Winter is a great time for riding in the Cascade Mountains. The high passes are covered in snow, but our favorite roads in the foothills spear far into the deep valleys of the mountains. These are long, cold, hilly rides. Rides that are about getting in a rhythm without...
When Lael and Rue came to Seattle late last year, I didn't know what to expect. I mean, I think I know Lael. I've watched her in countless interviews and videos. We've talked on the phone dozens of times. We've worked together to develop two tires, the Fleecer Ridge...
I’ve dedicated three summers over the past six years to riding all of the major roads in Alaska, some 4,500 miles. What started as a dream to see my home state under my own power and push my limits in endurance has evolved. A condensed backstory – in 2014, I...
January is a great time for riding. A new year is starting, and it's a time for those long, slow miles that build our distance base. After a month of rest, our minds are eager to get out and start preparing for the adventures that will come later in...
It's been a difficult year, but cycling has provided one way to deal with the challenges we've faced. Whether riding alone or with a good friend, it's allowed us to get away from it all, recharge and return with new energy to tackle what lies ahead – and have...
In October 2017, I visited Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island. After touring with a friend, I continued alone to Rishiri Island. From there I took a ferry to Rebun Island. (more…)
Roads in Alaska are precious. Many communities are isolated, only accessible by plane or boat. Pull out a map, and you’ll see village dots inland and coastal, with no road lines connecting them to the outer world. Visiting remote places has been very eye-opening for me: The communities are...
Ted King called: "I'll be in Seattle in early August. Want to go for a ride?" Of course I do – Ted is a lot of fun! But where do you take the King of Gravel for a ride? In August, the snow has melted even on the highest passes,...
1,409 miles and more than 115,000 feet of climbing. The French Divide is a bikepacking race that traverses the entire length of France from North to South. (more…)
It's hard to believe that 15 years have passed since I had my first real taste of the performance of all-road bikes. On a Saturday in August 2005, the second Three Volcano 300 km Brevet was organized by Robin and Amy Piper of the Seattle International Randonneurs. The previous...
When Ted King floated the idea of DIY Gravel, I was intrigued: For each gravel race that's cancelled, he challenges everybody to ride a similar distance – and elevation gain, if possible – near home and solo, within one week of the original event date. There's a Strava group...
Last weekend, the BQ Team went on one of our typical rides: A 100-mile (160 km) romp through the Cascade foothills on familiar roads. Of course, we didn't ride as a group – we've given that up for more than a month now, even before the official social distancing...
In uncertain times, it's good to remember what is important to us and how we can continue to enjoy our lives. Cycling is what we do, and, fortunately, it's something we can continue to do. (more…)
As last summer's 1200 km Paris-Brest-Paris was approaching, my training went into high gear. That meant hill intervals and speedwork, but also occasional longer rides to maintain my endurance – and have fun! When Mark and Steve suggested a weekend ride up the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River, we...
When the forecast predicted a rare break in Seattle's relentless rain, Ryan Hamilton and I quickly decided: "Let's head to Index!" It's a favorite winter ride that spears deep into the Cascade Mountains, but stays in the valleys (mostly), so it remains rideable while the high passes are covered...
I love the scenes in movies and the chapters in books when the hero is training and developing and working to become great; when you see that drive and ambition to face sacrifices and to improve. You see cold early mornings and sweat and pain become results. I want to live...
In the last post, I talked about riding on the old road across Jikkoku Pass. Where to go on the second day? We haven’t quite decided yet. The typhoon is getting closer, and we don’t know what the weather will be like. If it’s just raining, it’s OK, but this...
Usually, October in Japan is a month of good weather, with an occasional typhoon that needs to be considered when planning a cyclotouring trip. But when I visited Japan this autumn, October saw so many typhoons and rain. It’s very unusual. We did not want to miss the short window...
Today's Un-Ride, as Ted named it, was a blast. It was wet, it was tough, and it was great. We just rode hard and enjoyed the company of the group. There was no posing for the cameras – and it was too dark for good photos anyhow – but...
Just a quick reminder that our Un-Meeting-style ride with the 'King of Gravel' is this Sunday. The weather forecast is unseasonably good for Seattle – just a slight chance of rain in the morning. Here are the details: When: Sunday, December 8, 2019 Where: Seattle Ferry Terminal, 7:35 a.m....
Join us on a ride with Ted King, the 'King of Gravel'! We'll head to the Tahuya Hills on some beautiful (and hilly) roads. There'll be plenty of gravel, as well as an all-paved option. When: Sunday, December 8, 2019 Where: Seattle Ferry Terminal, 7:35 a.m. ferry to Bremerton ...
When winter snow makes the high roads in the Cascade Mountains impassable, we turn to cyclocross. It's our preferred winter sport – challenging, fun and a great way to hone our skills for the big summer gravel adventures. The skills of 'cross are less about jumping across barriers –...
Last weekend's Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting brought together cyclists from all over the United States. Despite an uncertain weather forecast, more than 70 riders met northwest of Portland for a weekend of riding, meeting friends and having a good time. A choice of five courses ranged from the 47 mile (76...
The 2019 Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting is less than a week away. We're really excited to meet many of you near Portland next weekend! The Un-Meeting 'un-officially' starts at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019 at Stub Stewart State Park in Buxton, OR. We'll meet at the Visitor Center (see...
This year’s Paris-Brest-Paris lived up to its reputation as an epic event. Organized without interruption since 1891, PBP is the oldest bike ride in the world. It takes riders back to the 'Heroic Age' when races featured stages that began before dawn and ran late into the night, and beyond. Riding...
We're looking forward to this year's Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting – our annual get-together to share the joy of riding off the beaten path. It’s not an organized event – we just publish a date and time, and everybody is welcome to join. There are no fees, no registrations, and...
A recent hiking trip to Mount Rainier also provided an opportunity to revisit a favorite climb – and work on my form for the upcoming 1200 km (750 miles) of Paris-Brest-Paris. This time, we headed to Mount Rainier by car, loaded with four people, backpacks and associated gear. Fortunately, the J.P....
During the summer solstice, Ryan Francesconi led a group of 14 friends on a truly amazing adventure: We took the train to Klamath Falls on the border between Oregon and California and then rode back to Portland on forest roads and trails traversing the Oregon Cascades. It was a...
Paris-Brest-Paris, one of the world's oldest long-distance events, is held every four years. 2019 is a 'PBP Year,' and thousands of cyclists all over the world are preparing to ride 1200 km (750 miles) from France's capital to its westernmost city and back. PBP is not just an epic ride...
The first rides of the new year are very special to me. Getting out of the city, breathing the cold mountain air, and feeling my body get in unison with the bike again – those are sensations that I've been missing during my annual early-winter rest. So I left just...
As 2018 comes to a close, it's fun to look back on the great rides we've done. For me, it's been a wonderful year full of exciting adventures. It started with the annual New Year's Cycling of Tokyo's Yama Saiken (Mountain Cycling Club), the famous passhunters. Jikkoku Pass is a great...
The 2018 Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting brought together a great crew of old and new friends. We want to thank all for making this a great weekend! On Saturday morning, about 60 riders met at the Seattle Ferry Terminal to catch the boat to Bremerton. As always, the crowd was varied –...
After last weekend's 'pre-ride,' we've finalized the routes for the Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting. What is the Un-Meeting? It's simply a great weekend of riding off the beaten path: Everybody is welcome to join us. We publish a time and a destination. Beyond that, there are no services provided. No registration, no...
With the Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting approaching – Sept. 8 and 9 – I wanted to double-check the course. I had never ridden the new route out of Bremerton that by-passes the busy highway. And in the Tahuya Hills, landslides and floods can wipe out roads entirely. Better to check...
The Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting is just a month away! The Un-Meeting is our annual get-together with those who share our joy of riding off the beaten path. It's not an organized event – we just publish a date and time, and everybody is welcome to join. There are no fees,...
The votes are in! Giovanni Calcagno's photo on the Via del Sale won the Compass Swift Campout photo contest! The Via del Sale criss-crosses the Italian-French border as it connects Limone Piemonte with Ventimiglia via the Maritime Alps. To me, the photo embodies everything I love about cyclotouring off the beaten...
Entries for the photo contest keep pouring in – so far more than 250 photos have been submitted. Check them out on Instagram under #swiftcompasscontest! It's not too late to enter: Upload your best shots that show 'cyclotouring off the beaten path' to Instagram, add the hashtag, and you're all set....
Calling for the most evocative, inspirational, and just plain amazing photos that show 'cyclotouring off the beaten path'! Share your adventures and win a $ 200 gift certificate and other prizes! Simply post a photo – or several! – on Instagram by June 30 and add the hashtag #swiftcompasscontest. Anybody...
During my recent trip to Japan, I found myself with a free day in Tokyo. With no time to plan, I decided to head to Yabitsu Pass. Yabitsu Pass is popular with cyclists, because it's close to the capital, and yet it traverses a mountain range that is far off...
Last weekend, we headed to Jikkoku Pass to work on the old road that has featured in several Bicycle Quarterly adventures. Tokyo's Yama Sai Ken, or Mountain Cycling Club, has 'adopted' the road and goes there twice a year to maintain it. For us, this was a remarkable trip into the Japan...
At Compass Cycles, we are excited to sponsor the 2018 Swift Campout, a global call to go bike camping. On the weekend of the summer solstice (June 23 & 24), take your bike on an overnight trip – alone, with friends, or with one of the groups organized as part...
I like bicycles and cyclotouring, but I especially like traveling. When I think about where I want to go next, my heart skips a beat with excitement. Passhunting, visiting Onsen hot springs, eating good meals... During my busy life, it's easy to forget the small things that make this...
[youtube https://youtu.be/R37xixiGsX0?rel=0&w=640&h=360] To put our Caletti Monstercross test bike through its paces, we took it passhunting in the middle of winter. Watch the video for a sneak preview, and enjoy the full adventure and bike test in the Spring 2018 Bicycle Quarterly. Make sure to view in 'full-screen' mode! Subscribe today...
Lyli Herse would have turned 90 years old today (January 6) – and this post was written to celebrate her life that has inspired so many of us. But alas, I have to report instead that Lyli died on Thursday after a very short illness. Despite the great sadness...
The top of Bealach na Ba Pass This autumn, Andrew Mathias rode around the entire coastline of Britain in one setting. Many of us followed his beautiful journey on Instagram. Now I had the opportunity to interview Andrew about his epic journey. JH: Congratulations on riding around the coastline of Britain....
During the second day of our recent cyclotouring trip to the Aizu mountains in northern Japan, we embarked on a little adventure to discover the 'Forgotten Pass.' In the evening of the first day, we climbed a small mountain pass, but found to our surprise that a tunnel now traversed...
During a recent trip to Japan, we went on a short trip to the Aizu mountains in northern Honshu (Japan's main island). It was a beautiful day, and the famous kouyou ('autumn red leaves') were at their best. Like most rides in Japan, we started by taking the train. A Shinkansen bullet...
We aren't models! Anybody who has looked at our photos will have noticed this... but what I really want to say is that every photo you see in Bicycle Quarterly, on this blog and on the Compass web site is totally authentic. It's not a posed shot with –...
During a recent visit to Kyoto, we rented bikes for a day. Cycling is a great way to get around this beautiful old city, and it also presented an opportunity to experience Japanese city bikes. Our guest house offered bike rentals for the equivalent of $ 5 per day. In...
Last weekend was the first cyclocross race in Seattle. Almost every year, the first race catches me by surprise. Summer is over? It's 'cross season already? Usually, I oil the chain on my trusty Alan 'cross bike and head to the races. This year, the Alan's tubular tires needed regluing....
The results are coming in for the Volcano High Pass Challenge. As the name implies, it was a challenging ride with much elevation gain, much gravel, and much scenic beauty. Fifteen intrepid riders set out from the Packwood Library shortly after 5 a.m. on Saturday. The long gravel climb up to Walupt...
Smiles all around: That is perhaps the best summary of the Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting. A couple of dozen cyclists met in Carson, WA, for a weekend of exploring with like-minded cyclists. This year, the weekend started with the Volcano High Pass Challenge, an unsactioned ride/race over 103 miles (166 km)...
Volcano High Pass Challenge (Saturday, 9/2) Part race, part scenic ride with friends, this unsanctioned event challenges riders of all abilities. The distance is 170 km (105 miles), with half on gravel and half on pavement, from Packwood, at the foot of Mount Rainier, to Carson, on the Columbia River. Anyone is...
The Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting and the Volcano High Pass Challenge are just a little over a week away! These separate events will take place consecutively on Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2-4). You can do one or the other, but of course, we hope you will join us for both! The...
Jan's comment: It's always interesting to read others' impressions of our work. Cyclodonia discussed several bikes from the Concours de Machines in detail. Translated and reposted with permission. The French original is available here. The views expressed are those of the original author, not mine. Enjoy! J. P. Weigle (Lyme...
During its last week, the Tour de France heads for a final showdown in the Alps. This year's race is incredibly close, with less than 30 seconds separating the first three riders. The penultimate stage is a time trial, so we may even see an almost-repeat of 1989, when...
The 2017 Concours de Machines in Ambert (France) was a great success for everybody involved. The bikes were amazing – and much-improved over last year's machines – the routes were truly challenging, and most of all, the spirit among all participants was wonderful. The goal was to find the best "light randonneur...
In this year's Concours de Machines technical trials, I am riding J. P. Weigle's entry (above). The Concours is a competition for the best 'light randonneur bicycle.' The rules stress light weight, reliability and innovation. Bikes must be fully equipped with lights and the ability to carry luggage, plus a pump and a...
In recent months, I've been traveling and testing so many bikes for Bicycle Quarterly that I my "main" bike, the René Herse, hasn't seen much use. But now the Summer BQ is out, and I am back on my favorite bike. We built it six years ago as a...
Unpublished photos are fun, especially when they tell a different story from the one featured in Bicycle Quarterly. When I was cleaning out old photo files, I was reminded of our trip to Mexico City a little over a year ago. The main reason to visit Mexico with our...
A few weeks ago, the Bicycle Quarterly editors went to Paul Camp – a get-together for the media at Paul Components, the famous maker of brakes and other parts. The idea was simple: Instead of attending a big trade show, why not get the media together, bring them to Paul...
by Natsuko Hirose, Bicycle Quarterly. On a rainy Sunday, I visited a farmers' market in Seattle, instead of going cyclotouring. I saw many tulips for sale. Often, I forget about the seasons, because I am so busy. I wondered why there were so many tulips. Jan explained: "It's the season...
Drew Wilson won the Ragnarok 105-mile gravel race on Compass tires recently, so we used the opportunity to ask him about his race and gravel riding in general. JH: Congratulations on your win at the Ragnarok 105. It’s a tough event - tell us a bit about it. DW: The Ragnarok is...
Compass Cycles is proud to sponsor the Swift Campout for the second year. The Swift Campout is a global event, allowing riders to participate where and as they choose: On Saturday, June 24, cyclists will head out for camping trips to a destination they select, then return on Sunday. It’s...
Compass Cycles and Branford Bikes are excited to announce the Volcano High Pass Challenge as part of a Labor Day weekend filled with great rides. Part race, part scenic ride with friends, this unsanctioned event challenges riders of all abilities. The one-day route goes from Packwood, at the foot of...
The other rider passed us at great speed. Getting passed by "hobby racers" while cyclotouring with my Japanese friends isn't unusual, especially on valley-bottom roads that see many cyclists. From behind, the rider looked odd. His position was very low. He was turning a large gear. All this sounds like a novice...
Tokyo's Mountain Cycling Club reminds me of the Groupe Montagnard Parisien: almost unknown, yet fascinating and influential far beyond their limited membership. The French riders brought us the Technical Trials and modern randonneur bikes, while their Japanese counterparts co-invented mountain bikes. The Mountain Cycling Club started exploring the mountain passes in the Japanese Alps decades...
The San Juan Islands are only a short distance north from Seattle. Why not go cyclotouring for a weekend? It was still dark when we took the 7:30 ferry from Anacortes. As our boat headed toward the islands, the sun rose over Mount Baker. Ferry rides are always beautiful, but in...
In Seattle, the cycling season has ended. Snow has closed most mountain passes. Our bodies welcome a little rest from the long adventures. The time has come to pour a cup of tea and review the rides of this year. Here are some of the most memorable rides of this year. Click on the...
When I returned from my first ride to Utsukushigahara, I was ecstatic about the amazing climb, the wonderful scenery and lonesome gravel road at the top, and the incredible descent where hairpin turns followed one another so quickly. But Natsuko was a little disappointed: "You didn't go on the...
Recently, I cleaned out old files on our computers, and came across this treasure trove of unpublished photos from Bicycle Quarterly's "Secret Pass" adventure. It took me back three years, when Hahn and I headed into the Cascade Mountains to test the MAP 650B Randonneur. Like all of Mitch's bikes, his latest...
On a rainy weekend in late September, a group of seven friends headed out for a weekend tour in the mountains. We took a long train ride from Tokyo to Fukushima. We started climbing almost as soon as we left the station. Up an up we went, into a landscape hidden by clouds and...
The Autumn 2016 Bicycle Quarterly includes a photo feature about riding in the Hirose Owners' Meeting. I really enjoy these events, because they combine amazing bikes with wonderful rides. Many Japanese custom bikes are incredibly elaborate and beautifully crafted, yet they are intended to be ridden. What makes "Hirose watching" so much fun is...
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...
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...
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 where we can...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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"...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 wonderful rides. It's been...
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)....
My trip to Asia reached a premature end. During the descent from Hehuanshan Pass, the highest road in southeast Asia, a car going in the opposite direction suddenly turned left right in front of me. Even though I was going at moderate speed, I could not avoid it. I hit the car's...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
