Maui Haleakala Self Paced Downhill Bike Tour With Mountain Riders

Joe, Mike, and Nani were down to Earth and nice guides! We met at the office in Paia, signed waivers then were driven about 45 min up the mountain. We had safety briefing and then were on our way. You can either stay with the guide or go at your own pace. We were able to go twice since they are no longer allowed to start at very top of Haleakala since 2007. We stopped in Makawao town for a snack then continued downhill back to Paia where the office is. Try it! An awesome experience!

This is an experience of a lifetime but not for the faint of heart! Just ask our tour guide, Mike!!! Mike was fantastic! Well versed in all things Maui and a very good guide. He will keep you safe and you will have a blast! Highly recommend this tour!! You won’t regret it!

Fun, one of a kind experience. Definitely focused on the bike ride vs. history of volcano etc. be prepared to ride 20-30 mph down a nicely paved road. (That caught me a bit off guard). But I did it twice without pressure to be the fastest. Weather was bad so we didn’t get to see what I imagine from other pictures would be beautiful scenery. 40 minutes spent in small town was fun to poke in and out of shops. Rained so hard we ended up not riding the road back to the start, even though they gave us the option.

The ride is fantastic! Beautiful scenery and just plain fun to navigate the hairpin turns on the road. They allowed us to ride the top part twice which was nice, but not terribly long. We could have ridden much further down before stopping to go around the town. The bikes are very simple beach cruisers with adapted brakes. Comfortable and easy to ride, but definitely low tech. Our driver was very knowledgeable about the whole area and its history.

We had a great day on the Haleakala bike tour. The driver & guide were great & very knowledgeable. We had booked the self guided tour and another couple on the tour booked the guided tour but our guides let us do the guided tour for our first ride; once we were more comfortable and got used to the bikes & ride we were able to do the second ride self guided. Stopped in a beautiful artsy town for coffee and snacks and ended the ride in Paia, another very charming little town. Highly recommend this tour!

Horrible experience. I do not recommend using this company. Their communication skills are egregious. They will ignore you and if you try and contact them about any problems, they will threaten you.

The Haleakala downhill bike adventure had its pros and cons. First the Pros. The biking itself down a 6 mile switchback section of the road to the volcano and then back up again for a 4 mile repeat was great fun! Joe was a good guide who explained the rules and options clearly. We enjoyed the opportunity to go at our own pace rather than stay with the guided group. The bikes were sturdy and brakes were good! Overall great fun. Cons. When at the meeting point/ office and after signing waivers we were told to use the facilities as it would be a couple of hours before we would see another bathroom. There was a port-a-potty they said was new or to use the bathroom which was accessible from outside into the basement area. The bathroom was DISGUSTING! I’m a country girl who has seen a lot and it was gross. My husband said the port-a-potty was full and gross as well. Secondly when we were given the biking safety rules and Joe was going over them, the final point was that a 15-20% gratuity based on the full excursion price was the expectation. A little too bold we thought. When in the vans my husband noticed neither of the bike trailers had working signal lights which he told the drivers about, to which they said they knew but gave a shrug like it wasn’t a big deal. The van that we were in had problems with the main door so that it couldn’t be opened from the inside which we thought was rather unsafe. It gave the impression that that maintenance and upkeep was not a priority. We cycled the last 4 mile section back to the headquarters and turned in our bikes and helmets which were loaded right back into the trailers ready for the next group. Afterwards we wondered if there was any sanitation protocol for the helmets? We were doubtful given that they were loaded right back into the transport vans. These are full face shields that are padded. Some disinfectant spray should have been applied after every usage and left out to air/dry. In hindsight we thought that fit the pattern of attention to cleanliness and maintenance that we observed. I hope we were wrong about that. So to conclude the experience itself was fun but I think the company could make a few improvements for a higher stand of professionalism.

Tour guides were fun. Views were amazing. Ride was a thrill. The snacks they mentioned were just a small water bottle and granola bar. The restroom at the top of the ride consists of bushes. The stop in Makawao could have been a little longer.

This was the first time doing this adventure. It came highly recommended and I agree. Rory was our tour guide and driver. Check in was very easy. Rory is a wealth of information and just a really fun guy, as well as a safe driver. It was so much fun doing the switch backs down the mountain. We got to do to go back up after the first ride and we definitely wanted to go again. I believe this is the only company that does this. The second time down is much faster and fun as you aren't as worried as you were the first time. We then stopped in Makawao for a food & shopping break. Afterwards, we rode down to the base shop. This was so much fun and highly recommend doing it. Can't wait to go back & do it again

Did you ever bike when the clouds were below you? Did you ever bike through a cloud? Did you ever bike where the scenery throughout the ride was spectacular? If you cant say yes to each of these questions, then you should do this activity. It's all down hill and all you have to worry about is letting yourself go too fast. Staff was great and very safety conscious. No complaints.

My family and I were on a cruise around Hawaii and this was a last minute thing that Bobby allowed me to come with after having a full van already and WITHOUT A DOUBT the best tour I have ever been on. From the views, tour guides, and food this is the one thing that you need to do if you are on the island for less then a day. Manny and Bobby, our two tour guides, were the best tour guides anyone could as for. Knowledge about the island. Welcoming and loving people. Just joyous people showing tourist around their island. Lastly, when it comes to the tour itself, if you have ridden a bike before and know what you're doing the tour guides will let you take the hills at your own paces! Easily reaching 30-35 miles an hour on some of these roads it was a blast! Please if you do anything on the island do this tour!

If you imagine biking from the volcano top down to Paia, none of the tour groups are allowed to go through the neighborhoods separating the two anymore. You bike the top 6-8 miles twice and then are taken down to Makawao to do the final 5 miles. Our tour guide was very nice, informative and helpful. It was well organized and beautiful. I don't feel the websites are very upfront about this fact though.

My wife and I joined another 6 people as part of our Holland America Cruise shore excursion. Bobby picked us up from the cruise port terminal and brought us all to the shop to do paperwork, visit for a bit, and meet Joe. Joe and Bobby would be with us for our downhill ride. Bobby led the way on our rides. Joe drove the van and trailer at the back of our group. Joe communicating with Bobby if there were any vehicles approaching from the rear. Both Bobby and Joe were great! We had a very nice time with them during this tour. We then all drove in the van to the 6500 area and started our downhill ride from there. We had been fitted on our bikes, had our helmets, and given operating and safety instruction. Of course the ride down was fun. The weather was good for our first run, then on the 2nd run the clouds moved in. The weather was a bit of a bummer. And really the buzz kill of the entire ride was the fact that the town of Kula has prohibited bicycle tours from riding through their town. We knew about this in advance, so it wasn’t a shocker to us, just a buzz kill. Again, the ride down from 6500 was a blast. But near the town limits we needed to stop. We were then given a ride back up to 6500 to ride it again. And yes, it was just as fun. After a bypass of Kula, we took a lunch break in a small town, drove a bit more towards the tour office, then were allowed to ride the rest of the way back to the office. After finishing up at the office we were driven back to the cruise ship by Bobby. We had a fun time.

Spectacular views thrilling ride, fun and interesting guide. My sister and I made the ride together.

The service, the history and local color provided by Joe, the quality of the equipment... honestly it was so much more than I expected and I can't recommend it enough.

Self-guided. You bike at your own pace, no pressure. Guide nearby for emergency's but not pushing you. Good for small groups. Takes fun photos.

The ride itself, was amazing! Awe inspiring views! Truly a fabulous time! John was very personable and professional.

Feeling of freedom, clean air, beauty all around. Guide was great - funny, informative, engaged with riders. Incredible views, flowers, beauty all around. Driver also showed a lot of safety and concerns for participants and friendly to all!

Manny was fantastic! What an incredible tour. They allowed us to go down the main part twice, with all of the switchbacks - which was an unexpected surprise. I wish we could have biked the entire way down, but understand with the restrictions on Maui. Such an incredible, and safe, experience. We will definitely be doing this again! Thank you again!

Joe was a blast to talk with and hear information from during our trip, dean the driver was also a delight. We had a great time and even got to hold a chameleon on our descent down the mountain due to Joe's keen eye.

Dress warm! It's cool and breezy at the top of the mountain! We love this trip. No peddling just a beautiful downhill coast all the way down. Also one of the best values of any excursion on Maui!!

They went the extra mile for us. The provided women's bicycles for our ladies without us having to make a special request. They mounted our go pros on our helmets for the best video. We enjoyed the whole experience.

Not for the faint of heart, but a thrilling and beautiful experience! Joe was an excellent guide! Would recommend

They will hang up on you. They will refuse to rebook you at an inconvenient time for them. They will not call you. They will leave without you.

We were fortunate to have great weather and good visibility. Our driver provided great information about the trip details and island history with a wonderful sense of humor.

Joe was fantastic! The entire experience was AWESOME! Will definitely do it again. How many times do you get to ride a bike and have 99% of it be down hill?!

Was a great experience. Would recommend it - we did the self-guided tour back to base. Driver was friendly and helpful.

Amazing way to see the mountain. Joe, the guide is funny as xxxx! Super fun and worth doing it again. Don't book with another company because these guys have the best bikes for this.

Despite cold/wind/rain had an Awesome experience!!!!! Would love to do it again. Would bring a rain jacket next time.

The tour was great. Very safe but very exciting! The bikes were in great shape and perfect for the trip. The drivers and instructors Marc and Joe were informative and hilarious. I would recommend this as a must do tour when on Maui!

What a great experience. Our van driver/guide Joe is awesome. Made the ride up and the bike rules/setup enjoyable. We did the self guided and it was amazing. My 12 yr old took a few turns to get the hang of it but eventually had blast. My 15yr old just loved it. Self guide was good as we stopped on several pull outs and enjoyed the scenery. Also spent about 1 hr in Makawa and then headed the rest of the way back to the bike shop. Bikes and helmets were provided. 1 of the top things we did in Maui.

Great ride, good vibes, highly recommended, I love to scuba dive and hike but I think this took my number 1 spot for this trip. We booked a group of 9 to go! Riders of all abilities, everyone loved it! If you have a need for speed this tour is for you. Just be aware you are not going into the park on this ride. You start at 6500 feet and ride to almost sea level.

Manny and Shane were amazing tour guides and made the trip even more memorable!! The stop in the town was an added bonus. Loved it!

The scenery was awesome. The weather was perfect in March 2022. We loved the speed at which we were able to cruise at. The bikes are older but they met our needs and were comfortable. And for the price, you can’t beat this deal. Our guide, Ronald Fernandez, was very helpful in making sure our seats were adjusted just right for each of us. On the way up, Ronald was very informative and kept us entertained with facts about the culture and the area. He was a great guide with a great personality. My wife and I would definitely do the ride again. Dress in layers because up at the top it is cold and then warms up as you descend.

I was surprised by the quiet during the ride . Not too much car on the road , gorgeous views and smells down the road, great guide and very nice driver following us keeping us safe and making the tour memorable.

The view, the speed, the thrill. The bikes could handle it all the bikes were simple yet strong brakes, provided good helmets. For those with fear of heights or open spaces, my advice is to start lower down the mountain. Traffic was present so it was up to the cyclist to follow expected rules. It was easy to do.

It was a blast! We stayed with the group and we're glad that we did. Bobby and Nonnie took good care of us and made it even more fun! We were zippin' down the mountain on comfortable bikes, enjoying beautiful scenery the whole way.

After our other bike reservation had been cancelled due to weather, we were not able to rebook with the original company. Mountain Riders was able to fit us in during the busy holiday season. They also allowed us to then come a day early after our snorkeling trip was cancelled and we had an open day. They were very flexible and easy going, yet professional. The bikes were good for the purpose of us going down hill for many miles. The trip did not end in Paia but in Haliimaile at their offices, so was not a full 26 miles. But you still get the best experience of the bike ride, which is coasting down Haleakala.

So glad we opted for self guided. These bikes are specifically for downhill. 60lbs bikes and permitted for the road. Incredibly fun. We saw guided tours going super slow in single file. We blew right past them. How our guide, was fantastic in his knowledge and humor whilst driving up to the top. Highly recommended.

The ride in itself was fun - but thank goodness we did the self-tour, as we couldn’t tolerate another minute with our tour guides. As they drove us up to the drop-off point - It was extremely unpleasant to hear the tour guides constantly complain about the tourists and how annoying the tourists are and how much the locals dislike the tourists. A different guide had already given us a safety briefing, which was more than adequate regarding cycling etiquette. We certainly didn’t need the ‘added bonus’ comments from the two guides in our van. Very unprofessional.

We had a self-guided ride scheduled that unfortunately had to be cancelled due to inclement weather. (Heavy rain and high winds...) They credited my payment with no issues. We were very happy that they were concerned for our safety and look forward to returning to take our ride!

Love this activity so much fun. Maui mountain riders have been doing this for a long time and know this mountain. They are safe and great hosts. We had to cancel because of bad weather and they called to confirm our reschedule early in the morning that it was a go. This is a must do activity on Maui.

Mountain Riders is such a great outfit for downhill bike tours! We came for our honeymoon and everyone was very warm & welcoming. Our operator was extremely safe & even stopped a few times on our trek downhill to take pictures of us on the mountainside! I ended up forgetting one of my favorite sweatshirts in the van and one of the owners gave it to a colleague so I could pick it up the next day. Would recommend 10/10. THANK YOU!

Joe was amazing, the course was fast & beautiful. Be careful because it is very easy to get lost but Joe is right there to pick you up!! We got lost & before we could call him, he was already there!! So we never made it back on our town but we had an exhilarating, super fun time getting lost!!

Rob was a great guide! He told us great stories about Maui on the way up. At the top he made us feel safe with his safety brief and bike tests. We loved being able to go at our own pace on the way down!

Highly do not recommend the self-guided tour. You’ll have a better experience both emotionally and financially if you just rent your own bike locally. The bikes themselves are mediocre single-gear that lack upkeep. The guide assigned to my tour left me sitting at a bus stop for 45 minutes after requesting a ride. He initially stated it was a short ride back and I could make it on my own. If you don't want to risk severe dehydration, pick another tour.

So far, while in Maui we hiked 4 miles into the crater of Haleakala (and back), took a helicopter tour over West Maui and Molokai, visited the Dragon Teeth lava formations, and drove the Road to Hana and around the upcountry. All of these experiences were fantastic, but the bike ride down Haleakala with Mountain Riders has been my favorite experience. Our tour started with Rob meeting us out front of the address provided on our email confirmation. We then traveled over to their lot to complete some paperwork. We were offered water and granola bars, which really hit the spot. Then, it was up the mountain. During the van ride, Rob gave us some history of the area, and pointed out some landmarks (and an abandoned SUV) for us to use as reference while on route back to Mountain Riders' office. He also explained how to control the bikes (use both brakes at the same time and keep your hands on the handlebars). We stopped to take a photo of the beautiful scenery before us, then we continued up the mountain. Once at the 6500 foot level we got on our bikes, strapped on our helmets and said goodbye to Rob. Since this was the self-guided tour he only met us one more time down the mountain to ensure that we were all comfortable and felt safe to ride. We had his phone number in case we got lost, which thankfully we never needed! The ride down the mountain was exhilarating! We were going about 25-30 miles per hour around switchbacks and curves. This was better than a roller coaster, in my opinion. I was deciding between the self-guided and the guided tour and because of my last minute booking they only had self-guided available. I was scared at first because I thought for sure we'd get lost, but Rob provided us with a map, which highlighted our route. I'm sure the guided tour was great. We actually saw that tour in the little town on the way back to the office, but I am so glad that I went with this tour. My family and I really enjoyed going at our own pace, having to walk the bike when needed (two big hills on the way back to the office), and just taking our time. Rob was a great tour guide, and the rest of the crew that we encountered was very welcoming and friendly. I would love to do this tour again if I had more time on Maui. I recommend this to anyone who wants to experience flying down the mountain and rolling past some great ranches. Just a few things to note: The address on Hallemaile is a big industrial/manufacturing area. I couldn't find any sign for Mountain Riders, but after passing the address, I realized that Rob was out front with the van, which did have the logo and name on it. Look for Maui Gold, the pineapple producing plant and you will know you are in the right area. Also, bring some cash for tipping the guys. They recommend about 15% of your total price as standard for gratuity.

This was an amazing bike ride. We were the only ones riding down the mountain for quite some time. I think only three cars drove by, allowing me to thoroughly enjoy the view and descent. It was our kids favorite activity on the island!

Great ride! Get the poke bowl @general store in Makawao! Guys knew their stuff w good emphasis on safety! Sturdy bikes. Self-paced option provided freedom.