A few months ago, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN) ran a feature on Compass Bicycles. It drove home a point that I hadn't really thought much about: Compass is a different kind of bike company. BRAIN quoted Elton-Pope Lance about Harris Cyclery's experience: "The shop doesn’t introduce customers to the...
My schedule in Japan is busy, but I really wanted to go for a ride in the mountains. "Why don't you ride to Utsukushigahara?" suggested Natsuko. "It even has some gravel." So on Saturday morning, I joined hundreds of hikers and cyclists who boarded the first Super Azuza Express that runs from Shinjuku...
Compass Cycles is re-introducing the René Herse rear cable hanger. I have loved these simple, lightweight, elegant cable hangers – so much that I made my own when I built my Mule. There are many ways to design a rear cable stop for centerpull and cantilever brakes – this is the...
Bicycle Quarterly hasn't really covered recumbents much. It's not that we aren't interested, it just seems difficult to do such totally different machines justice. And yet recumbents are a perfect fit with Bicycle Quarterly's research into the history of cyclotouring. During the mid-1930s, recumbents were quite popular among French cyclotourists. Many saw...
Compass Cycles is introducing two new models to its tire line. We've had many requests for 700C and 26" versions of our iconic 650B Babyshoe Pass tires. Here they are! We've added 2 mm to the width, because we found that 44 mm-wide tires will fit most bikes designed for wide 700C and...
Congratulations to Andreas Behrens of LaFraise Cycles for completing the amazing Transcontinental Race. Riding unsupported for almost 2,400 miles (3900 km) over a course that traversed all of Europe, Andreas completed the non-stop race in 15 days and 12 hours. The course traversed the highest mountain ranges of Europe – above the...
The Firefly we tested for the Summer Bicycle Quarterly is one of a new breed – an Enduro Allroad Bike with tires much wider than we usually ride. Our usual routes in the Cascades didn't seem enough of a challenge for this machine and its...
Over the last few years, the idea that higher pressures don't make your bike faster finally has become accepted. Many cyclists now run lower pressures to improve comfort and traction, without giving up anything in speed. On gravel, lower pressures actually make you faster, since the bike bounces less. On...
"Buy the nicest, most supple tires you can afford; and buy them in the widest width that you can fit in your frame." That is Joshua Poertner's summary of a panel discussion on Cyclingtips.com. Joshua used to be the president of Zipp, the makers of super-fast aero wheels, and he did a lot...
The Autumn Bicycle Quarterly went to the printer today. It's always a great sense of satisfaction to complete another issue. A lot goes into each BQ: organizing trips and scheduling test bikes; photography on the road and in the studio; writing, editing, copy-editing and proofreading; photo selection and layout; color corrections...
No visit to France would be complete without seeing Lyli Herse. I first visited her after riding the 2003 Paris-Brest-Paris on a 1946 René Herse tandem. I wanted to learn more about her father, the famous constructeur, and about Lyli's own sporting exploits, which include eight French championships. Over the years, we became friends. We rummaged around...
How does it work that wide tires are as fast as narrow ones? It is really simple: Comfort = Speed When your bike vibrates, energy is dissipated as friction. That energy must come from somewhere – it no longer is available to propel the bike forward, so your bike slows down. That is why your...
Our Compass René Herse cranks are available in three lengths to cover the needs of nearly all cyclists. The lengths we offer are a bit unusual, but there is a reason for this: Our cranks use dedicated forgings for each length. The "net shape forging" makes our cranks stronger than if...
After the Technical Trials, we spent a few days with our friend Richard Léon in the Ardèche region. It was fun to explore this area at a cyclotouring pace. The region is criss-crossed by tiny roads, and Richard knows them all. It's hilly, which makes for beautiful climbs...
Bicycle Quarterly is the inspiration for everything we do. It's the basis for our research and development: The all-road performance of Compass tires was developed through Bicycle Quarterly's testing of tires. The supreme comfort of Compass' Randonneur handlebars became apparent as we rode many bikes across varied terrain for BQ features. But more than that, Bicycle Quarterly...
This summer saw the first Technical Trials in France since 1949. Then as now, the goal was to find the best "light randonneur" bike. Organized by Christophe Courbou, the magazine 200, and Victoire Cycles, this year's event was a great success. The original Technical Trials of the 1930s and 1940s brought incredible...
When we introduced the idea of Rinko bikes to our readers and customers, there were some questions whether they could fit within the airline luggage requirements, or whether they'd have to pay oversize luggage fees. I've flown with Rinko bikes many times, and never paid a surcharge because the bag was too big. The...
The third Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting met in scenic Carson, on the Columbia River. More than 70 cyclists attended, and everybody had a lot of fun. BQ published a place, date and time, and then cyclists from all over congregated for a great day of riding together. We started the ride together by climbing...
Compass centerpull brakes now come with special washers to adjust toe-in. These washers are easy to retrofit on older Compass and even classic Mafac brakes. With this system, you to adjust toe-in only once, when you initially set up the brakes, and then never worry about it again. What is toe-in? It means...
During a recent cyclotouring trip in Japan, we stopped at an onsen hot bath. As we locked up our bikes, I noticed an interesting touring bike, chained to a lamppost. "A few decades ago, a bike like this was every boy's dream," my friends remarked. Looking over the bike, I can understand why. It's a smartly...
The Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting is next weekend. Join us for two days of riding, camaraderie and exploration! We'll meet at the General Store in Carson, WA, on Saturday, June 25, 2016, at 9 a.m. There is only one store in Carson, so it's easy to find. From there, we'll ride up Panther Creek...
Recently, Bicycle Quarterly's experiments on suspension losses have been replicated and confirmed: Higher tire pressures don't result in faster speeds – even on smooth pavement. Replicating results is a crucial part of science, which makes the new results an important milestone in the understanding of bicycle performance. No longer is it just Bicycle...
A few years ago, I wrote in Bicycle Quarterly how I collect roads. Others collect bikes, or rare components, or photos of racers. My collection is more esoteric: I collect roads. Not the physical roads, but the experience of riding on them. Like all collectors, I have criteria of which...
Golden Week is one of the biggest vacation times in Japan. It's a combination of one-day holidays that result in a little over a week of time off. And it's springtime, so virtually every cyclist takes to the road. This year, we went on a ride in the Japanese Alps with a group...
We are glad to offer our Compass Randonneur handlebars with a clamp diameter of 31.8 mm (for modern stems), in addition to the 25.4 mm model we introduced last year. These handlebars have been very popular, and for good reasons. They support the rider's hands much better than conventional handlebars. Having ridden them...
When our readers receive the Summer 2016 Bicycle Quarterly, they'll have a hard time putting it down. We embarked on our most ambitious adventure to date: A ride from Cholula to Mexico City via the 4000 m (13,100 ft)-high Paso de Cortés. We rode on rough gravel roads, past the majestic...
Where is the best place to test an Enduro Allroad bike? That is what we asked ourselves as we planned the Summer 2016 Bicycle Quarterly. It had to be a ride that went beyond the capabilities of the Allroad bikes we usually ride, with their 42 mm-wide tires. And yet we...
I've long championed wool as a great material for cycling clothes, so some riders were surprised that our Compass knickers are made from synthetics. Why didn't we choose wool, or some other natural material? We chose the fabric after careful consideration and rigorous testing. We briefly considered cotton, but it gets heavy...
It might be challenging to understand cycling enthusiasts when you aren't one. We spend a lot of money on bikes, then spend a lot of time getting into shape, and then we go on rides to nowhere, and come home tired. After all this effort, we are back exactly where we started. We haven't...
This is just a quick note that our popular 26" x 2.3" Rat Trap Pass tires are back in stock in all versions. We've been surprised by the popularity of these tires... Many cyclists have a cherished old mountain bike, an expedition tourer or a tandem that is transformed with a...
Short trips often are the most enjoyable. Last weekend, we did not venture far from Tokyo. After an hour on the commuter train, we were assembling our bikes in a mountain valley. Our ride started on backroads. In Tokyo, the cherry blossoms are long gone, but here in the mountains, the whispy "sakura" still...
A few years ago, I called the Gilles Berthoud handlebar bags "unimprovable". After all, they are lightweight, waterproof and last (almost) forever. The elastic closures are easy to operate (unlike buckles), and they allow overstuffing the main compartment and pockets. And being made from canvas and leather, the bags also are...
Some of Bicycle Quarterly's favorite stories have been campouts – short camping trips into the mountains. We pack lightly and enjoy spirited rides, unrolling our sleeping bag or setting up a lightweight tent at the end of the day, before continuing the next morning on a loop that brings us home...
When the Australian Matt Hayman won the European Paris-Roubaix race yesterday, it came as a huge surprise to everybody, including Hayman himself. However, nobody was surprised that Hayman rode on super-supple tires. With their tan sidewalls, Hayman's tires looked like FMBs or Dugasts, but first reports insist that they actually were made...
Straddle cables provide a light and elegant way of transferring the brake force: Every cable-actuated rim brake needs to transmit the force of the single brake cable onto two brake pads that squeeze the rim. In recent years, straddle cables been replaced by direct-action V-brakes or complex linkages (on modern Shimano sidepull brakes). There...
This year's Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting will be held on June 25 and 26 in Carson, Washington. Carson is located on the Columbia River near the Bridge of the Gods. It is easily accessible by bike from Portland along the Columbia River (90 km/50 miles). From Carson, there are many options for great rides. On...
The popularity of our 4-packs of Bicycle Quarterly back issues has surprised us. They provide a neat way of reading up on a topic that interests you, whether it's tire performance, American framebuilders, or tandems. Especially popular has been "Our best interviews", which includes Grant Petersen; the legendary builders at TOEI; a...
The Bicycle Quarterly's Specialized Diverge test bike came out of the box all black. Specialized's photo (below) makes it look like a shadow, but when I saw the actual bike, I found quite unappealing. Everything looked like it was made from plastic. I dreaded taking the bike to the photo studio, where it's our job to...
Gravel riding is becoming increasingly popular, and we are very happy about it! It was natural for Bicycle Quarterly to become a co-sponsor of the Eroica California ride in April, since it combines two things we love: gravel roads and classic bikes. But gravel riding...
The Bicycle Quarterly "Team" is the inspiration for much of what we do. Whether it's the ride stories in Bicycle Quarterly or the components made by Compass Bicycles, it all starts with a bunch of friends riding bikes. You may have noticed that "team" is in quotation marks, because it's not an official team, but a really remarkable group who have found each other over the years. We all are of similar strength, which means that a common pace comes naturally. We've ridden...
What is the 'correct' tire pressure for your bike? The simple answer is: Whatever feels right to you. Confused? Here is how it works: In the past, many riders inflated their tires to the maximum pressure rating. Now most cyclists now recognize that the optimum pressure often is much lower. But what is the right tire...
The Bicycle Quarterly Team's early-season rides usually head into the Cascade foothills to our east. There are plenty of quiet roads that seem to dead-end in the mountains... until you realize that they are connected by gravel roads! This allows us to string together a variety of rides – free of traffic and in...
The photo above shows raw forgings for Compass René Herse cranks. Perhaps you will have spotted that they are all different: Their length varies in 6 mm steps. We introduce René Herse cranks now available in 165 mm and 177 mm lengths, in addition to the 171 mm we have...
A few weeks ago, I visited the Tokyo Handmade Bicycle Show. It was a lot of fun seeing what Japanese builders are doing these days. Before we entered the show, we parked our bikes outside. The bike parking area by itself was worth a visit: Virtually every bike was a special,...
The Spring 2016 Bicycle Quarterly is at the printer and will be mailed in a few weeks. In this issue, we focus on the sense of exploration and discovery, from a trip across the world to a trip to get groceries. Mark Eastman explored a sense of history with his classic...
Recently, I posted about slick tires and why they tend to offer poor traction, especially in the wet. Almost predictably, some Internet "experts" declared that it was all wrong. One of the more polite comments was: "Wow, lots of misinformation in this article." I guess it's normal: If your research...
Where to go for my first ride after recovering from my accident? I had commuted around Tokyo to make sure it was fine to ride my bike again, but now I wanted to experience the Japanese mountains once more before returning to Seattle. And so I headed to one of my favorite routes:...
The first Tokyo Cycle Parts show was held last week. This trade show is open only to the bicycle industry, which allowed focused inquiry into products, and provided a good glimpse at what is happening in Japanese cycling. For me, it also provided a great opportunity to see acquaintances, such as Mr. Yoshikawa, the...
A few weeks ago, we went back to Houshi Onsen, my favorite hot springs in Japan. Our friends had taken Hahn and me to this wonderful place on a ride that coincided with a typhoon hitting Japan. Despite the torrential rain and lashing wind, we took the old road that travelers used centuries...
We recently received the French edition of our book The Competition Bicycle. It's exciting to see our work translated into languages beyond English – after the German edition, there now is a French one. Our French publisher, Éditions Vigot, did a great job with this book. It was printed by...
I recall a great ride up Tsuchiyu Touge (touge = pass) almost two years ago. This ride was organized for Hahn and me by friends from Tokyo. It was a day of much climbing, even more laughter, and the beginnings of wonderful friendships. We were in Fukushima to visit the Nitto factory, and the...
During the R&D of the Compass tires, I was surprised how much difference tire treads can make. I rode three sets of tires with the same casing, same tread rubber and same width, but different tread patterns: standard Grand Bois Hetres with large longitudinal ribs throughout the tire tread "shaved" Hetres where...
Best wishes to you for 2016! May the new year bring you wonderful rides and great memories. Photo credit: Natsuko Hirose
We want to celebrate a great year with our 10 favorite photos from Bicycle Quarterly. Tom Moran's article about fatbiking to the "Magic Bus" in Alaska was not only a great story, but it also was accompanied by great photos (above). Paris-Brest-Paris is full of captivating images, with riders from all over...
I wish all our readers Happy Holidays! I've enjoyed all the interactions with readers. The technical discussions are stimulating, but most of all, it's nice to read about so many people enjoying their bikes on great rides! Thank you all! Photo credit: Fred Blasdel
Recently, we received our custom René Herse chainring bolts (above). Why in the world would we go through so much trouble and expense to make custom chainring bolts? They are pretty significant little bolts, because they are the finishing touch on the René Herse cranks. René Herse chainrings are 1 mm...
Since our first visit to Japan last year, we've been fascinated by Rinko, the Japanese system of packing bikes for train travel. The Rinko system developed by the builders Alps and Hirose is especially elegant and results in the smallest possible package for the bike. It still amazes me that a fully...
As the cycling season draws to a close, I look back over the memorable rides that I have enjoyed. This year, my cycling season ended abruptly when a car turned in front of me in Taiwan, but my recovery has been helped by remembering many...
Books about bicycle history and classic bikes are easily misunderstood: Are they intended for bicycle collectors? Do you need to be an aficionado of René Herse to enjoy reading about him and his riders? Our books are written for readers who want to learn from and be inspired by cyclists passionate...
Good news: We've found a less expensive way to send Bicycle Quarterly to our international subscribers! Our readership has grown so much that we are now able to access bulk mailing options. We are passing on that reduced mailing cost to our subscribers and have lowered our international subscription rates.
I like climbing, and I like mountain scenery, so I was excited when the Audax-Club Parisien introduced the Super Randonnée 600 (SR 600) brevets a few years ago. The idea behind the SR 600 is simple: Over 600 km (373 miles), the route climbs at least 10,000 m (33,000 ft). The...
In our last post, readers noticed the image above and asked about cornering. How am I able to lean the bike so far? Wider bicycle tires corner better than narrower ones. This may run counter to what many cyclists believe, but it's easy to explain. The reason is the lower...
When I test bikes for Bicycle Quarterly, I treat them like my own bike. I ride them for several weeks, often exclusively so I get used to the bike and get attuned to its peculiarities. Features that were unfamiliar at first soon become second nature. And conversely, minor issues may become significantly...
The Winter 2015 Bicycle Quarterly is at the printer and will be mailed in a few weeks. It's another fun-filled, action-packed issue. The Winter issue's theme is "Riding with Friends". We test the Elephant National Forest Explorer, a bike made for gravel roads (above) by riding it to the Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting....
This year's PBP saw a significant number of riders on Compass tires. Of course, we (Jan, Theo, Hahn) rode them, too, but it's always nice to hear from others how our products are doing. J. O. from Vancouver, B.C., and his wife rode a tandem. We gave them our samples of...
It's a common dilemma: You want to ride to the start of a cyclocross race. The distance of 20 miles to the start doesn't bother you – it's a good warm-up. But your expensive cross tubulars will wear off their knobs quickly if you ride them on pavement. What to do? One solution is...
Recently, I was on a familiar road, but riding it did not feel familiar. It seemed like I was straining to stay on top of my gear, whereas usually I just spin along. Was I exceptionally tired? I didn't feel that way... Then I remembered that I had replaced my...
As the rains return to the northern hemispheres, many cyclists' thoughts turn toward fenders (or mudguards, as British riders call them). Fortunately, the idea that fenders are just an afterthought is long passé – today, most real-world bikes are designed with fenders in mind from the onset. Just like...
The bike above is the icon of my youth – a 1980s Cinelli Supercorsa with Campagnolo Super Record components. Back then, I was riding a crummy Peugeot 10-speed with heavy tires, rattling fenders and poorly-shifting derailleurs, and I dreamt of a lithe racing bike. When I finally was able to afford...
All Bicycle Quarterly back issues continue to be popular, because their content is timeless. Our historic articles are well-researched, with interviews of the people who were there, plus detailed research in the contemporary literature. If you want to know the story of Alex Singer or Jack Taylor, or how the...
Of all the people I have interviewed for Bicycle Quarterly, Charlie Cunningham was perhaps the most fascinating. We talked for hours about a great variety of bike-related topics. I am particularly fascinated by his various brake designs – we both prefer brakes with posts next to the fork crown. (Since then,...
While I was in Paris after this year's Paris-Brest-Paris, I visited Ben Le Batard, who runs a machine and fabrication shop. He specializes in motorbikes and bicycles. The bicycle portion of his shop is run by Daniel Hanart, perhaps best known for building Jeannie Longo's hour record bike, as...
I thoroughly enjoyed the second Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting this last weekend. It had seemed hard to top the first-ever Un-Meeting, but this year's gathering was at least as much fun! About 50 cyclists met in Cle Elum for a day of riding and good company. The group split up into...
We often hear from new subscribers: "If I had known how much I like the magazine, I would have subscribed years ago!" Now it's easier to give Bicycle Quarterly a try: you can add the current issue to your Compass Bicycles Ltd. on-line order for just $ 5 at www.compasscycle.com. Whether you...
The first Paris-Brest-Paris was held as a "utilitarian race" in 1891. Organized by the newspaper Le Petit Journal, the big event started with a parade through Paris, before the cyclists raced off toward France's westernmost city, some 600 km distant. On our way to the pre-ride bike check of this...
Handlebars are one of the most important parts of your bike. As one of the three "contact points", the handlebar shape determines whether you are comfortable on the bike or not. After every Paris-Brest-Paris, numerous cyclists complain about numb hands. Some riders take weeks until their hands feel and...
It's less than two weeks to the Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting! What's unique about our approach is that it is not a set, planned route, but rather the opportunity to loosely gather and explore together. Last year's meeting near Mount Rainier was great fun (above). This year we will meet on September...
During a pre-PBP visit to Germany, I had the opportunity to visit one of the largest bike shops in the region. Germany is the country with the most bicycle sales in Europe... and it shows. This shop is more like a supermarket. It's huge. There are four cash registers...
We sometimes get the question whether there is a weight limit for Compass tires or components. The answer is "No". That doesn't mean that our components are indestructible. It's just that we have found rider weight to be a poor predictor of component failure. Neither is power output. Heavy and...
A few weeks ago, I was working on the third-ever issue of Bicycle Quarterly: Vol. 1 No. 3, a slim volume of 24 pages. We are reprinting this issue as part of our commitment to keep all this timeless content available. And many of the articles are...
We seem to be at the apex of Summer: Jan and Theo and other randonneurs experienced Paris-Brest-Paris, and we see many of you on great cycling outings. Yet, we all notice how the sun sets a bit earlier, and Labor Day is not too far away if we look...
After Paris-Brest-Paris, Theo and I rode out to Chanteloup in the hills west of Paris. After every PBP, we organize a small reunion of the Pilotes de René Herse (the riders on René Herse's team) at the restaurant where the team used to eat after the Poly de Chanteloup...
Update 08/2022: This post was written in 2015, when the first tubeless Compass/Rene Herse tires were introduced. Please check this post for more up-to-date information on Rene Herse tires and tubeless.I was trying to put a photo of the new Compass tires' bead here, but it's hard to...
Paris-Brest-Paris is less than a week away. That means that training is over. Any hard or long rides from now will just fatigue your body, rather than make it stronger. All you can do to get your body into top shape is rest. That doesn't mean you cannot prepare for...
We recently received the first production samples of the new Compass tires. We've been testing the high-volume tires on our own bikes, but we don't have any bikes designed for the 26" x 1.25" Elk Pass tires. Fortunately, a Japanese friend was visiting, and she took the...
Paris-Brest-Paris is less than three weeks away. If you are riding in the 1200 km ride, you already have qualified and trained. You will have thought about your equipment and tried any changes that you may want to make. Your endurance training should be complete by now. Riding long distances...
Inner tubes often seem like generic commodities. One is as good as the next – so buy the cheapest one... I used to think that, too, until I started to see split seams, valves separating from the tube, and other mysterious flats that were not caused by "outside influences"....
"This is the future. It will change everything!" said Koichiro Nakamura as he pointed to a bright green women's bike in front of his office. We had met to discuss cycling and the media in Japan... and this bike wasn't what I expected. After I got over my initial surprise, I...
A recent ride with BQ contributor Mark was typical: a combination of great training, enjoying the sights, and stimulating conversation. Except that this one was enriched by encountering some of my favorite cars... (I am aware of the many problems cars have caused, and I rarely drive them, but...
This year's Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting will take place on September 26 and 27 in Cle Elum, Washington. The Un-Meeting is a simple idea for an event: Anybody is invited, but there is no organization, there are no entry fees, and no services are provided. The logistics of how to...
What does the photo above show? It reminds me of the traps used to ensnare animals, used by trappers who hunt animals for their fur. As the animal passes, its leg gets caught in the snare... So why are these snares appearing all over Seattle's bike lanes? Is it a...
Our very first Enduro Allroad prototype tires started out as knobbies with supple casings – then we had the knobs shaved off by Peter Weigle. We wanted to test the concept of a very wide, supple tire before committing to expensive tire molds. We were happy to report that...
One of the most confounding questions in cycling is this: Which hand should control which brake? In the U.S., the law requires that all bikes are sold with the left hand controlling the front brake, and the right hand the rear brake. It's the same in France. In Italy and...
Last weekend was the Seattle International Randonneurs 600 km brevet. Not only was it the last brevet we needed to qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris, but we also had a goal of finishing it in R60 time: 24 hours for 600 km. Some readers my be surprised by...
Oceans have a strong appeal to me. The Raid Pyrénéen, a ride across the length of the Pyrenees mountains, starts at the Atlantic and ends at the Mediterranean. On our Flèche 24-hour rides, we often visit the Pacific Ocean. Oceans seem like limitless expanses of...
The Summer 2015 Bicycle Quarterly is at the printer and will be mailed next week. This summer's theme is a "Journey of Discoveries". We test the Breadwinner B-Road that won last year's Oregon Outback. We take it on a journey to the ghost town of Monte Cristo. Join us as...
A while back, another magazine published a list of the "10 Most Important Innovations in Cycling". The list included things like electronic shifting and Lycra, but left out pneumatic tires... This got us thinking: What are the ten most important innovations in cycling? To keep things straightforward,...
Running Red Lights Few things raise the ire of motorists (and some cyclists) more than cyclists running red lights. Yet anybody who has ridden in major cities has seen riders proceeding through red lights. Why do they do this? Cyclists operate on streets that are designed for cars. The current traffic...
When the new Edelux II headlights came out a little over a year ago, they were another big step forward in lighting technology. Compared to the first Edelux, the new version features a much wider and more evenly lit beam. Compared to older halogen headlights, the difference is night...
"Let the guys on the 650B bikes to the front. They'll be ahead anyhow." That is what the organizer of the Seattle International Randonneurs 400 km brevet said before the start. We laughed – what a change from just a few years ago when many people thought I was...
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