My name is JaBig, and with my fans' support I am about to set a world record for crossing Canada by bicycle -- in the middle of winter -- on a DJ tour.

This will be an epic, four-month, 15 000 km, coast-to-coast-to coast, fixed-gear expedition of a lifetime. Departure date: January 2016.





From the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean, this is the bicycle ride of a lifetime. I will experience and explore the vast territory that is my country, and along the way perform for my many fans.

I’m particularly looking forward to meeting those of you outside the big cities, in more remote communities.





Some background...





You are reading this because you are one of my millions of fans in EVERY single country on the planet. Together, you have contributed to over 5 billion streamed minutes of my DEEP & DOPE DJ mixes on YouTube, SoundCloud, Mixcloud, Facebook, and countless other social media and music websites.

You also know from my YouTube cover photographs and Facebook/Instagram posts that, besides being an international DJ, I am an avid cyclist. What that means is that when I’m not behind the turntables, I can be found on a bicycle, riding long distances. This season alone, I have already cycled 6000 km!

This past summer while on a long ride (of course!), I thought of combining my love of music with two of my other passions, travel and cycling. I came up with #BeatsByBikes, a DJ tour by bicycle. I spent the rest of the warm and sunny months training for this cross-Canada winter expedition.





Why Canada? Why winter? Why by fixed gear?





I always run away from the Canadian winter. I either travel to warmer countries or spend all five months locked up in my house. I decided to challenge myself and attempt this long bicycle ride as a self-imposed “rite of passage": by the end, I will have become a true Canuck (our affectionate nickname for Canadians).

I also know that I have been to so many countries around the world, yet know so little about my own. I want to experience and explore Canada, and since winter here is a three to six month reality—depending on the region—I decided to cross Canada in this season.

Additionally, winter is the only time I can get to the Arctic Ocean by land, since the frozen rivers are turned into ice roads. In fact, I will ride on one of these ice roads to get to Tuktoyaktuk, my final destination! I will have to pedal fast to get there by late April, before the rivers start to melt. Otherwise, the only way to get there will be by boat or plane!

I like riding long distances by fixed gear because because riding these types of bicycles is a challenge: it takes discipline, endurance and strategy. Plus, riding a “fixie” forces me to move at a slower pace. After all, I want this expedition to be an enjoyable, life-changing journey, and not a race against the clock. (Although, there will be no roses to smell since they will all be frozen!)





How does the DJing fit in?





My bike ride will take me to various cities and communities across Canada (See the map above). Starting on the Atlantic coast, I will go through small and big cities such as Quebec City, Montréal (my hometown, yay!), Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Prince George, Prince Rupert and Inuvik (I am particularly looking forward to this one!) without forgetting the ski and winter holiday resorts.

In key towns, I will perform at select DEEP & DOPE parties where my fans will be able to attend. Due to the complexity of this expedition, dates will be given two weeks in advance and may be subject to last minute changes (if I am stuck in a major snowstorm, for example, and cannot ride)

I am planning between 10 to 20 dates. The schedule will be updated on a weekly basis on the #BeatsByBikes blog, which will be launched a week before kickoff.





Will this be a solo tour?





To make this journey practical and safe, the 15 000 km ride across Canada will be a solo (I will be riding alone) but supported tour, meaning that I will have a tour manager in a van who will be responsible for coordinating my DJ gigs in the cities where I will make stops. The tour van will also transport my DJ equipment and backup bicycles, as well as help update my travel blog.

For my part, I will focus on spinning the wheels—literally (cycling), and figuratively (DJing)—in order to better perform for my current and future Canadian fans.





Why get the fans involved?





To make this project possible, I am appealing to my DEEP & DOPE fans to back my #BeatsByBikes Canadian Winter Tour.

I want this record-setting bicycle ride to be a fan-funded tour because it has always been my fans who have kept me going. You have supported my DJ career, listened to my DJ mixes, and come to my gigs. As I expand into other projects, I want to be backed by people who appreciate and understand me, and what is it that I am trying to achieve.

Needless to say, in return for your investment, you will get some major benefits, rewards, and perks. I want this to be a win-win-win situation for everyone involved (you, my fans all over Canada, and me)!





What's in it for backers of #BeatsByBikes?





Here is a growing list of benefits for #BeatsByBikes backers:

1) Upon the completion of my trip in May 2016, I will mail you a print copy of the World Record certificate with your name on it, recognizing your pivotal part in making this milestone possible.



2) I will also mail you a commemorative CD featuring mixes selected and compiled by me. This thank-you #BeatsByBikes CD will be exclusive to backers and will not be made available to anyone else.

3) I will send you one postcard once I start the journey on the Atlantic coast, a second one when I get to the Pacific coast, and the third one when I get to the Arctic coast, the end of my cross-country ride. These postcards will feature photographs shot by me along the way, as well as a personal message from me to you.

4) You will receive a special link where you will be able to track my exact location at any given time during my record-setting bicycle ride. I will have a GPS personal locator beacon on me at all times for security and safety purposes, to let my team and first responders find me in case of an emergency. You will also be able to track me, to monitor my progress and cheer me on!

5) You will receive a custom-branded DEEP & DOPE #BeatsByBikes USB flash-drive that features ALL the mixes that I will record during the epic bicycle ride across Canada. Those sets will be recorded live or from mobile studio sessions.

These mixes will be streamed on YouTube, but only those who back my bike ride will receive high-definition, MP3 copies (along with a few more secret surprises in the drive).

6) You will be given credit and recognition on the DEEP & DOPE #BeatsByBikes mixes that will be posted on YouTube during the DJ tour. If you are a private person you can opt out of this feature, or you can choose to dedicate the mixes to the memory of a loved one.

7) You will be given recognition in the #BeatsByBikes coffee-table travel photography book that I will publish. One of my other passions is photography, and my camera will always be on me as I capture the moments, places, and people that I will encounter on this journey. Needless to say, you will be able to get your copy before it is released to the general public.

8) Once a week on a rest day, I will hold Google Hangout (Internet video chat room) sessions with my funding-fans to keep you up to date with my record-setting attempt, which is also a way to stay connected to you all on the road.

9) You will be automatically entered in the weekly contests and giveaways that I will put together during the expedition. Many generous companies have provided me with goods and services (music, technology, fashion, cycling, and travel related) that will make my journey enjoyable. They have kindly offered to donate extra products, which I will use for these thank you gifts.

10) You will be automatically entered into a draw to win one of the THREE bicycles, which I will be giving away along the ride. What if you don’t ride a bike? Well, you can have your prize sent to a loved one who does. Or learn! It’s a wonderful, life-changing, pastime!

And! The bicycle will be custom-built to fit the winner and her or his tastes!

11) You will be automatically entered into the GRAND PRIZE drawing. Three backers in three different major cities will win a free night DJ’d by me, JaBig. Let me explain: if you win this Grand Prize, I will fly into your city, my team and I will assemble equipment, and I will DJ for you and your closest friends—up to 100 people!

If you are one of the three winners, you have until 2017 to redeem your prize. Yes, if you win this prize, I will DJ at your house party!





The #BeatsByBikes Backers is a close-knit group





By the way, I should mention that I am only accepting no more than 100 backers, first come, first served.

Why?

Because I want to make sure that everyone who participates gets her and his fair share and because I also want to keep this project open to those fans that support all my projects.

Only 100 participants will be accepted so contribute now :-)





That sounds exciting! What else?





That was a partial list of all the benefits you will get for backing my World Record attempt to cycle across Canada in winter to DJ and explore & experience this vast nation.



After you contribute USD $147, I will email you a short survey, so that I know where to send your postcards, CD, and USB stick. I also want to know what kinds of prizes interest you, so that I may know which giveaways to send your way.





What's next?





I’d like to thank you for your time, consideration, and, if you can offer it, your USD $147 contribution.

Please share this with your friends who also appreciate my DEEP & DOPE mixes or who enjoy cycling as a sport or hobby. If you cannot make a contribution, please stay tuned for links to my travel blog, where I will share my adventures on this bicycle ride of a lifetime!





“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” - T. S. Eliot

