Hugglebug

Hello,
Does anyone have information on training for the Haleakala climb? I have found tons of websites and forum links detailing rides up the mountain but nothing really saying how people prepared for it. I am heading over to Maui in April and would like to give the climb a shot.

Any information would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

calhoun1

Get on the bike and ride. The more mileage and the more climbing you have before then, the better off you will be.

Psydotek

Ride lots.

Good luck, i'm hoping to do it later this year... From what i've read and heard, the grade isn't all that steep, it's just that it goes for 35 miles...

https://www.routeslip.com/routes/17312

HBRoadie

My father-in-law and I did it in September 2007. All the web sites that tell you to bring lots of food and water, I think they exaggerate a little. There are a couple of stops for you to buy food. I unfortunately brought too much food and water and had to lug it up Haleakala.

Back to your question...the climb is not too steep, just a moderate climb. I would be more concerned about the fitness/endurance than anything else. Calhoun is right, the more miles you get in, the better off you'll be.

johnny99

I agree about riding lots, especially at higher intensities for longer distances. Haleakala is not steep, but it is a real long climb (something like 40 miles at 5%). You need to get used to putting out a decent wattage for 4 hours or more.

oboeguy

Be prepared for a long ride with lots of gradual climbing. There are very few spots with high grades but that MFer is relentless the climbing never stops except for one small section of maybe 400m tops. Depending on how good of a climber you are, it could take six hours or more of time in the saddle just to get up to the top. So, if you haven't done long rides of that length, well, you're in for a double whammy of longer ride plus all of it climbing. If you're a mountain goat you'll finish in much less time. I did it in something like 6.5 hours including breaks, IIRC, and I wasn't especially light AND I was doing it on my folding bike. Read about my ride up somewhere here on bikeforums (a search should do the trick). I'll be honest, it was very hard but I think part of it had to do with the way I did it: lack of sleep plus starting the climb late, plus trade winds in full effect.

Anyway, it's WELL worth the effort. There is *nowhere* to buy food after the Sunrise Market at 3500'. Keep that in mind but don't haul huge amounts of grub either. Don't forget that unless you're crazy and do it my way (read my thread), you'll need food at the top too -- it's a looooooooong descent that takes time.

Hugglebug

Thanks for the tips!
I live in the wonderfully wet pacific northwest so riding outside now is a bit of a challange. Its dark when I get off work so I am limited to rides on the weekends. I do have trainer I ride at home and I do spin classes. Once the weather lets up I will be riding outside constantly but am afraid that wont be enough. I'm doing the ride with my uncle and we will have a support car to carry any extra food/drinks/clothes that we may need. I am pretty new to road cycling but have mountain biked for a couple years so I am trying to get idea of what to prepare for.
Thanks again for all the help

mrt10x

Loose 10-20lbs between now and then and you will fly up it.

oboeguy

Support car? Pffffffff! I left the rental car at the top and had to finish the ride. But seriously, that's great. Plan the ride, though, as if it's not there. It's otherwise going to be to easy to give up when the going gets rough!

One last thing, definitely start early, unless you like riding in temps that are 40 degrees apart between different parts of the ride.

Edit: still one more thing! don't expect great / any cell coverage. Duh?

luv2climb

I leave in one week and will be doing it. To prepare I have been doing as suggested above, lots of miles.

I ride at lunch for about 20 miles w/ climbing. Commute to work if possible, 40 miles round trip. On the weekends I have been climbing Mt Diablo. It is a 40 mile round trip w/ about 3,800 ft of climbing.

I am not worried about making it to the top.

Garfield Cat

If you want support, there are riding companies that will take you up. Problem is that they need a group and so its not a scheduled thing.

pseudobrit

It's not bad at all. Like 5% the whole way. I would like to have had a few murderous walls scattered about to make it interesting.

If you've done any work in the Sierras and have kept your cycling legs at all over the winter you'll more than ready for it. If you can climb for an hour nonstop you can climb for four.

I did it last month at my fattest winter weight and with my least weekly time on the bike and never struggled.

If someone offers you a ride down, take it.

luv2climb

I have made arrangements with Donnie A at https://www.gocyclingmaui.com/index.html . This way all the food & drink needs are taken care of and if I don't want to ride down I don't have to.

Bluechip

That's the group I went up with (or at least tried to go up with). Their pace that day was a little too fast for me. I am or was a big guy and they were lightweights. I only made it up to 6000 or so feet. You should ride down. That was the most fun I have had in a while. The road is perfectly smooth and the curves are a blast. At least until your rear tire has a slow leak and the bike gets a little squirlly. Have fun!