How safe is a Haleakala downhill bike tour?

Why the park took bikes off its road

Since 2007, Haleakala National Park has not allowed commercial bike tours on the park road, after a series of crashes. Before that, groups rode from the summit at about 10,000 ft (3,050 m) all the way down.

Today every ride begins around 6,500 ft (1,980 m), at the park boundary. The ban moved the start lower, but the road below is still a public road with residents and visitors driving up and down.

We will not call any of these rides safe or unsafe in general. The risk depends a great deal on the rider and on the weather that day.

What the descent asks of you

The ride down is mostly braking, with little pedaling. Gravity does the work, and your job is to hold a steady speed through the bends, which keeps your hands on the levers for long stretches.

The upper road winds through many switchbacks; Bike Maui's listing calls them the "29 switchbacks". Lower down it runs through Haleakala Ranch pasture and eucalyptus, with cattle grids across the road that need a straight, steady line.

Cars share the lanes with you, and riders keep to the right with the traffic. Some drivers pass close, and a few get impatient behind a slow group on a narrow bend.

Weather adds the rest. The upper part can be wet and windy while the bottom is warm and dry, and a wet road needs more distance to stop than a dry one.

Bikes, helmets and gear by operator

Both shops send you off with a Dakine backpack, and Maui Sunriders add a bike lock and a route map to theirs. Neither listing gives accident figures, and we will not guess them.

The full-face helmet at Maui Sunriders protects the jaw as well as the head, which some riders find reassuring on a first descent. Bike Maui's listings describe Bell helmets without saying which type.

Guided or alone on the bends

On a guided ride, someone who knows the road sets the pace, picks the pull-outs and rides with the group. Bike Maui's guided sunrise ride at ~$318 has a certified interpretive guide on a bike, rated 4.6 from 200+ reviews on Viator.

Maui Sunriders' guided daytime ride at ~$191 keeps a USA Cycling and BICP-certified guide with you the whole way. It is new, with only 5.0 from 2 reviews on Viator so far.

On a self-guided ride you read the traffic yourself. Maui Sunriders' self-guided ride at ~$139 lists roadside assistance, while Bike Maui's self-guided rides give you the gear and route details and leave the pace to you.

For the full trade-off between a group pace and your own, see guided or self-guided. The route guide describes the road section by section.

Riding habits that help

• Test both brakes in the staging area before the first bend
• Slow down before a curve, then roll through it without grabbing the levers
• Use both brakes evenly; a hard pull on the front alone can make the wheel slide
• Keep right and ride single file, with a gap to the rider ahead
• Pull over where there is room and let a line of cars pass
• On a wet road, ride slower and start braking earlier
• Cross cattle grids straight, with a loose grip and your weight back a little
• Stop and shake out your hands when they tire
• Keep the phone in the backpack while the bike is moving

Cold hands react slower, and the summit is often 40–45 °F (4–7 °C) before sunrise on Bike Maui's rides. Warm gloves help on the upper bends, as the packing list explains.

When to choose something else

If you are unsure on a bike or feel tense with cars close behind, this is a hard place to relearn. A sunrise drive with the park's vehicle reservation shows you the summit without the descent; the sunrise reservations guide explains how it works.

The age and health limits exist for the same reasons. Our guide to the 15-year rule lists them, including the diving and pregnancy exclusions.

Weather is the other factor you control by timing. All five rides list free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and the best time to ride covers the wetter months on the mountain.