Cycling the Big Island (Hawaii)

[DougLSmith]

I will be going to Hawaii in March and will rent a road bike for four of five days. Does anyone have any recommendations for where to ride. I will be staying most of the time in Kailua-Kona.

Thanks,

Doug

 

[atomicrc11]

I was out in Hawaii about 7 years back. If I remember correctly, the Kona area is on the dry side of the island. It's ok riding, but it's wide open and all you'll see is a lot of lava rocks. However, if you can manage a long ride and an uphill one at that, you can ride up an auto road that goes over the top of a mountain in the middle of the island and passes by the wettest golf course in the world. It's very lush up there and on the other side of the mountain. You can also ride up the highest peak in Hawaii, but it isn't paved all the way to the top.

http://www.steephill.tv/2006/mauna-kea/

Thats a link to what some guys did. It's best to drive part way up, then you can climb for up to 26 miles before you reach the unpaved part. It's also quite a view. I didn't make it all the way up on a bike, I went in a car. Also, there is some great mountain biking through the rainforest and sugar fields on the island too. If you don't mind getting muddy, it's quite worth it. I'm sure some other folks have some suggestions.

 

[azdroptop]

There are quite a few good rides over there. The Ironman route from Kona along the coast out towards the Airport and beyond is quite nice(Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy). Good bike lane, nice view of the ocean and a nice little town at the end if you go all the way out. It is a relatively flat course with a few moderate elevation changes along the way. It can be prety windy and there are not a lot of places for water so bring 3 bottles with you. You can also Head out the Queen K from Kona in the direction of the Volcano. Stop at Two step along the way. This route is a bit more dangerous road quality wise with a lot of blind corners and steep climbs. Have fun and wear your sun screen.