English version to come…
Lundi et mardi : pluie. Samedi, on annonce -21degC.
Alors que mes amis skieurs sont en dépression, je sais que les conditions seront plus que parfaites pour sortir des sentiers battus en fatbike. Le terrain difficile à parcourir lorsqu’il y a beaucoup de nouvelle neige est maintenant à portée de main avec une telle température.
Et du même coup, un petit redoux durant l’hiver est toujours bénéfique pour les cascades de glace. Alors pourquoi ne pas combiner fatbike et escalade de glace lors d’une même sortie?
Direction Lanaudière, dans le coin de Saint-Émilie-de-l’Énergie, pour d’abord emprunter un sentier multi-usage superbement entretenu par un groupe de locaux. Raquette, ski de fond, fatbike, cheval, traîneau à chiens… Tous les amoureux de plein air sont les bienvenus. Les conditions sont rapides et facilitent le déplacement de nos vélos chargés d’une quinzaine de livres de matériel d’escalade. Quelques kilomètres plus loin, on aperçoit un lac bordé d’une falaise de plusieurs centaines de mètres, avec une hauteur variant d’environ 30m à 60m. De nombreuses chutes de glace coulent sur celle-ci. Voilà notre destination!
L’approche à pied fut ardue; une surface de neige croutée devait être défoncée à chacun de nos pas. Nous avons mis environ 1h30 à parcourir cette courte distance séparant le lac au pied de la falaise. Mais une fois arrivés, nous avons été récompensés! La cascade repérée était formidable : plusieurs beaux petits ressauts, de belles fissures et de longues sections verticales allaient nous mettre à l’épreuve pour le restant de l’après-midi.
Lorsqu’on atteint ces endroits reculés, il est facile de s’imaginer être les seules personnes y étant parvenues au cours des dernières années.
Et peut-être ce sera aussi le cas pour les années à venir…
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Thru axle – Rear
PartsThru axle for the rear wheel. Bolt-on type (no lever), install with 6mm hex key.40$ (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) -
Taïga EXP 2
Gravel Bikes, Mountain Bikes***2024-03-25 Update. Delivery of first production batch scheduled for early April. This batch has sold out in presale. A second production batch is expected in late April/early May. All sizes will be available. Pre-order your Taïga EXP using the promo code taigaexp at the time of purchase to proceed to the 50% reservation deposit. Selected as one of the best off-road touring bikes by the renowned blog Cyling About, the Taïga EXP 2 is the dropbar version of the Taïga mountain bike. This makes it ideal for long-distance off-road tours and mixed terrain bikepacking expeditions. It was also the bike that led Cory Ostertag to first place at the 2022 BC Epic, and the same bike that helped Marie-Pierre Savard and Cory Ostertag set new record times (FKT) at the 2022 Log Driver’s Waltz for women and men respectively. The Reynolds 725 frame is packed with useful features: adjustable rear sliding dropouts, seat stay opening for use with belt, compatible with 100mm suspension fork, compatible with dropper seat post. The carbon fork has internal cable routing for dynamo hub usage, and all the necessary mounts for your equipment. In addition to slight geometric refinements, tire clearance has been increased to easily accommodate 29x2.6'' on this second-generation EXP. The Taïga EXP 2 is equipped with the excellent GRX 12-speed groupset, and the frame now features flat-mount brake mounts. We offer 2 wheel options as well as an adjustable seatpost option. The Ritchey Beacon 52cm wide handlebar gives enough space for a bulky handlebar bag, while providing excellent stability when the terrain is more demanding. *Frameset comes with wheel axles, headset installed, seatpost collar and frame protectors.1,649$ – 3,899$ (CAD) -
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) -
Taïga
Mountain BikesFree shipping on the Taïga. Promotion runs until May 10. Canada and USA residents only. ''The Taïga is a worthy adventure bike through and through. It is perfectly set up for some trail shredding straight out of the box.'' Read the complete review HERE. In between a trail bike and a multi-day adventure bike, the Taïga has multi purposes. Take it on your local mountain bike trails, or for a bikepacking outing in the more rugged backcountry trails. Our selection of Reynolds 725 tubing gives this frame just the right amount of suppleness and responsiveness, while keeping the weight reasonable. A 67deg steering angle and 75deg seat angle strike a balance between modern and progressive geometry, without falling into an overly radical design. The 435mm chainstay length offers a centered position on the bike (front-center versus rear-center ratio), and can be increased for even greater stability when a rear rack is used. * Complete bike (starts at $2949 CAD) * The frameset (carbon fork) comes with wheel axles, headset installed, seatpost collar and frame protectors. (1649$ CAD) * The frame only option comes with the rear wheel axle and seatpost collar. (1199$ CAD) * The Rohloff option comes with the Speedhub 500/14 A12 DB PM black, the 180mm rear disc, the shifter and everything needed to install the hub on the frame. (+1899$ CAD)1,199$ – 3,548$ (CAD) -
Taïga Fork
PartsTransform your hardtail mountain bike into a lightweight and versatile bikepacking bike with the Taïga carbon fork.565$ (CAD)- Axle to crown length of 500mm. Corresponds to a suspension fork for a 29in wheel with 120mm of travel, at 25% 'sag'.
- Boost 110x15mm spacing.
- Tapered 1-1/2 x 1-1/8 300mm long carbon steer tube
- Offset/rake: 51mm
- Triple cargo cage mounts
- Clearance for tire: 29x3.0 or 27.5x3.25
- Post mount 160mm brake standard.
- Wheel axle included
- Weight: 675g
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Torngat Ti
Fat bikes, Mountain Bikes***In stock. We ship everyday! The only one of its kind, the Torngat Ti is the first titanium fat bike to offer two crankset spindle length setups (Q-factor), to suit all your type of riding. A versatile model, both lightweight and durable, that can be used for a wide range of adventures, making it the perfect bike for both trail riding and expeditions during summer and winter. The Torngat Ti is ready to tackle any terrain, without compromise. By using one of the two crankset axle provided with the bike, you can configure it to minimize the Q-factor depending on how you want to use it:3,599$ – 5,594$ (CAD)- 27.5'' x 4.5'' tires (the widest fat bike tires on the market) for soft surfaces: standard 205mm Q-factor.
- 27.5×4'' tires for hard-surface fat bike configuration: narrow 185mm Q-factor for more ergonomic positioning.
- 29×2.5''-3'' tires for mountain or all-terrain use: narrow 185mm Q-factor for a comfortable pedaling position.
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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)