13km of fatbiking + 1.5km of bushwacking + 3 ice cascades ascents
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…
Some demo units available. All in excellent 9-9.5/10 condition.
The Chic-Chocs has proven its abilities over the past few years in endurance races and winter expeditions. Whether it's for the Raid du Fjord, the Wendigo Ultra, or riding with confidence on groomed trails, the Chic-Chocs delivers.
A stable geometry with a long wheelbase increases traction and flotation on soft surfaces. In addition, the Chic-Chocs is designed with a 205mm q-factor, the narrowest available for use with tires up to 5" wide. Not to be overlooked for an ergonomic position.
Two Shimano drivetrains available with RaceFace cranksets and cockpit. Quality SunRingle rims and hubs (ready for -30degC!), and studdable tires that can be easily converted tubeless complete the package.
Throw on some 29x3" wheels when the snow melts, and you've got a 4-season bike ready for backcountry bikepacking trips!
***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.
The 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.