ISO info on cycling on the island of Hawaii

[MarleyMon]

I'm going to be on the Big island in a couple of weeks, thanks to my sister's generosity, and was wondering if anyone has info on cycling there. I want to rent something and ride around Volcanoes Nat'l Park. Does anyone know a shop or a good route, road or mt? Thanks and Aloha!

[rpm]

Hey, I'm leaving the tundra and will be in Kona this next Tuesday, so I'm interested, too. I've been there before, so here are a few observations, that I hope will be expanded on by some local folk:

1. It's easy to rent any kind of bike you want in Kona or Hilo.

2. Population growth, tourist numbers, and traffic have been exploding like crazy, particularly in the Kona area.

3. A lot of the roads in the most scenic areas have no shoulders or small ones. Consequently, if you're riding alone on these roads, you're likely to catch a lot of abuse.

4. Volcanos is great--slow traffic and good roads--just expect rain and don't breath in too many fumes. Riding up from Hilo would be fine--lots of traffic but a wide road. Ditto the Queen Kam highway (Ironman route--could be lots of wind, you'll find out why the Ironman is a genuine challenge)

5. Booking day trips with a local tour company might be the best way to go. You can pick up brochures at the airport, hotels, etc., no worries. On the mountain bike side, some of these tours can take you on to private ranch land with some absolutely, flipping-fantastic waterfalls and coastal scenes. On the road side, there are some nice tours that provide sags and safety in numbers. I'm thinking of doing one that goes from Waimea to the north Pololu Lookout, which is one the best views in the world, bar none. I forget the names of the people who put these on, but it will be easy to find out locally. That's one that would be OK to ride alone.

Anyway there are a million things to do and see, on and off the bike!

[EdK]

Just discussed last month

Do enjoy your trip and please be safe. One word of advice "be nice" and people will be nice to you! Check with Chris Huber for Serotta service on the Big Island!

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=25750&highlight=big+island

[MarleyMon]

EdK - I'll search first, post after - point taken! Thanks for the link to the thread with the links - I appreciate it. I contacted Chris about a rental / trip.

rpm - my cousin (from MN now in ND) is getting back to me about his recent trip. I'll forward any tips to you. He manages a sporting goods store (they are a regional chain, I think) and does a lot of cycling and did a lot of riding on the island. I would love to see some waterfalls via bike.

[rpm]

I just got back from my trip to the Big Island, and it was fabulous. I rented a bike from Chris Huber, www.hubercycles.com in Kona. Nice guy who was a pretty competent racer not that long ago. He has a small, but good selection of bikes including Salsa's and Masi's. Great ride: Starting from Waimea, take the Old Mamaloa Highway to Honakaa. A beautiful winding road with rollers, Mauna Kea on one side and Haleakala on Maui on the other. After awhile by green pastures, you descend into a forest of gum trees, banana trees, and all kinds of other tropical plants. After going through the quaint town, head out the Waipio Valley lookout, for one of the world's best views. And fuel up on Portugese Powerbars (malasadas) at Tex's drive in Honakaa before climbing back up. A lot of roads on the Big Island are narrow and heavily trafficed, but you can find some that aren't, and they're great.

[bigbill]

The highway between Hilo and Volcanoes NP has a nice shoulder and I saw alot of cyclists on it. Be aware that between Hilo and the NP you gain over 4000 feet in elevation. Nothing steep, just relentless. Riding the crater road might be a little hazardous due to the sulfur dioxide gas clouds that drift across the road. The NP roads are narrow and winding with no shoulder filled with tourists driving rental cars. If you wanted to see the Volcano, you could stay at a B&B in Volcano Village, see the volcano by car and use the B&B as a base for cycling adventures.