Mountain Bikes

A mountain bike (MTB) is defined by three things: a suspension system, wide knobbly tyres and reinforced frame geometry. Together they give you control where a road bike or an urban bike simply cannot go.

Geometry is what decides the ride, and it is what separates a modern bike from one built a decade ago. Three numbers govern the handling: head angle, reach (horizontal distance from the bottom bracket to the head tube) and stack (vertical height). A slacker head angle adds stability on descents; a longer reach adds room and composure.

This is the first and most expensive decision. A hardtail has a front fork only; full suspension adds a rear shock.

A practical rule that almost always holds: for the same money, a hardtail arrives with better components. A 3,000 GEL hardtail will out-spec a full suspension bike at the same price, because the rear linkage - pivots, bearings, shock - costs 1,000-1,500 GEL on its own. Below 3,500 GEL, a hardtail is almost always the right call.

The difference is physics, and it is called attack angle - the angle at which the wheel meets an obstacle. The larger the diameter, the shallower that angle and the less energy the bike loses crossing a rock or a root.

Practical guidance: over 175 cm tall and riding longer distances, take 29". Under 170 cm, or if you enjoy tight, twisting singletrack, take 27.5" - it changes direction faster. There is a mullet setup in between (29" front, 27.5" rear), but it belongs mostly to the enduro class.

• Aluminium - the best balance of price and durability. The right answer in 90% of cases. It takes impacts and, unlike carbon, does not fail without warning.
• Carbon - 1 to 1.5 kg lighter and better at damping vibration, but two to three times the price. Worth it only if you ride competitively. A rock strike is a genuine risk.
• Steel - maximum comfort and effectively unlimited lifespan, but 2-3 kg heavier. Found mostly in touring and bikepacking builds.

The groupset determines how precisely and quietly the gears shift. Shimano's hierarchy runs Altus → Acera → Alivio → Deore → SLX → XT → XTR. The real step up begins at Deore, which is where shifting becomes crisp and dependable even in mud. Shifters and derailleurs can also be replaced individually if you plan to upgrade.

A 1x setup (single front chainring) is now the standard: fewer parts, fewer failures, simpler to ride. You only need 2x if you regularly climb long, steep gradients under load.

Brakes are where economising pays off least. Hydraulic disc brakes work better than mechanical ones in the wet and on long descents, and take noticeably less effort at the lever. On Georgian mountain terrain that is more a safety question than a comfort one. Pads are consumable and get replaced once or twice a season.

The wrong size is the most common and most expensive mistake, and no upgrade will fix it. Frame size follows your height, but the final check needs no tools: standing over the frame, there should be 5-8 cm between you and the top tube.

If you fall between two sizes: take the smaller one for active, technical riding (more agile) and the larger one for distance (more composed). Swapping the stem later adjusts fit by ±20 mm; frame size cannot be changed at all.

In the MTB market, price maps directly onto component quality. The ranges below reflect the real Georgian market, inclusive of VAT and official warranty.

In Georgia most people search for a bike by price: "bikes for 300 lari", "cheap bike". The answer has to be direct, because the wrong expectation is how people lose money.

300-600 GEL - no new branded mountain bike exists at this price. This is the market-stall or second-hand range. Such a bike typically has a non-adjustable fork, unbranded brakes and a frame you cannot get spare parts for. After the first serious trail, the repair costs more than the bike.

600-1,200 GEL - here you can genuinely buy a good kids bike or a simple urban bike for tarmac. For mountain riding it is still below the threshold.

1,200 GEL and up - this is where an aluminium hardtail with a branded fork and disc brakes begins, one you can safely take onto a trail. If your budget is lower, a good urban bike beats a cheap MTB: it will do its job, while a cheap MTB does neither.

• Buying a frame to grow into. It is the one parameter you cannot fix later. An oversized bike handles worse and raises your injury risk.
• Mechanical disc brakes to save money. On long mountain descents your hand tires and braking force drops. Converting to hydraulic later costs 400-700 GEL.
• An unbranded fork. If the fork carries no manufacturer name, it is almost certainly non-adjustable and will lose its function within a season or two. Spare parts will not exist either.
• Ignoring tyre pressure. The right range for MTB is 1.8-2.2 bar. At 3 bar you lose grip on the trail; at 1.5 bar you risk damaging the rim.
• Full suspension on a minimum budget. Below 3,500 GEL the rear shock will not be any good, and the bike ends up worse overall than a hardtail.

In Tbilisi, the trails around the Botanical Garden and on Mtatsminda are the most accessible start - technical climbs and fast descents twenty minutes from the centre. The routes around Lisi and Turtle Lake are gentler and better for beginners.

Outside Tbilisi, Bakuriani runs as a full bike park through the summer, and in Svaneti the trails around Mestia - particularly towards the Koruldi Lakes - are genuinely world class. In both cases full suspension and a dropper post make a real difference.

• Before every ride: tyre pressure (1.8-2.2 bar) and a brake check. Thirty seconds.
• Every 200 km, or after any muddy ride: clean and lubricate the chain. A worn chain destroys the cassette with it.
• Every three months: index the derailleurs, torque the bolts properly, check the wheels.
• Once a year: fork service (oil and seals), plus a bottom bracket and bearing check.