Unfortunately we were too lazy to bring our own mountain bikes to Solta. After seeing all of the available mountain bike paths around the island we decided to rent some. If you dont have access to a boat, it is the best way to check out some of the isolated swimming coves.
Despite being the end of the summer season, they were already booked out for most of the week, so I would strongly recommend reserving bikes as soon as possible.
On the day of our reservation, the guys at Discover Solta sat down with us and a map of the island and gave us many recommendations on what the different trails were like down to different coves and where potential hazards (loose dogs) were. They provided us with Cube mountain bikes, helmets, fresh water bottles, a map, locks, pump and a backpack. The bikes had front suspension, triple gears in the front and disc brakes but were only available in compact frames which felt a little small for me (5'11) compared to my own bike. Three of the bikes were in great shape but the rear derailer on the 4th bike needed a tune up. Hint - try and take them for a quick test ride when you pick them up, just to make sure that everything is working properly.
Mountain biking in Solta was fun! The island is covered in unsealed roads that go down to different swimming coves, or run between the towns. The surface varied from loose rocks and pot holes to smooth compacted dirt. Although the paths were always wide enough for a car/tractor, they were also pretty steep in places. Keep in mind that the main road runs along the central ridge of the island, so the towns and beaches are normally at least 150m down hill, great fun on the way down but definitely harder on the way up, especially after a long swim!