As a cyclist born, raised, and living in Northern Canada, I’ve always felt like I should own a fatbike. Since they became popular for winter biking, I’ve always been intrigued with these burley bikes. So after years of contemplating, I pulled the trigger and purchased a popular brand of fatbike with a modestly equipped aluminum frame with components that would get me from point A to B without breaking the bank. I was stoked!
As always, when new bike day came, I began planning big rides and epic winter adventures. I imagined myself escaping down lost winter backroads, finding solitude and seclusion like never before. I would soon find out—after my first winter trip—that bikepacking with a fatbike was not the experience I was expecting. Once I survived my first outing on the bike I remember saying to myself, “This isn’t a fatbike, it's a slow bike”. I knew I would be moving at a slower pace than normal but I never anticipated my average speed would be roughly a quarter of my pace while out on my gravel bike. I would soon sell the bike and never really look back.
Let’s try fatbiking... again.
Fast forward and I have gained experience through time in the saddle to make me appreciate the right bike for the job. There have been many cases where I have felt both over and underbiked—although I've always made due. I in the winter months, I often wonder if selling the fat bike was the right decision or if should I have just learned to enjoy life in the slow lane. As my love and curiosity for cycling has expanded my knowledge so have my connections within the industry. Recently Simon and the crew at Panorama Cycles sent me a Chic-Chocs 3, the latest version of their flagship fatbike. The original Chic Choc fatbike was the one that started it all for the company back in 2016. I was excited to get back in the saddle and give fat biking another shot. After all, Panorama Cycles did build its foundation on this fatbike so it seems only fitting that it be them with whom I reenter the fat biking world.
Panorama Cycles, Quebec, Canada
Panorama Cycles is a Canadian company based in Quebec that officially launched in 2016 however, had been promoting non-competitive cycling since 2010. They have built their foundation on boutique quality with an N-1 attitude. Simon Bergeon, founder and owner is the quintessential cycling bad-ass and he’s been in the game for much longer. After getting his mechanical engineering degree from Ecole de Technologie in Montreal, Simon took his youthful passion for cycling into a career after taking a position with the high-performance boutique bike builder Guru Cycles in 2006. He honed his skills, by designing high-end frames for custom builds. After Guru shut their doors in 2015, Simon continued his work in the sports and aerospace industry as a composites engineer. It was this vast experience that brought him to launch Panorama Cycles. In 2021 they became the first carbon-neutral bike manufacturer certified by Climate Neutral.
Fatbike Evolution
Being the bike nerd that I am, the evolution of Chic-Chocs is truly fascinating. With the first generation utilizing a 26-inch wheelset and a 120mm bottom bracket, put less emphasis on the Q-factor—the width of your stance. The second version placed a strong emphasis on improving that Q-factor incorporating a narrower 100mm bottom bracket giving the bike a more neutral and agile underfoot. It also made standard the 27.5” wheelset improving obstacle rollover that upped the rolling speed. With the third and current ideation of the Chic-Chocs the heart of the advancements lies in the geometry, bringing up to speed with today’s modern mountain and fat bike geometry.
Chic-Chocs 3
My first impression of the bike right out of the box was the overall attention to detail. As with all my Panorama bikes, they are beautiful works of rolling art, adorned with custom illustrations and their attention to detail. This is part of what makes their bike unique to all others. This version of the Chic-Chocs is highlighted with an illustration of a log cabin and forest trail from local artist Denis Carrier from Studio Folk. Images that encompass the soul of the Chic-Chocs and its adventurous spirit. Panorama takes pride in commissioning and highlighting local artists to design many of the illustrations that grace the majority of their lineup. The next notable aspect of this specific Chic-Chocs was the introduction of new branding for the company. With a more in-your-face logo and a bold new font that puts more emphasis on the brand than ever before.
Along with cosmetic redesign comes with it an enormity of custom options catering to the needs of any rider. Their bikes have been designed with complete versatility in mind, from the geometry to the ability to employ a variety of wheel sets, depending on the riding style or season. This particular version of the Chic-Chocs can accommodate wheelsets from 26”x5.0” to 29”x3.0” and comes equipped with a more standard 27.5”x4.5” fatbike wheelset. I love that on other Panorama bikes I have ridden, no matter if I am out on a multi-day epic or just escaping for an hour on the local trails, I am confident in knowing I have the right tool for the job all wrapped into one ride. Frame only will cost $2399 CAD. Complete bikes range from $3599 with Shimano Deore 11spd up to $9714 CAD dripping with carbon parts, HED carbon wheels, SRAM AXS GX electronic shifting, and 120mm Manitou shock up front. The choice is yours to build pretty much anything in between.
After getting the bike built up I took it out for the initial test ride on the local trails. Right away I noticed some big differences to my old aluminum “slow bike”. This carbon-framed bike was a far cry from my original hefty aluminum bike. Paired with the bent top tube and dropper post for maximum stand-over clearance the bike was an ease to ride on the single track trails, allowing me to put my feet down when the bike would sink in the snow or slide off the trail. Although these design features are not unique to the Panoramas Chic-Chocs it shows that the bike has been thoughtfully designed.
How Cold?
I was now ready to take on some adventure, just when the weather here got cold—I mean really cold—where the two Celsius and Ferinheight meet on the thermometer: -40. Other than the odd ride with the dog or quick trip to the mailbox I was left champing at the bit for a proper initiation. I began to worry that my chance to get out was slowly slipping away. After all, this bike was only on loan and had to be shipped out sooner than later. Finally, after a three-week cold snap, the forecast held promise! Quickly my mindset shifted into planning mode and things were set in motion for a proper overnighter with a couple of good buddies.
This Trip Changed Everything I Knew
The plan would be a short but rolling overnighter that would allow me to truly dip my feet into the realm of winter bikepacking—fatbike style. So we packed our bikes to hit the road with cold weather in mind. My strategy for winter overnighters is to employ large panniers, platform pedals, and poggies. Based on my previous fatbike excursion, my mind already conceded that this was going to be a slower-than-normal adventure than my anticipated 10km an hour. Aerosmith's Life’s a Journey, Not the Destination was my mindset as we rolled out of the driveway. As we made our way out of town and through a few rolling sections and a low-grade climb I realized how this bike was built differently. The carbon frame of the new Chic-Chocs 3, paired with the 45 North Dillingers made this bike feel more like my hardtail. The speed, handling and reduced rolling resistance felt like the difference between summer and winter from my old aluminum fatbike years ago.
As we rolled on down forestry service roads my mentality unconsciously shifted from slow and steady into elation. I was enjoying myself and not once did I long for the speed on my hardtail or gravel bike.
As we approached the only real climb of the trip, I moved steadily feeling how responsive and nimble the bike felt when out of the saddle. Even fully loaded with winter gear, I moved at a pace that rivalled my fellow riding mates. The 26-pound bike is lighter than my hardtail and rode like one too with its narrow, natural-feeling Q-factor. I began to feel like there might be a place after for this fatbike in my stable.
Before I knew it we were setting up camp and settling in for the night. The feeling of simple joy was in the air as we had all mentioned how much we needed the trip after the previous three weeks of full-on arctic winter temps. After enjoying the company of good friends and some warm beverages, I crawled into my bag considering just how much more enjoyable this trip had been than fatbike trips of the past. As much as I hated to be a weight weenie I had to chalk it up to having the lighter frame and tires with their reduced rolling resistance. The thought even crossed my mind that this bike could serve me well as a family bikepacking rig. With the bent top tube and dropper post, it would give me the ability to make those abrupt stops to dry tears and resupply snack bags with ease rather than teetering or having to dismount. I was starting to feel like this bike was earning a spot in my stable. I could feel my narrative on fat biking starting to shift.
Come morning we loitered around camp, enjoying the mild winter temps that were a dramatic contrast to weeks prior. I slowly sipped coffee and repacked, I knew seeing this was a winter bike that I would happily ride in the summer versus owning a summer bike, like my hardtail, that I would utilize during the winter. I polished off the coffee and packed up my bike quickly, leaving me with time to snap a few photos.
Throughout the morning, as we rode home, I continually thought that I wished the day's ride was a little longer so I could enjoy the beautiful weather and the creature comforts that were being provided by the Chic-Chocs 3. I also knew that that very same day I would have to box the bike up and send it off to its next destination and I had to admit, I was going to miss this fat bike.
Conclusion: A Joy To Ride
Before I had much time to mull over my rekindled enjoyment for fat biking, the Chic-Chocs was boxed up ready for the courier. Over the next few days, I found myself pining for the bike’s simple conveniences. In the past, this feeling would have passed as it would have been more about the cool factor and having another bike in the stable. However, in this case, there was more to it than that. Over the past few weeks, I found myself grabbing for it over any other bike due to its conveniences as well as the obvious cool factor. The bike became not only a workhorse but also, it was a joy to ride. With its faster-than-average speeds and snappy handling it quickly became my do-it-all bike. In saying all this I am happy to report that my mind has been changed towards owning a fatbike and I have set the wheels in motion to get my very own Chic-Chocs 3 to take its place in my stable. I can not wait for it to arrive!
