Bike shops in Tbilisi or Baku

[Matt]

Hi everyone

We’re on a cycle trip from Scotland to New Zealand. We’re in Turkey, then heading to Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and along the Pamir highway.

We’re looking to upgrade our tyres to Marathon Schwalbe Plus (700cm wheels) and buy a new front rack (preferably Tubus Tara low rider, but an equivalent would be fine). Does anyone know a bike shop in Tbilisi or Baku that could help?

We’re planning to fly from Tbilisi to Baku because the land border is closed, but if anyone has any creative alternatives to flying, we would love to hear them.

Thanks!

Matt

[UsInWorld]

Hi
Don't have info re bike shops

Heard from Azeri person that Nakhchivan - Turkiy border is open. Been searching online since to confirm and no info available

We are hoping to travel to Az via land border aswell

[JulieP]

Supply of such specific bike gear will be hard to come by in Tbilisi. Better to sort it out in Turkey where it will be easier to access spare parts. Because of closed borders we actually ended up flying from Kutaisi in Georgia to Aktau in Kazakhstan with FlyArystan.

[Matt]

Thanks both, we’ll try to get parts before we leave Turkey.

The boat from Baku to Aktau is on our bucket list, so we’re going to try to make it work, hopefully we can get tickets ok!

@UsInWorld - fingers crossed the land borders open soon!

[Marko52]

Re Nakhchivan-Turkey border. Yes, it is open. I made the crossing from Nakhchivan to Dilucu customs post on 8 May. No particular issues, except that the Turkish border cop seemed unable grasp that the Turkish E-visa is actually good for multiple entries during its 90-day validity period. I had to fly to Nakhchivan rather than go by road because one still needs an Iranian transit visa to take the bus. The AZAL flight is painless and pretty cheap at 70 Manat, and offers at least 3 departures daily.

[UsInWorld]

Good to hear the Nakhchivan - Turkey border is confirmed open.
Did you fly Baku - Nakhchivan? What covid papers have you got?

Hopefully a Iranian transit visa is easy to obtain when in private car. Will have to reseach more, specially about requirement or a carnet and covid rules

I posted following link on this forums other Azerbaijan post. Seems like they plan on open borders later this month or early June. https://azpolitika.info/?p=674702

[Flying_Gate]

This is a very old post, but I had success at VeloPlus and their other shop VeloBar.

Got a bike box, bike packing service, and they had my slightly-weird-for-Asia inner tubes.

Won't help OP but I'm case anyone is looking!