Photos and Text by Loïc Olivier
We’ve got a micro adventure planned for today: we’ll meet up at Meech Creek, in Gatineau Park, ride the trails all the way to Wakefield, grab a bite to eat and packraft down the Gatineau River all the way back to Chelsea.
I grab the Chic-Chocs and secure it to the roof rack of the car. Alpacka raft, life jacket and paddle are thrown in the back of the car and off I go. Things are looking up! The sun is bright and the weather is slowly rising. It’s after 10am, let’s hit the trails!
The trails that we plan to ride today are relatively easy. Between Meech Creek and Wakefield, it’s doubletrack all the way up the 50s (trails #50 and #52). It mostly goes uphill in a straight line, and it goes downhill the exact same way. The trails can get a little rough. That’s where the Chic-Chocs truly shines.
With a bit of technique, I can ride over everything. Climbs are slow and steady and I can easily lift the front end of the bike despite having a packraft strapped to the handlebars.
The trails get steeper as we get closer to Wakefield. Holy fast downhill!! Once we reach the bottom of the hill, we take the highway underpass leading us to the Wakefield Mill. We continue down Mill Rd. for a few hundred metres and end up on Riverside Rd., Wakefield’s main drag. It’s sunny and warm outside. We park our bikes in front of Kafe 1870, grab a seat on the patio and swiftly order food and drinks. Damn, what a glorious lunch.
We could sit here all day but the truth is, we came to town for another reason. We saddle up and ride to the public dock so we can float down the Gat! We unpack our gear and quickly inflate the rafts. I remove the Chic-Chocs’ wheels and attach them to the bike frame, which is then attached to the bow of the boat. I settle in. The water is nice and cool. Time to slowly paddle our way back to Chelsea.
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Boreal Pinion
All Terrain Touring*** In stock. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery (custom paint). After conclusive tests on the 2500+km Baja Divide in Mexico and during the TransBoreale expedition (complete winter crossing of Quebec from south to north), the Boreal Pinion bike is offered in a limited series. Each bike will be painted to order, making it completely unique. The Boreal Pinion is designed to carry its rider with confidence on journeys and expeditions around the world. The frame and fork are robust, and the components are extremely reliable and low-maintenance. The highlight of the Boreal Pinion is the Pinion drivetrain. Combined with the Gates carbon belt, it is virtually maintenance-free and extremely durable. The performance of the Pinion internal gear system is unsurpassed, while the wide range of gear ratios is exceedingly large (600% for the C1.12 model - other models available on request) and each gear is evenly spaced. For half-road/half-off-road touring, 29x2.0 (700x50 equivalent) tires will provide an optimum ride. For off-road use, 27.5" tires of equivalent diameter, i.e. 27.5x2.6, are the appropriate choice. The two 32-spoke wheel options (for greater durability) are offered with the purchase of the complete bike. In both options, no lack of mud clearance while the frame and fork can accommodate 29x2.8 tires. *The frame/fork+Pinion set comes complete with Pinion C1.12 drivetrain, forged aluminum crank arms and shifter. Wheel axles, installed headset, seatpost collar and frame protectors are also included.4,399$ – 5,999$ (CAD) -
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T-shirt Bikepacking
ClothingA fully equipped fatbike ready to take off. Bikepacking pure and simple.30$ (CAD) -
Boreal
All Terrain Touring***In stock, we ship daily! The Boreal is an all-terrain touring bike designed to carry its rider in a comfortable upright position on trips and expeditions. The frame and fork are sturdy, and the components are reliable and low-maintenance. Capable of taking loads, the Boreal is the perfect partner for your most ambitious projects. This bike share the same geometry and features as the Boreal-Pinion. Unlike the latter, which is equipped with an internal drivetrain, we build the Boreal with either a Shimano SLX 1x12 or a Shimano Cues 6000/8000 2x11 drivetrain. The 2x11 option offers a huge range of gear ratios, 669% versus 510% for the 1x12. Building the bike around the Rohloff Speedhub 14-speed hub is also available as an option. For half-road/half-off-road touring, 29×2.0 (700×50 equivalent) tires will provide an optimum ride. For off-road use, 27.5″ tires of equivalent diameter, i.e. 27.5×2.6, are the appropriate choice. The two 32-spoke wheel options (for greater durability) are offered with the purchase of the complete bike. In both options, no lack of mud clearance while the frame and fork can accommodate 29×2.8 tires. *** Refer to the specification list for component details. * The frameset comes with wheel axles, headset installed, seatpost collar and frame protectors. * Rohloff option comes with Speedhub 500/14 A12 DB PM black hub, 180mm rear disc, shifter. The chain option comes with a 34/16T chainring/sprocket and the belt option in 42/19.1,399$ – 2,899$ (CAD) -
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Backcountry Cycling Hat
ClothingWhy stick to the already known paths! #Backcountrycycling has become over time the mojo of Panorama Cycles. Make it yours with this unique cap!39.99$ (CAD)- 100% Cotton
- Leather adjustment strap
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Anticosti
Gravel BikesWhen you venture on the less traveled roads of the backcountry, sometimes, the beautiful road becomes much more bumpy than what was predicted. The asphalt becomes gravel, and the gravel literally becomes an off-road trail. It is for this kind of adventure that the Anticosti was created. The Anticosti bike is built with a custom selection of Reynolds 725 steel tubing, tapered where necessary to reduce weight. For this generation, the geometry has been revised (shorter seat tube length and slightly slackened steer angle) and the new shaped chainstays offer more clearance to the rear tire. This bike is ready for a quick gravel loop, or a more ambitious multi-day trip. *Frameset comes with wheel axles, headset installed, seatpost collar and frame protectors.1,649$ – 3,299$ (CAD) -
Touch up Paint
PartsBecause sometimes small scratches do happen... We want you to keep your bike for long and in good condition!14.99$ (CAD)- 5ml bottle
- High-quality all-in-one paint, no need to apply a clear coat
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Katahdin
Gravel BikesThe first generation of the Katahdin has proven itself both in races, gravel events and in bikepacking trips. For its second iteration, the Katahdin gets a makeover with progressive gravel geometry and new features to make it even more versatile. A relaxed 70deg steering angle, longer reach, 75mm bb drop and 430mm chainstays increase the wheelbase of the bike and place the rider in a stable and comfortable position. The goal is less fatigue, and more speed for long outings and / or races. The internal cables for an adjustable seat post, the fork adapted to the use of a dynamo hub, a threaded bottom bracket shell and all the mounts necessary to install bags and accessories are among the features of the Katahdin. The frame is dressed with the Hunt wheels fitted with Maxxis Rambler tires, as well as the Shimano GRX 12 speed groupsets (offered in 1x or 2x), which make for a versatile and efficient bike.2,699$ – 4,099$ (CAD) -
Thru axle – Rear
PartsThru axle for the rear wheel. Bolt-on type (no lever), install with 6mm hex key.40$ (CAD)