This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Vova in Tbilisi, Georgia, who shares the Brother Cycles Mehteh he built to handle all manner of off-road riding around the country’s spectacularly rugged tracks and trails, including our Caucasus Crossing route. Meet Vova and his Mehteh here…

Words and photos by Vova Obleykin

Hi, my name is Vova. I have been living in Georgia for the last two years, and I am a co-founder of the Salty bike workshop. My passion for cycling began in 2004 when I bought a BMX bike. It all started with extreme sports and evolved into the fixed gear community, then road bikes, touring, and bikepacking. I enjoy both long nature walks and road races and coffee rides.

  • Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh

I assembled my Brother Mehteh bike after moving, taking into account the shortcomings of my previous bike, such as mechanical brakes and a small tire clearance. I use the bike as a universal one for bikepacking and touring on asphalt, as well as for off-road rides and commuting. It has already been to Armenia, and I have just returned from vacation in Turkey, where the bike accompanied me too.

  • Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh

The history of this bike is full of customization and careful tuning. I spent a lot of time getting it to the perfect state that fits my riding style and preferences. From light road routes to mountain passes, this bike is always ready for any challenge. I continue to experiment with choosing tires for different tasks, as well as adding or removing options for adjusting fenders and bags. I assembled the bike considering the demands of mountain biking, such as a wide gear range, hydraulic brakes, and wide tires around 2.1″.

Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Frame/Fork: Brother Mehteh
  • Wheels: Hunt x Mason 650b with SON dynamo hub
  • Tires: Vittoria Mezcal 2.1 or Terreno Zero 47c
  • Headset: Cane Creek Forty
  • Crankset: SRAM Force 1 GXP, 38T Wolf Tooth ring
  • Cassette: Sunrace 11-speed 11-46
  • Derailleur(s): Microshift XCD
  • Brakes: TRP Hylex
  • Shifter(s): Gevenalle 11-speed
  • Saddle: Brooks C17 Cambium
  • Seatpost: Thomson Elite
  • Stem: Thomson X4, 0°, 80mm
  • Frame bags: Revelate Designs Ripio
  • Rear bags: Blackburn saddle bag
  • Accessory bags: Revelate Designs Mag Tank and Feed Bag
  • Other accessories: B&M lamp, USB charger, Blue Lug reflector, King Cage Iris cages

Additionally, I have a dynamo hub, front light, and USB charger, as well as a set of various bags, bottle holders, and hydration packs for different tasks, along with fenders for commuting in bad weather. Last year, I rode almost the entire Caucasus Crossing route through Georgia, as shared here on BIKEPACKING.com. This year, I plan to continue in the same vein. From our workshop, we organize group rides and plan to add touring and bikepacking formats, too.

Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh
  • Brother Cycles Mehteh

You can keep up with Vova on Instagram.

Send Us Your Bikepacking Rig

Use the form below to submit your bikepacking rig. We’ll choose one per week to feature in a Reader’s Rig Dispatch and on Instagram. To enter, email us your best photo of the bike (preferably at a 90° angle), your Instagram username (optional), and a short description of you and your rig. If your bike is selected, we’ll need a total of five photos and a little bit more info.

Readers Rig

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • Make sure to set your shared image folder to public!

  • *By clicking submit, you're also subscribing to our email list. You'll receive an opt-in email before being added.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Dispatch

Reader's Rig

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.