Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
United by their love of vintage mountain bikes, Gremlins Bicycle Emporium and BoneshakerMTB recently tackled the Ridout-Bigwind Rugged Ramble route in the Muskoka region of Southern Ontario. Find a recap, photos from their campout, and details on their 26-inch-wheeled bikepacking rigs here…
Words by Jake London & Mason Lover, Photos by Mason Lover
Gremlins Bicycle Emporium and BoneshakerMTB have long promoted a love for cycling by hosting year-round group rides and building an inclusive and welcoming community for a variety of cyclists around the world. Gremlins Bicycle Emporium, a full-service and sales bicycle shop based in London, Ontario, hosts weekly community rides of all kinds, while BoneshakerMTB, out of Toronto, hosts more trail-oriented rides spanning Japan, New York, Calgary, and beyond.
Friends for years and frequent collaborators on community rides, the group decided to embark on a new adventure: tackling the Ridout-Bigwind Rugged Ramble. A crew of seven riders—Jake, Mason, Carson, Aaron, Declan, Ayden, and James—set out, with four riders from Toronto and the rest from London. United by their love of vintage mountain bikes, the group was determined to prove that the “26-inch bike is far from dead.”
The ride began under a gloomy sky, with over seven kilometers of trudging through muddy, swamped-out ATV trails. The first few kilometers gave everyone a shakedown mentally and physically. At the end of 10 kilometers, the group had already stopped to fix a flat tire and tighten multiple bolts. Spirits were high, though, and soon the muck gave way to smooth gravel logging roads. The fall leaves were in full color, the air crisp and fresh. The sun finally broke through the clouds as the group tackled steep inclines and rocky paths, only encountering the occasional ATV, dirt bike, or Jeep. With no real schedule other than making it to camp by sunset, the group rode at a comfortable party pace, sticking together and taking breaks as needed, being sure to stop and have a refreshing lager along the way.
As they pedaled through the wilderness, Carson spotted a beaver, and the group paused to watch it swim its way downstream. There was little wildlife to see that day, but the joy of the ride and the camaraderie kept them going. As sunset neared, Carson, Mason, and Jake rode ahead to find the campsite on Pairo Lake, crossing a rickety log bridge onto an ungroomed ATV trail that traversed around the lake’s perimeter. They left markers behind for the rest of the group to follow in hopes that the caboose wasn’t far behind.
The first three riders arrived at the campsite just before the sun dipped below the treeline. The stillness of the lake was a rewarding sight. With little time to waste, they jumped into the lake, washing off as much mud from the day’s ride as possible. As the sun set, with no sign of Aaron, Ayden, Declan, or James, Carson and Mason started rigging up fishing rods, eager to see what lake monsters lived in these waters. Just as hope of the rest of the crew finding the campsite began to wane, the sound of crunching leaves signaled their arrival. The reunion was too lovely, just in time for a beautifully painted sky.
With everyone back together, the group relaxed in the water before setting up camp and building a fire. Once daylight started to dim and the bugs seemed to find their way around, everyone began collecting their share of firewood. Once they had a decent pile of embers to cook over, the cookout began. The group feasted on a luxury spread for a backwoods camp: steaks, sauteed veggies, meat sticks, crackers, and even a brick of brie that Carson had carried all the way.
Day two dawned with lighter packs, as the beers they had carried in were long gone from the previous night’s campfire. After a relaxing morning, taking in as much of the woods as possible and giving the bikes a much-needed bath (possibly detrimental, but nobody cared), the group packed up and set off. They made a brief stop at a nearby lake for a dip, hoping to catch at least one fish, but with no luck, they got back on the bikes and continued back to the main logging road. The day’s route brought them steeper climbs and rocky descents. Halfway through, they hit pavement, a moment of bliss for James, though short-lived as the trail veered up a steep climb back into the wilderness.
After hours of pedaling through the backcountry under the afternoon sun, they finally made it back to their cars just before 7 p.m. The group was quite glad to have made it to the end, with only minor fixable mechanical failures and some ingenious rigging, proud of completing the rugged ride. As they packed up and began the drive home, the sky opened up with torrential rain—a stroke of luck that they had avoided during their ride. On the way back, they made one last stop at the iconic Webers Charcoal burger joint, a well-deserved feast of burgers, hotdogs, fries, and milkshakes. It was the perfect way to cap off a trip filled with adventure, laughter, and unforgettable memories.
Rig Report
Mason’s Bridgestone MB-4: kitted with Atwater Atelier Randonneur box, frame bag, feed bag, and saddle roll, Ortlieb panniers, and Panaracer Fire XC Pro 26 x 2.1″ tires.
Ayden’s Kona: kitted with Green Guru seat pack, Snowpeak Sierra cup, milk crate with cargo net, and Continental Cross King 26 x 2.3″ tires.
Carson’s Stumpjumper: kitted with Profile Designs fuel pouch, ancient Norco panniers that eventually broke and had to be shouldered for the last five kilometers, Shimano Ultegra rod and reel and about 30 pounds of food tied down with yellow braided twine from the dollar store. Ultradynamico Mars JFF 26 x 2.3″ tires.
Jake’s Merlin: Kitted with Swift Industries Zeitgeist handlebar and seat pack, Nightingale Threadworks feed bags, MKS XC-iii pedals, Schwalbe Billy Bonkers 26 x 2.1″ tires.
Declan’s Kuwahara: kitted with Rockbros seat pack, Wald basket, Kettle chips and other snacks. Maxxis Holy Roller/Kenda K-Rad 26 x 1.95/2.3” tires.
Aaron’s Schwinn: kitted with Serratus panniers, MSR Hubba Hubba, friction front thumb shifter, indexed rear trigger shifter, Kenda Small Block Eight 26 x 2.1″ tires
James’ Bianchi: kitted with MASH SF front rack mounted on quick release skewer (didn’t break), vintage Norco panniers, World Famous foam pad, no water bottles, unknown 26 x 1.95″ tires with no tread.
Further Reading
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