Hawaii mountain biking information

[Flagster]

Looking for information on riding opportunity in HI specifically the big island.
My lady friend is heading over for a triathlon camp in early February and I have decided I would tag along...and bring my mountain bike.
The information is a bit overwhelming on where and what to ride...I would love to bring a road bike too but I will not be able to bring more than one bike due to transport costs.
If anyone has any recommendations I would appreciate it. We will be staying outside Kona Kailua so my riding would be focused on that island but I would be willing to shuttle to another island for an...wait for it..EPIC ride...
Thanks
Matt

 

[Christophe Noel]

My wife and I spent a winter on the various Hawaiian islands, with about four weeks on the Big Island. The riding was...eh.

These guys have good info: http://www.dreamride.com/hawaiitrails.html They're based in Moab, which I think gives them good perspective. A lot of the trails I was pushed towards by Hawaiian locals sucked. At first I thought it was a conspiracy to keep the mainlanders off the local shred. Turns out the local shred sorta sucks. Less so on the Big Island which may be the better riding. Honestly, after about eight weeks trying to find good trail, I just went to the beach.

 

[Tbars]

..For those of us who just enjoy getting out and riding a bike, the Big Island has a lot to offer someone seeking some versatility in scenery, climate, and weather conditions. (although nowhere near the same biking as Moab Utah).

Looking for information on riding opportunity in HI specifically the big island.

..You hadn't mentioned if you had been to the Big Island before, the length of your proposed stay, or what you were looking for in your bike ride (although you mentioned taking a mtb). You might be happier taking a road bike or a bike that would do road and dirt/lava rocks and there are plenty of tire cutters on both the road and the trail..

The Big Island is kind of small when on a bike. Riding around the perimeter of the Island is only about 300 miles.

..Most do not know that almost all of the world's climates and microenvironments are located on the Big Island so you could be riding in a desert, a few miles later in snow, and a few more miles in a rainforest with over 100 inches of rain in it's dry season. Here's a brief on it's climates..
http://www.bigislandguru.com/weather.html

..When on the Island you are on "Island Time", so enjoy it and go with the flow..

..My rides over there were planned on a night before basis and changed as needed when planning rides to do tourist stuff, historical rides, scenic rides, and the on/off trail rides to get your heart pumping (few trips).

Here are some links to Big Island bike rides..

http://www.hawaiicyclingclub.com/cycling-routes.html

with gps..
http://www.bikeworkskona.com/suggested-rides.html

We will be staying outside Kona Kailua so my riding would be focused on that island but I would be willing to shuttle to another island for an...wait for it..EPIC ride...

..Yea...You are not going to find an epic ride on the Big Island..

Here are a couple links to Hawaii MTB sites but I don't think it will help much for an epic ride..

http://www.mtbhawaii.com/

http://www.singletracks.com/mountain-bike/best_trails.php?new_state_id=392


..Now, if you had some friends who lived on the Island of Oahu or Maui, you might find some better trails on private land..

 

[Flagster]

Thanks guys...
Yeah I think I got a little excited about the riding prospects...
I think I will still bring a bike along but am also going to pack my fishing gear