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Winter Bikepacking

Exploring Charlevoix Backcountry

Photos and Text by Pierre Bouchard

English version to come…

L’hiver, sommes-nous confinés à rouler en rond, pédaler après notre queue sur les sentiers entretenus de centres de fatbike, ski de fond et raquette pour s’éclater du haut de nos roues surdimensionnés? Heureusement que non! Pas dans Charlevoix, en tout cas! Même que l’aventure, lorsque l’indice de « portaison » le permet et que nos amis les motoneigistes nous tapent la voie—sur des sentiers non-fédérés, bien sûr—sait se pointer, toujours prête à nous transporter, élever…exalter!

Explorant un univers capitonné strié de pistes et chemins forestiers immaculés, on peut évoluer au sein de cette planète blanche sidérante, l’arrière-pays charlevoisien l’hiver, pendant des jours et relier ainsi auberges des bois, chalets de la Traversée de Charlevoix et refuges du Territoire Libre de Pied-des-Monts.

. Appelons ce type d’entreprise « bikepacking ou fatpacking hivernal haute route ». Voici quelques scènes et moments d’une escapade qui nous aura vus, mon partenaire Antoine Dufour-Simard et moi, piloter nos Chic-Chocs du plateau avoisinant le massif du lac Jacques-Cartier jusqu’au fond du cratère météoritique de Charlevoix…un circuit fat intergalactique!

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  • fourche taiga panorama
    fourche taiga panorama

    Taïga Fork

    Transform your hardtail mountain bike into a lightweight and versatile bikepacking bike with the Taïga carbon fork.
    • 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
    565$ (CAD)
  • Sold out
    panorama_taiga_exp
    panorama taiga exp

    Taïga EXP

    2023-04-28: All 2023 units are sold! Thank you!! Please contact your closest PANORAMA CYCLES  dealer to know what they have on hand. Or, subscribe to our newsletter to be the first informed of when the next pre-sale will be launched. *** *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.
    1,649$3,949$ (CAD)
  • panorama_katahdin
    panorama_katahdin

    Katahdin

    2023-03-28: The 'wide range' option has been added, which includes the Garbaruk derailleur cage and a 11-50T cassette. *** Now is the time to book your 2023 Katahdin. Use promo code katahdin at checkout to make a 50% reservation deposit. Limited quantity for 2023. Expected delivery: end of May 2023. Contact us for any questions.*** 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 Teravail Cannonball 700x42mm tires, as well as the Shimano GRX groupset (with the 11-50T cassette option), which make for a versatile and efficient bike.
    2,699$4,449$ (CAD)
  • Sold out
    panorama cycles t shirt
    panorama cycles t shirt

    T-shirt Bikepacking

    A fully equipped fatbike ready to take off. Bikepacking pure and simple.
    30$ (CAD)
  • patte de derailleur torngat
    derailleur hanger panorama cycles

    Derailleur hanger

    Always a good idea to have a spare derailleur hanger when venturing a little further than usual...
    25$40$ (CAD)
  • panorama anticosti 2023
    panorama anticosti 2023

    Anticosti

    *** Now is the time to book your 2023 Anticosti. Use promo code anticosti at checkout to make a 50% reservation deposit. Limited quantity for 2023. Expected delivery: Early June 2023. Contact us for any questions.*** *Please refer to the component list for 2023 specifications. 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 with fenders. 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.
    1,649$3,599$ (CAD)
  • panorama taiga
    panorama taiga

    Taïga

    *** Now is the time to book your Taïga 2023. Use promo code taiga at checkout to make a 50% reservation deposit. Limited quantity for 2023. Expected delivery: Early June 2023. Contact us for any questions.*** 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. For 2023, we lowered the bottom bracket slightly to increase stability. Offered with a carbon fork, a suspension fork option is available upon request (options starting at 259$). Custom built Hunt Trail Wide wheels for Panorama Cycles with 32 spokes, Teravail Ehline 29 "x2.5" tires and Shimano SLX drivetrain complete the package. * Complete bike ($3599 CAD) * The frameset comes with wheel axles, headset installed, seatpost collar and frame protectors. (1649$ 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$3,599$ (CAD)
  • Panorama Forillon
    panorama forillon

    Forillon

    *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.
    2,399$ (CAD)