Ultra races have always fascinated me, especially those that take place in winter. In a long-distance race, the weather will turn for the worse at some point. During an ultra endurance race, you’re sure to get hit right in the feels.
When winter comes, I have a tendency to read and reread some of the wild stories coming out of the Iditarod Trail Invitational in Alaska, and the Arrowhead in Minnesota. Trail conditions are often difficult. Epic hike-a-bikes, When night comes, temps often drop to -40C. Riders are pushing themselves for dozens of hours, fighting the urge to quit while being beaten down by strong northwestern winds. Mid-race DNFs are common.
We’re spoiled in the National Capital Region: each year, Cameron Dube organizes the Wendigo Fatbike Ultra, a winter ultra endurance fatbike race that runs through Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec over distances of 50km, 100km and 150km.
In January 2018, I decided to go for it. I signed up for my first ever endurance race: the Wendigo Fatbike Ultra 50km race.
A few weeks before the race, I revved up and increased my number of outings: big Gatineau Park rides, snirt rides on sweet Pontiac dirt roads, urban marathons rides criss-crossing snow-covered bike paths on both sides of the Ottawa River. All in all, including bike commutes, I manage to ride outside for a solid ten hours a week.
Respecting equipment : all @wendigoultra participants must have the mandatory basic equipment. Race volunteers check each participant’s equipment and if something is missing or not working, you’ll get disqualified.
For the 50km race, I need:
1- 8 square inches of reflective material on the front and back of bike or cyclist.
I stick 3M red reflective strips on the fork and chainstays of the Chic-Chocs.
2- Flashing lights (minimum 3 bulbs) at the front and rear blinking at all times, day and night. White or red lights at the front, red lights at the back.
I’ll use two simple red flashing lights.
3- 2L of water in insulated bottles.
I get thirsty when I ride, so I’ll be bringing 3L in BigChill insulated bottles. I keep 2 bottles on the the fork of my Chic-Chocs, and the other bottle will go in a feed bag on my stem.
4- Insulated foam pad, minimum size of 12X12″.
I’ll bring a small Z Seat from Thermarest.
5- Bivy bag or emergency blanket that can fend off the wind/cold.
I’ll bring a reflective emergency blanket.
In addition to the mandatory equipment, I’ll bring a change of clothes (two merino baselayer tops, a puffy coat, two neck warmer, a pair of gloves, a hat and a balaclava), food for about 8 hours of high-intensity riding (gels, Cliff bars, homemade GORP) tools, an inner tube, a pump, my phone, ID cards, money and a 35mm camera.
My goal is to finish the 50km race in less than 4 hours.
2nd week of February. We’re getting hammered with new snow everywhere in the region. I hope that the groomed trail will harden before the weekend….
Saturday is race day.
I wake up at 4:00 in the morning and have a solid breakfast. I drink a long espresso, chase it with another one, and take care of last-minute prep. Fred’s picking me up around 5am so we can get to Beachburg before 7am.
When we arrive at the Whitewater Brewery, volunteers are waiting outside to verify our equipment. An hour later, Cameron gives us race instructions.
Most participants are signed up for the 50km and 100km races. A select group is signed up for the 150km race, which should take over 12h to complete.
I’m antsy and nervous. It is -9C, the sky is cloudy and there is a very light wind. Conditions are prime for a winter bike race.
Everyone move towards the starting line. Many riders are washing out left and right, their tire pressures are too high. Almost everyone lowers their pressure before the big start.
We’re all standing there, saying nothing. All we hear is the wind.
Mass start at 8:25am. Two groups form very quickly, the first one is made up of roadies in full kit. The group sprints at full speed before lining up on Muskrat Lake, where passing is more difficult. We won’t see them again any time soon.
The other group is more diverse and impossible to typecast. The group quickly pick up a cruising pace. I pass a few riders, but it’s hard. The first group left tire ruts on the groomed trail. People are running high tire pressures. You have to stay in the middle of the trail because. If not, you’ll endo.
At the other end of the lake, 6km further, we arrive at the Olsens’ house. The Olsens are out on the balcony [egging us on]. Sounds like the next km will be a trek.
What an understatement.
The road from the Olson cottage to the concession road is steep and not cleared. Steve Olsen’s truck got stuck the day before and his son had to pull him out. You can see fatbike tire tracks in the deep truck tire ruts. There are snow angels everywhere.
I’m sweating my life away and go OTB a bunch of times. I get passed by a guy with a Gearheads kit, a bike shop from Petawawa, just north of here. I later realize that the guy who passed me is Carey Dedo, who is doing the 150km. His approach is different from that of the other riders in the first group who went all out right off the gate. This guy is clearly a diesel engine. He rides at a constant speed. Carey will in fact end up winning the 150km at about midnight, 16 hours later.
I finally get out of this hellish driveway and hit the concession road. I reach the end of my cassette in no time. The wind is picking up a little. This road is quiet, I ride in peace but have to be mindful of traffic at intersections, as we cross provincial roads.
We turn off on the snowmobile trail, an old railway line. It’s flat as a pancake. It’s as wide as a street, but it’s soft in the center. I ride on the side of the trail on fatbike tire tracks the trail. When I pedal hard, I tend not to look far enough in front of me. Unfortunately I head straight for a tree branch that hits me a few centimetres above my right eye. Fortunately, more fear than harm. I’M not wearing riding glasses today… I got lucky on this one.
I see a rider in the distance coming my way on the snowmobile. It’s Jack, a 6′ 5″ giant. His chin is glued to his stem. He means business. He’s easily 5 or 6km ahead of me and I’m not even halfway through the race. He’ll end up winning the 50km.
Then I see Rodrigo. Ice beard and big smiles. He’s obviously doing well. Then it’s Andrew, who just had a baby, and it’s not his first. That guy looks like he’s not even breaking up a sweat. So smooth. This guy doesn’t need sleep to do well on race day!
I ran into my buddy Fred a few minutes later. We exchange news: “Need calories”? “You have enough to drink”? Everything is fine. We each continue on our own.
At the end of the snowmobile trail, I reach Beachburg. I’m catching up with David, a regular at local endurance races. We greet each other and ride in line to the village arena a few kilometres away.
Quick check-in. David changes his GoPro batteries. I’m leaving without changing clothes.
I’m in the zone. I’m not riding especially fast, but doing well above 14km/h on a snow-covered trail. At this rate, I’ll finish the course well below my 4h goal.
I don’t see anyone on the trails except for a few snowmobilers. Then in the distance, I see two people standing on the side of the road. It’s a kid and his mother cheering me on! In the middle of nowhere! So cool.
I’ve been riding at a steady pace for two and a half hours. I’m thirsty and getting ready to take a sip but realize that my bottle is almost empty. I grab one of the bottles on the Chic-Chocs’ fork, but the bottle is frozen shut. I stop in the middle of the street, unscrew the lid and pour the ice water into my empty bottle. With my glove removed, I might as well eat some food. My Cliff protein bar is as hard as a rock… I take out a gel, it’s so thick I can’t swallow it without gagging. I have to eat something or I’ll hit the wall. Argh.
My bottle is starting to freeze up again. The flow rate is getting lower and lower. I have to shake it before taking a sip. I’ll do it again. I try to drink every 5 minutes but it doesn’t take long before the bottle is completely frozen again. The only way to drink is to unscrew the lid. I try to swap bottles but my 3rd bottle is now a block of ice…
Back to hell on the Olsens’ driveway…. I pedal but I screw up more often than not and end up having to push my bike. I’m running high pressure in my tires and I need to do something about it. On the dirt roads and on the snowmobile trail, it worked out fine, but on the Olsens’ hellish driveway, I’m having a hard time.
It’s not getting any better on the lake. I barely ride 20 meters before I crash. I get on the Chic-Chocs and take off. 30 meters further, I fall again. I get up, remount and start riding again.
I fall like that dozens of times. David passes by. My vision is getting blurry. I’m really tired. I have to deflate my tires but I’m afraid I’ll go too slowly. By then, poor judgement is my defacto M.O.. I continue this nonsense along the entire length of Muskrat Lake. Riding for 6km takes me an hour.
When I get to the shore, I get off the bike and push it up the hill. I see the Whitewater Brewery about a km away.
Damn, I’m so thirsty…
When I get to the brewery, I put the Chic-Chocs next to the other bikes that are lined up against the wall. Cam comes out of the brewery and congratulates me. We take a quick picture and he gives me the Event Finisher’s fridge magnet. I smile. This will actually be useful!
Inside, Rodrigo, Andrew, David and Fred congratulate me, before someone offers me a beer. The first sip is blissful.
I finished the 50km race in 3h55min and reached my goal. I could have done better if I had managed the last part of my race properly, but I guess we learn from experience.
I sit of a stool that is way too high for me and take off my tuque and gloves. I close my eyes for a few moments.
I wanted to have an experience. Well, that was quite the experience. I pushed myself hard during that race, both physically and mentally.
Big Shoutout to Cameron and his team of volunteers for having put together a stellar event. It beat me up proper. Big thanks also to Whitewater Brewery for their hospitality. Nothing beats a good beer and a great meal after pushing yourself hard.
All things considered, my first ultra endurance race went pretty well, but the last quarter of the race was particularly difficult. I made a number of mistakes:
1 – I prepared for it a bit lightly
To do well in an endurance race, you have to test your equipment and you food, and adjust as necessary.
2 – My water bottles were frozen.
Next time, I’ll start with hot water in all my bottles. I will also make sure to wrap them in a cozy.
3 – The food I brought was hard to eat
I have to try and find something other than protein bars that harden and gels that thicken. I also have to use pogies, that way I’ll be able to put on thin gloves and won’t need to take off my gloves to eat. Pogies will also allow me to keep my food warm in the cold.
4 – I brought too much stuff with me
Of course, I didn’t need to bring a camera. Next time, my phone will do the trick. For spare clothes, I’ll have to sort everything out on the spot before starting the race and leave some items aside depending on the weather.
5 – Batteries
For the 50km event, my lights worked properly because I used new lithium batteries. If I ever decide to sign-up for the 100km or 150km event, I must bring spare lithium batteries. If the lights stop working at a checkpoint, I could be disqualified.
6 – Tire pressure
I always check my tire pressure by hand, but experience has shown me that I should really test it with a pressure gauge so that I can find the pressures that work for me. If I slip and slide all over, it’s because the pressure is too high. There’s no magic here, I just have to stop and lower it as needed.
***In stock. We ship everyday!
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!
***It's time to pre-order your Torngat Ti. Use promo code torngat at checkout to proceed to the 50% reservation deposit. Delivery scheduled for December 2023.
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:
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.
Our Torngat Ti, like all our bikes, is assembled to order and is therefore available as a frameset kit or as a complete bike with various customization possibilities.
*Frameset includes carbon fork, headset, wheel axles and seat post collar.
In stock, we ship everyday.
*Please refer to the component list for 2023 specifications.
The Forillon is your best ally for cycling around the world. It is designed to be ridden efficiently on a variety of road types, while remaining stable and easy to handle when loaded with all your luggages. It's easy to see why the family behind the Terra Tributa project made these their bikes of choice for their nomadic lifestyle.
Strength and reliability are highlighted in the choice of components. The 36 spokes double walled with reinforced eyelets rims paired with 700x44mm tires and the Microshift transmission offering an immense speed range of 585% are perfect examples.
The Reynolds 525 steel tubeset as well as the 4130 steel fork have been selected to maintain excellent stiffness once the bags and panniers are added. Features such as the addition of extra spokes mounts, integrated kickstand plate, multiple mounts for bottles, front and rear racks and fenders make this a true Swiss Army knife for on-the-go travel bike.
*** SOME DEMO BIKES AVAILABLE AT SPECIAL PRICE. SELECT DEMO FROM THE DROP DOWN MENUS BELOW ***
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!
*In stock and shipping everyday!
When 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 frame is built with a bespoke selection of Reynolds 725 steel tubing, thinned where it is needed to reduce weight. A generous tire clearance allows you to install 27.5x2.1 or 700x50 tires. For 2023, our steel frame gravel bike has a revised geometry (shorter seattube length and slightly slacker head tube angle) and new curved chainstays offering more clearance to the rear tire.
A Rival buildkit, Easton crankset, Hunt wheels and Teravail 700x42 tires makes this bike ready for a quick gravel loop, or for a more ambitious multi-day trip project.
*Frameset comes with wheel axles, headset installed, seatpost collar and frame protectors.
Slow Travel is the state of mind we approach during bike journeys. It is taking the time to live each experience in its entirety, focusing on quality rather than quantity.
*Please refer to the component list for 2023 specifications.
Selected as one of the best off-road touring bikes by the renowned blog Cyling About, the Taïga EXP 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.
A true 'mullet' setup with Gevenalle GX or Rival+Ratio Technology shifters controlling a 12-speed SRAM Eagle mountain drivetrain. Hunt XC Wide MTB wheels fitted with WTB Trail Boss 29"x2.25" tires are fast and comfortable. 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.
*Rohloff option comes with the black Speedhub 500/14 A12 DB PM, 180mm rear rotor, the shifter and all the hardware for the hub installation. Option with Rohbox system and SRAM Rival shifters available.
Custom-made frame bag by Atwater Atelier, to match your Panorama Cycles bike.
Many color, material and feature options available. Refer to the Atwater Atelier website for details or contact us directly.
How to order:
1- Make the purchase on our website. Add as a note to the order the model, year, color and size of your Panorama Cycles bike.
2- Upon receipt of your order, a member of our team will contact you to select options, if applicable.
3- Bag manufacturing time varies from 6-10 weeks.
Basic features ($290):
Access to a large compartment on the drive side
Brightly colored 70D Ripstop inner lining for better visibility