do this because the views are absolutely incredible as you can see from my pictures. These guys are so focused on safety that it really is operator error if you have any problems with your downhill trip. The whole thing for me took about an hour, but I stopped for a tequila tasting so that it was around two hours and 15 minutes before I reached the very end of the ride. That also works out too because the lunch after the ride was fantastic. Paia!

Our family of 6 did the downhill ride in its Matisse. We had an amazing time. Lots of history and stories on the way up which we thoroughly enjoyed. Then Matisse made sure we were all outfitted and comfortable for our downhill trip. We absolutely loved the views and the ride. Lunch stop in Makawao was super fun/ we had a great lunch at Freshies and we able to do a little shopping. Thanks for an amazing day.

From the start, we were impressed. Lizzy picked us up outside the port and brought us to the shop where we had time to use the restroom. Kanji equipped us with helmet, gloves, and the correct size bike. The bikes are excellent and perfect for this 14 mile downhill ride where you are using your brakes almost the entire time! The fee was reasonable for the experience. The atmosphere was gorgeous and Kanji provided us with a great amount of relevant present day info and historical information about the island before dropping us off to start the ride. He also gave a thorough safety briefing. The crowd size was perfect and right before we started, he had us introduce ourselves which was actually nice. The length of the tour was the perfect amount of time. I would definitely recommend this tour and would absolutely do it again. I want to add in that every employee was very professional and kind, not just Lizzy and Kanji. This is a great company.

I was really nervous to do this, but decided to go with my husband anyway. It was a lot of fun even though I’m not a great bicyclist. It was tense at times, but certainly worth the effort. I felt like this company was concerned for our safety and were very attentive.

It was a great experience! I was worried about the downhill bike ride speed, but I was able to go at a speed that was comfortable for me. The guide was amazing and made the trip up enjoyable. Would definitely recommend.

It looks a lot more scary going up than it really is coming down! I thought about backing it more than once in the way up because of the inclines and sharp turns. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t have to be a Tour de France cyclist to handle it coming down!

Great tour! Naro is a great guide! A must-do excursion if you've never done this before.

Great trip! REMI was fantastic!

Fun bike ride, pretty much all downhill so not a ton of exercise, but a beautiful ride. Our guide Remi was great. The brakes worked well on the bikes but would have liked for them to have at least a couple of gears for the few times we went uphill. You pedaled and went nowhere, like less than first gear. Really fun experience though.

Such a cool experience! The views going downhill were amazing and the items that were provided (wind breaker, backpack, biking gloves, helmet) helped me feel equipped for the experience.

A great opportunity to see beautiful scenery while riding. Lizzy was a great driver and was very knowledgable. I plan on doing this again the next time we visit your beautiful Island.

Very organized. Bikes were well maintained. Downhill ride - So much fun!

Beautiful ride down a VOLCANO! Awesome guides, comfy bikes, & all the gear. It was fun to have about an hour to stop for lunch in Makawao. Highly recommend—rain or shine. The views!

Terrific guides & an amazing trek down a volcano. What else can you ask for!

In the description that we had read on Viator, it seemed that we could cycle all the way down, but we do have to stop and get picked up by the van and then take him to another drop off spot midway through. This had something to do with the residence not being able to get past bikers and different frustrations of how bikers were trading residents' properties in the past.. It was still fun, but do be aware that you won't be cycling all the way down. Justin was great as a guide, and Remy provided an excellent tutorial on staying safe. I found this particularly helpful cuz it's been awhile since I've been on the bike.

Fun ride. Biking is great and the views of the island were amazing. Remi, our guide, made everything enjoyable .

This is a Very Simple St., Ford. Amazing thing to do the guide gives a very informative talk on the drive up the mountain then you come down the mountain as fast as you like. The bicycles are very safe. Good quality in the breaking feel secure so at any level, you would enjoy this. Our guide Remi and the entire staff, quite frankly, were great!!

This is an amazing mountain bike trip down the Haleakala Volcano! Matthias was our guide & was very knowledgeable. He educated us on everything that we passed (land, homes, businesses) & gave us great lunch recommendations. Wear a jacket & gloves!

Our second time with Maui Sunriders, and both were excellent. Bikes were in great condition. Maui County has just resurfaced the roads. Everything was great. Then we got lunch at Haliamale General Store which is relatively in the neighborhood. A great Maui day.

I was a bit nervous. The road is quite steep, but the bikes were well maintained and I road that break all the way down. :) it was so beautiful and fun. The towns are quaint, with wonderful dining options. It was a really fun adventure.

really fun an pretty, Ride and commentary from MAttias is super interesing

This was an amazing ride down the side of Maui’s biggest mountain. Our tour guide was very informative and very helpful. Watch out for the free range cows, though!

Maui Sunriders is the best. All the employees are great to work with. Friendly, knowledgeable and professional. I had a fantastic time on the downhill self paced tour. Our guide showed points of interest and encouraged us to explore and take our time. What an awesome time!

This was fast and fun. I wish we could have gone into the volcano park. We were able to go at our own pace and stop for eats. It's worth doing once

Our guide was extremely personable and gave a great driving tour of the area on the way up. The ride was stunning! Lots of time to explore the towns and shops, grab food along the way, and just soak in the scenery. I would absolutely be back again!

How friendly. How efficient. How they made us feel prepared. How they told us some Maui history along the way. Ask for Remy!

We had a great time! Highly recommend. I forgot to write a review sooner:(

Our experience was good. The tour guides were very helpful and supportive and was willing to help with whatever we needed. It went over all the rules. They were great.

This is an amazing ride! Remy is funny and has great info and good recommendations, food and places to see.

Had a good time with our guide Remi. It was a beautiful morning and they gave us great tops to have a successful ride down the mountain. It was a bit scary for this 55+ couple with limited downhill experience but we had a good day. Recommend it.

Great group of staff. We had a great time and learned a lot along the way. I am not sure what else to say but you need to try it.

Top notch crew! I'll just warn you that even if its warm in Paia, its probably very cold up on the volcano. Wear jeans and a hoodie. They offer gloves and windbreakers--take them as well. If you don't use them, they can stay in the van. Trust me, my fingers were numb and a hoodie wasn't enough. Great time though and great service.

This is a very exhilarating tour!! We had a group of 4 of us....myself and my husband and our 2 friends. This was a "birthday trip" for our friend so even though my friend and I were a "bit" apprehensive we knew we had to do it to honor our friend's birthday!! Remy did an amazing job explaining everything!! Even though we were frightened, he was so calm and friendly so we got on the bike! It was truly exhilarating and sooo fabulous!! We had done the road to Hana the day before so we knew some of the terrain but riding down on a bike is a totally different experience!! Maui Sunriders gives you a helmet, gloves, backpack and even a wind breaker. You bike down about 6 1/2 miles, get back in the van for about 15 minutes, and then back on the bike for another 9. We did the trip pretty quick because we wanted to have lunch in Pai'a and get back to our condo but you can be as leisurely as you like after that middle stop. You just need to be back at the shop by 1:45. The town of Pai'a is adorable so save some time to hang there for a bit!! Thank you Remy and team! It was fabulous!!

Had an absolutely perfect day. Great crew! Roy made the drive up the mountain enjoyable. Bikes were well maintained. Safety instructions were well provided and drivers on the road were respectful.