Bike Maintenance Tips from Maui Bike Rental Company

Many Maui visitors who make use of our day bike rental option and those who take our Haleakala sunrise bike tour are biking enthusiasts or those who want to get more into biking as a hobby for its many health benefits. So of course, as a Maui bike rental guest, you probably have your own bicycle waiting for you at home. Whether you do already bike regularly at home or want to dust off the pedals after the exciting time you experienced on your Maui bike ride, we’ve rounded up some great bicycle maintenance tips to get you started . . . 

Read blog at http://mauisunriders.com/maui-bike-rental-company-bike-maintenance-tips/

Winter Safety Tips - Biking in Maui & on the Mainland

Maui biking is a year-round activity thanks to our pretty much always gorgeous weather. When biking in Maui during winter though, you may encounter a little more rain.

Winter is the wettest time in Maui although even then, it isn’t Seattle-type rain. Here it may only rain for an hour or two, maybe more some days, but then the rain leaves us with a beautiful rainbow. So winter biking in Maui is much the same as in other seasons. The temperatures for Maui in the winter generally average between 70 and 80 degrees so it’s still very nice especially if you’re coming to visit from the Northern United States.

In Upcountry Maui along the slopes of Haleakala, it can get a little colder, but still very nice weather. On the summit of Haleakala at an elevation of 10,000 feet, weather can be extreme, especially during the winter months. There has at times during winter been “light snow dustings” at the summit, but this doesn’t happen too often. We recommend bringing the warmest clothes you have with you for the Haleakala Sunrise Bike Tour, but wearing layers that can be taken off as you ride down Haleakala to warmer temperatures. The Haleakala bike ride does go through 6 different micro-climates, but for the most part, it’s an endless summer in Upcountry.

In short, winter biking safety tips for Maui include planning for a fair chance for wet weather so good rain gear is important. On our Maui volcano bike tours, we provide guests with rain/wind gear including gloves, jackets, and pants to make sure they have everything they need for a safe and fun bike ride.

When riding your bike in Maui just after it begins raining, remember that this is when roads may be the slickest so be cautious, especially around corners. Look out for wet “rainbow” patches on the street which could be a sign of an oil patch on the road. Avoid puddles which could also be potholes. Biking experts say that when cornering in the rain, try to shift your weight on the outside pedal and go slow and carefully.

For the mainland, biking in winter can include much more than rain. But even biking in winter on the mainland can be very enjoyable. Some cyclists even commute to work year-round. REI noted these tips for biking through the winter:

• Don’t overdress. “The most important aspect of cold-weather riding is your clothing. It’s also the area where most first-timers make mistakes . . . Wear just enough clothes to be slightly cold when you start pedaling. The first few minutes may be chilly, but your body produces a vast amount of heat when riding a bike so you’ll warm up quickly.” Avoid wearing cotton as your base layer; instead try a synthetic wicking fiber.
• Bring a waterproof backpack.
• Run tires at a lower pressure than during summer to allow for better traction.
• Use bright lights for both the front and back of the bike.
• Install fenders on both wheels.

Don’t forget to stay hydrated and eat enough food. “While the cooler temps may not make you feel like you’re dehydrating, the reality is that biking is an aerobic activity and the outside temperature has little effect on the amount of water your body loses . . . In winter, you can reach dehydration long before you start to feel thirsty.”

For more helpful tips on biking during the cold winter months on the mainland, visit http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/winter-bicycling.html.

Winter is a great time to visit Maui because of the great weather here as well as the opportunity to see the humpback whales that visit during the winter. If you come to Maui in winter or summer, be sure to take a Maui bike ride through Upcountry on our self-paced Haleakala volcano tours. It’s an unforgettable experience – from the mountain to the sea!

Add a Bike Tour to Your Maui Vacation Plans

Are you taking a vacation to Maui soon? When planning your vacation to the islands, you’re no doubt trying to plan which Maui activities to do. Many wonder if they should take a tour or try to go sightseeing all on their own. Well, there are many advantages to taking a tour, especially a bike tour with Maui Sunriders, as opposed going to Haleakala on your own. Let us explain why.

Experience the excitement of a bike tour in Maui.

There are many kinds of tours you can take on vacation. Why opt for a bike tour of the Valley Isle? Well, if you want a little adventure with a sightseeing expedition, then a bike tour in Maui is the way to go. Our Maui bike tours down the Haleakala volcano offer a relaxing and at the same time an exciting way to see Upcountry Maui. Instead of just riding in a car or bus, experience the crisp wind in your hair as you ride a bike down the volcano all the way to sea level. And with a bike tour, you don’t just see Upcountry, but you really get a chance to be a part of the scenery. You can stop and pick a flower or have a picnic on a Haleakala hillside with the mountains in the background. There’s no better way to really see all of Upcountry Maui and at the same time experience it firsthand than to take a bike tour through this beautiful land.

Biking is also just a fun, healthy, and relaxing activity. Thus, bike tours in Maui offer an active and more memorable way of seeing this incredible island.

Guided through the area.

Many drive up to the summit of Haleakala on their own and set off to explore Haleakala Crater or other parts of Haleakala National Park and Upcountry, and they will see a gorgeous and unique landscape. But how much more could you see and understand about what you’re viewing by having a guide tell you more about the area? On our bike tours of Maui’s Haleakala volcano, we give guests a narrated tour of the area as we drive up to the summit. On this narrated tour, our experienced guides give interesting information about the National Park and Haleakala Crater, various points of interest along the way, facts about Hawaiian culture, and where there are great restaurants, shops, and art galleries along the route. This narrated van tour gives you all the information you need to have a fun and memorable bike ride down Haleakala.

Our self-paced bike tours in Maui give you the best of both worlds. 

Sometimes you want a little bit of everything. Wouldn’t it be great if you could have a guide show you the area giving you interesting and helpful tips and yet also get to explore Haleakala on your own? Well, we thought so too. That’s why we developed a self-paced bike tour of Haleakala. On our self-paced tours, guests are driven up to the summit of Haleakala on the same route they will later bike down. As we drive up to the summit, guests are given a narrated tour of the area with interesting facts about Haleakala, culture, points of interest, and various shops to stop at along the way. Then, after exploring a little of the summit area and crater, guests are taken to start their self-paced bike ride down Haleakala. With our self-paced tour, you get to explore Upcountry on your own timetable, stopping wherever you would like along the route. Having already heard about the area and points of interest on the tour ride up, you now can see the sights at your own pace. On guided bike tours down Haleakala, guests have to keep up with the biker taking the lead in the group and stop where they want to stop. But with a self-paced tour, you’re in control and can take a relaxing bike ride down the volcano and stop at whichever town or store you would like – all the way to back down to sea level.

So, should you take a tour or go sightseeing on your own? With our self-paced bike tours in Maui, you can do a little bit of both and see all that Upcountry has to offer!

The Health Advantages of Biking in Maui

Biking in Maui, especially biking downhill from the Haleakala volcano, is a great activity for visitors and locals alike. Watching the sunrise above the clouds at the summit of Haleakala is one of the most incredible experiences you can have on your Maui vacation. After seeing this memorable sunrise, guests can bike down Haleakala through Maui’s extraordinary Upcountry.

But besides being an unforgettable Maui adventure, this bike tour offers guests and locals the numerous health benefits that come with regular biking. Here are just a few:

Biking in Maui is an easy way to exercise. 

We know that to be healthy and physically fit you have to be active, but some shy away from certain sports because they require a higher level of skill or physical stamina. Biking, however, can be a fairly easy sport. Most know how to ride a bike. And because our Maui bike tour takes cyclists through Haleakala downhill, it doesn’t require a lot of skill or stamina to ride. Even children as young as 10 who are experienced in riding a bike with hand brakes can take our Maui bike tour.

And because our bike tours are self-paced, you have the option of biking in your own comfort zone. You won’t have to try to keep up with a group like many of the guided Maui biking tours of Haleakala.

Biking is a low-impact sport that builds strength and muscle. 

Whereas other forms of exercise can put extra strain on your joints, biking is a low-impact sport that causes less injuries and can be done by people of all ages. We’ve had a 90-year-old bike rider join us, so our bike tours are not just for the young, but also those young at heart. Biking has been shown to improve joint mobility, flexibility, and increase muscle strength, coordination, and stamina.

Biking in Maui can help to reduce stress. 

Health experts agree that regular bike riding can help to reduce a person’s stress levels and can help to reduce anxiety and depression. Add to that the benefit of exercising on the beautiful island of Maui, and you can really see your stress diminishing. Biking through Maui’s gorgeous Upcountry, in the refreshing mountain air, and being able to stop along the way and really be a part of the scenery and the natural environment can really help to uplift your spirits.

Cycling has been shown to improve cardiovascular fitness. 

Biking can help to improve your heart health and lower your risks of certain kinds of disease. “Regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases,” the Better Health Channel (BHC) of Australia noted. “Cycling strengthens your heart muscles, lowers resting pulse and reduces blood fat levels.”

Biking in Maui is a great total body workout.

The BHC also noted that you all of your major muscle groups when you bike. The BHC also reported that cycling lifts your heart rate to a beneficial level and is a good way to control or reduce your weight. Women’s Health magazine noted that in addition to working out your quads, glutes, and calves, working the handlebar can also sculpt your upper body for all-over muscle toning.

Plus, biking simply is a fun exercise, and doing something fun generally encourages us to do it more often. Feeling the gentle breeze against your face as you ride down the mountain on Haleakala is definitely a fun and exciting experience. So if you’re not a regular cyclist now, biking in Maui with us down Haleakala may jumpstart the love of biking we’ve found in Upcountry Maui.

Of course, these tips are just for informational purposes. Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise routine and make sure you’re healthy enough and comfortable with biking before biking down Haleakala. Check our FAQ page for more information on biking restrictions and things to consider.