01Jan
Happy New Year!
Let your 2017 be filled with wonderful rides and passionate pursuits! —The team at Bicycle Quarterly and Compass Cycles
26Dec
Bicycle Shop Gen
In Bicycle Quarterly, we've featured a number of the great bicycle builders in Japan: TOEI, C.S. Hirose, Iribe and Level. We did a brief feature on Bicycle Shop Gen – one of my favorite shops anywhere in the world. This year, I had the opportunity to visit again. Bicycle Shop...
24Dec
Happy Holidays!
We wish all our readers Happy Holidays!
21Dec
Follow Us on Instagram!
At Bicycle Quarterly and Compass Cycles, we take thousands of photos on our rides big and small. Only a fraction make it into the magazine or onto our web site. Many of the others are just too precious to vanish into our archives. Instagram provides a great way to share them. Most...
05Dec
Holiday Gift Guide
Winter is a time when we think about our bikes. That way, when we are riding, we don't have to think about our bikes. During the off-season, we overhaul parts to make them last another year. We switch components in search of comfort, performance or beauty. We then test the modifications...
22Nov
Our Man in France
Compass components have found fans all over the world. We are shipping them as far as Brazil, South Africa and Singapore. Unfortunately, international shipping is expensive. And we really want to see our products in bike shops. So we are working with distributors to make our products more widely...
14Nov
Just Another Road!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY_9e-dB8M0?rel=0&w=640&h=360] Here is a little video we made in Mexico during our trip to the Paso de Cortés. Compass doesn't have the means to air it during the Superbowl, but we think you'll enjoy it nonetheless. Click on the image above or watch at this link. Make sure you watch it...
04Nov
Bicycle Quarterly Charity Drive a Success!
The Bicycle Quarterly Charity Drive raised $ 2475. We are excited to send a check to Doctors Without Borders. Thank you to everybody who made this a success, either by contributing directly or by sharing the news about the event with their friends. Thank you! If you would like to make...
28Oct
Rinko Systems: Ezy and Ezy Superior
We have discovered a compatibility issue with the different versions of MKS Rinko pedal. Please note that the SPD-compatible MKS US-S pedals (shown on left) use the "EZY" release system while the other MKS Rinko pedals we offer use the "EZY-Superior" release system (shown on right). Each system works...
25Oct
SPD-compatible Rinko Pedals
The long-awaited SPD-compatible Rinko pedals from MKS have arrived. Now you can enjoy the convenience of SPD shoes and cleats, and yet remove your pedals in just seconds without tools. Initially intended for Rinko (the Japanese system of disassembling bikes for train travel), MKS Rinko pedals have two parts. A stub attaches...
20Oct
Bicycle Flea Market
Visiting Japan is fun, in part because I meet so many different cyclists. There are the cyclotourists, the randonneurs, the collectors... Bicycle collecting as a hobby has a long tradition in Japan, and there are many events for collectors. The Keiokaku Bicycle Flea Market is one of them. It's a popular...
06May
It's a Hobby!
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...
14Apr
Join the Swift Campout
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...
24Jan
Tokyo Cycle Parts Show
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,...
01Jan
Happy New Year!
Best wishes to you for 2016! May the new year bring you wonderful rides and great memories. Photo credit: Natsuko Hirose
25Dec
Happy Holidays!
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
04Dec
Price Reduction for International BQ Subscriptions
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. Click here for...
27Nov
Thankful for Family and Friends
On this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for my family and friends who have helped me so much over the past two weeks, since my accident in Taiwan. I am spending the holidays with my parents, who came to Seattle from Germany to take care of me. (The photo shows me...
24Nov
Gift Ideas from Compass Bicycles
It's that time of year, with the holidays fast approaching, when many relatives and friends wonder what to give to their favorite cyclist. Here are some great gift ideas you can use, or forward them to anybody who asks: “What would you like?" For The Allroad Cyclist The Allroad Cyclist is an inveterate randonneur, a...
09Oct
Charlie Cunningham Needs Our Help
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,...
06Oct
A Visit to Ben Le Batard
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...
23Sep
$ 5: Add Bicycle Quarterly to Your Order
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 are a...
10Sep
Visiting a Bicycle Mega-Store
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...
16Aug
Customer Newsletter
Along with our updated website, Compass Bicycles updated its customer newsletter. We use it to announce things like new items, products that are back in stock, and other noteworthy news. It's the best way to stay updated on what is going on at Compass. Our newsletter frequency is once every...
14Jul
400 km Brevet Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7PBPtmNCZU Theo is the ride organizer of an upcoming Seattle International Randonneurs 400 km brevet. So a week ago, Theo, Hahn and Ryan of the Bicycle Quarterly team pre-rode the course, to make sure that the cue sheet is correct, that roads are open, and to get a general feel...
28May
Compass Bicycles on Instagram
We had so much fun with our Instagram images during last year's trip to Japan (#BQinjapan) that we decided to start a dedicated Compass Bicycles Instagram account. Follow us at: https://instagram.com/compasscycle/
08May
Hanging Edelux II Headlights
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...
01Apr
Compass Introduces Solid Rubber Tires
Flats are a major nuisance for cyclists. Nobody likes them, and various companies have tried to address the issue by adding puncture-proof layers to their tires. However, all these tires don't address the issue at its core: They still contain air. We've been studying bicycle history in search of ideas...
25Dec
Happy Holidays!
Our best wishes to you for 2015! May the new year bring you wonderful rides and great memories.
06Dec
Gift Ideas from Compass Bicycles
This year, the holiday season has snuck up on me. I've been so busy with testing bikes, writing articles for Bicycle Quarterly, and developing new products, that suddenly it's December, and I wonder what to give to those who are special in my life. Worse yet, family and relatives...
31Oct
Japan in Autumn
I just returned from Japan. It was an amazing trip of talking to Compass Bicycles' suppliers and of collecting material for future Bicycle Quarterly stories. Most of all, it was great fun! We got to see old friends and acquaintances, and meet new ones. We rode bikes with some, went...
25Sep
Optimizing Tire Tread
Most tire manufacturers agree that supple sidewalls and a thin tread make a tire fast, but the role of the tread pattern remains poorly understood. Most modern tires have either a completely smooth tread (slicks) or a coarse tread pattern similar to car tires. Many high-performance tires are smooth...
18Apr
Flèche in Japan
Last weekend, the Japanese randonneurs organized their Flèche 24-hour ride. We were honored to be part of the banquet at the finish. (The photo shows us with Maya Ide, the organizer.) Originally, we had been scheduled to ride with a team, but I broke my hand three weeks ago....
07Apr
BQ in Japan
The Bicycle Quarterly team is in Japan for a few weeks of visiting manufacturers and builders, enjoying the culture, and cycling. Above is the view from our window in Kyoto. Doesn't it look like a dream spot, with temples in the foreground and rugged mountains in the background? Our wonderful...
01Apr
Switching to Zero Emissions
Cycling used to be the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation available, but with recent technological developments, this no longer is the case. Even though the emissions of riding bikes are small, they are not insignificant. As we cyclists convert carbohydrates into energy to power our legs, we emit CO2....
24Dec
18Dec
Charity Drive: Museo del Ghisallo
We are donating all proceeds from our calendar sales for the next day to help the Museo del Ghisallo reopen their doors. I was quite shocked when I learned that the Museo had closed its doors this autumn due to lack of funding. Years ago, I spent a wonderful...
18Jun
Viennese Mechanics' Bikes
Late last year, Richard Hollinek sent me a calendar about Viennese "mechanics' bikes" – bikes built by small builders in Vienna, Austria. The calendar hangs in our bathroom, and I smile every time I see it. The "mechanics' bikes" are workmanlike in their quality and execution, but not without some...
26Apr
1980 René Herse Randonneuse
This René Herse Randonneuse is one of the last bikes made by the famous constructeur. It came to Seattle to be photographed for our book René Herse: The Bikes • The Builder • The Riders, and so I had the chance to study its many details. René Herse died in...
15Apr
Attacking an Amateur Sports Event
Like all of you, I reacted to the bombings at the Boston Marathon with horror, shock and then outrage. Terrorism never is the answer to a grievance. Amateur sports – and that is what the Boston Marathon is, despite the few professionals running at the head of the race –...
10Apr
Oops! AdventureCorps Ad Mix-Up
At Bicycle Quarterly, we appreciate our advertisers. Even though the magazine is financed by subscribers, the advertising revenue allows us to print a few additional pages of the magazine. Our advertisers tend to be small companies who believe in what we do, and support Bicycle Quarterly. In fact, we use...
01Apr
Railroads Adopt Pneumatic Tires to Reduce Suspension Losses
Recent tests with bicycles have shown that even on a very smooth road surface, lower tire pressures increase comfort with no loss of speed (Bicycle Quarterly Spring 2013). Now even railroads have become persuaded that super-hard tires diminish both comfort and performance. Railroads are investigating how to replace their steel...
11Feb
René Herse édition française
Our new book René Herse • The Bikes • The Builder • The Riders will be available with French text in addition to the English version. Therefore, this update is in French. Notre souscription pour l'édition française du livre René Herse a connu un beau succès puisque nous avons reçu...
05Feb
Charity Drive: Thank You!
The Bicycle Quarterly charity drive was a success. We were able to raise almost $ 1500 for three charities. Checks are going out this morning to Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children and the Union of Concerned Scientists. Thank you to all who contributed!
25Dec
Happy Holidays!
May the new year bring you wonderful rides and great memories!
20Dec
Winter Training
I enjoy the annual rhythm of the seasons. It encourages me to change my cycling and exercise, like a farmer rotating crops and leaving some fields fallow for a while. The early months of the year remind me of preparing the soil and sowing that year's crop. This means base...
06Nov
How Germans vote
Today, I am reminded of my grandfather in Germany. Not of his cycling exploits during the 1930s, when he rode hundreds of kilometers with his friends on weekends. Instead, I am thinking of him voting. When my grand-father was in his 80s and confined to his house by severe arthritis,...
20Oct
Come See Us at the Philadelphia Bike Expo
We are excited to go to the Philadelphia Bike Expo next weekend. Unlike the typical consumer shows that are held in many places (including Seattle), the Philly Show's focus is similar to what we do at Bicycle Quarterly: Artisans, Activists, Alternatives. We look forward to meeting many old friends among...
12Oct
Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles in Paris
A sharp-eyed reader spotted our book The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles in this photo on the BBC Travel web site as part of a feature about art in Paris. It is very nice to see our book featured in the place where these bikes first were developed and...
27Jul
Online Resources
The Bicycle Quarterly web site provides a number of useful resources. Most popular is the Color Photo Supplement. It shows color photos of the classic bikes that have been featured in Bicycle Quarterly over the years. Most of the bikes we feature are unrestored originals, so they are not...
01Jun
Cyclotourist Magazine: The History of Randonneuring
Yesterday's mail brought a nice surprise: the May issue of the Japanese magazine Cyclotourist, with an article I wrote about the history of randonneuring and of randonneur bicycles in France. Unfortunately, I don't read Japanese, but from what I can tell, they did a very nice job with the 6-page...
29Apr
Yard Sale Success: $ 3,600 for Charity
TheBicycle Quarterly yard sale was a success. Not only did it clear out our workshop and storage areas, but it also raised a little over $ 3,500 (which we rounded up to $3,600) for charity, in part thanks to people's generous bid on ebay. We will make donations of $...
20Mar
650B Tubulars?
650B wheels have been in the news lately. 650B appears to be the "next big thing" for mountain bikes. The popular 700C mountain bikes ("29er") don't offer the nimble handling you need in technical terrain – the same result we found for wide 700C tires on the road. For...
13Dec
Charity Drive: Thank You!
The Bicycle Quarterly charity drive was a success. Together with our readers, we raised almost $2000 for charity. Thank you to all who contributed.
17Aug
Letters to the Editor
We get many letters and e-mails. We read them all, but we cannot reply to each and every one. We select a few for inclusion to Bicycle Quarterly "Readers' Forum" pages. How do we select these letters? To be published, a letter must add something new to the discussion. We...
15Aug
The Big Picture
It's amazing to me that the big picture often gets overlooked. I am not talking about willful distortion, but about well-intentioned people looking at only one part of the equation in an attempt to arrive at a good but simple solution. Here are two examples, both concerned with reducing...
11Aug
PBP Preparation: Bike Route from Paris to the Start
For those staying in Paris before PBP, here is a bike route from the Arc de Triomphe to the start in Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines. The route is easy to follow, yet it doesn't see a lot of traffic. There is a nice bike path after you ride past the Chateau of...
24May
Who Pays for Your Magazine?
My wife was an avid reader of Gourmet magazine. She was disappointed when the magazine ceased publication a little over a year ago. It wasn't that Gourmet was not popular - it had as many readers as before. But in the recession, ad revenues had declined... This points out how...
30Mar
Quality over Quantity
The earthquake and tsunami in Japan were terrible, and the unfolding nuclear catastrophe threatens to overshadow even those disasters. Our thoughts go out to the people who are affected, and we must do what we can to help them. Beyond that, Japan has shown me once again that there...
25Mar
The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles in Japan
When I became interested in the bicycles of the French constructeurs many years ago, the little information that was available came from Japan. I am happy to return the favor: Our book The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles now is available in Japanese. Maybe it will broaden the appreciation...
14Mar
Earthquake in Japan
The terrible news from Japan are not getting any better. Our thoughts are with the people who suffer, those who are displaced, and those who worry about their loved ones. We are glad to report that our friends at I's Bicycle in Kyoto are fine. Most of our other contacts...
27Feb
A Journey of Discovery, Part 5: Frame Stiffness
In the previous parts of this series, we have looked at how our preferences in bicycles changed over time. We started out on "state-of-the-art" bikes with mid-trail geometries, 700C x 28 mm tires and saddlebags. How did we come to prefer low-trail 650B bikes with much wider tires and handlebar...
27Jan
SKF Bottom Brackets: World Exclusive
Compass Bicycles is proud to be the sole distributor of SKF bottom brackets world-wide. Svenska Kugellagerfabriken (SKF) has been the leader in bearing technology since 1907. Today, SKF is the largest bearing manufacturer in the world, and their bearings are used in Formula 1 racecars and other high-end applications. SKF's...
24Jan
A Journey of Discovery, Part 2: Handlebar Bags and Aluminum Fenders
In the last installment of this series, we looked at the bikes we rode when Bicycle Quarterly got started almost a decade ago. How did our preferences change from our familiar bikes with mid-trail geometries, 700C x 28 mm tires and saddlebags to low-trail 650B bikes with much wider tires...
17Jan
A Journey of Discovery, Part 1: What We Used to Ride
We sometimes hear people criticize our technical analyses: "Bicycle Quarterly's testers simply prefer they bikes that they ride most. You get used to anything, and then you prefer it." Or: "Jan has got his preferences. He started a magazine so he could have a place to talk about them." The reality is a...
10Jan
A New Book on Cycles Alex Singer
From 1938 until today, Cycles Alex Singer has made some of the most wonderful bicycles ever made. (I may be biased, since I ride my 1973 Alex Singer randonneur bike more than any other bike.) Alex Singers have been appreciated especially by Japanese cyclists. This new hardcover book celebrates...
05Jan
Preparing the 2011 Cycling Season
Happy New Year! After my December rest period, it's time to start training for the 2011 cycling season. Whether you race and prepare for a specific event, whether you plan to ride your first double century or brevet series, or whether you want to be in shape for a...
24Dec
Happy Holidays!
May the new year bring you wonderful rides and great memories!
20Dec
Urban Delivery
My favorite bookseller called and said: "We just sold the last copy of The Competition Bicycle, and there is a gaping hole next to your other book in our window display." There was only one thing to do: I loaded up the trusty Urban Bike with a 40-lb box of...
13Dec
PBP 2011: "We Hope to Accommodate All Riders"
Many randonneurs are planning to ride in Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP), the famous 765-mile ride in 2011. The next edition of PBP will bring some changes to deal with the large number of participants. PBP is organized by the Audax-Club Parisien (ACP), the influential cycling club founded in 1903. The ACP...
11Dec
Avoiding Numb Hands
Hand numbness can spoil the most wonderful long distance ride. A cyclist's hands can get numb from vibration and pressure. The first step is to eliminate as much vibration as possible near the source (road surface). Supple, wide tires, run at moderate pressures, are key. Flexible fork blades and suspension...
09Dec
Mr. Pedersen – A Man of Genius
David Evans spent more than a decade researching the life of Mikael Pedersen, who is best known for his unconventional bicycles. I have been fascinated by these machines since we photographed a rare racing version for our book The Competition Bicycle (see photo below). I have ridden a reproduction...
01Dec
Oregon Manifest Technical Trials 2011
The 2011 Oregon Manifest Constructor's Design Challenge will be held in Portland, Oregon, on September 23-24, 2011. The goal is to determine what the ultimate modern utility bike looks like and who can build it. The 2009 Constructor's Design Challenge was an innovative event that focused on riding bikes over...
29Nov
Winter 2010 Bicycle Quarterly Mailed
The Winter 2010 issue has been mailed. Most subscribers will get it soon, but delivery times vary depending on the whims of the U.S. Postal Service. All subscribers should have their magazines by December 24, 2010. In the mean time, click here for a preview. And for some fun with...
26Nov
A Neat Bike
When I was working with Peter Weigle on an article on fender mounting for the Winter 2010 issue of Bicycle Quarterly (now at the printer), Peter sent me a photo of his latest bike (above). His bikes always have been special, but on this one, I noticed a lot...
12Oct
Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show
The Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show was a celebration of finely crafted bicycles. With natural overhead light in a former industrial building, the bicycles were displayed well. Tony Pereira (above) showed a replica of his Oregon Manifest-winning commuter machine with its integrated lock. We hope to get this one for...
29Sep
Seattle to Portland through the Backdoor
Recently, I had to return a Bicycle Quarterly test bike to MAP Cycles in Portland. I really don't like boxing up bikes, and very much prefer to ride them. Boxing a bike takes half a day, riding to Portland about a day, so it was an easy choice to...
29Sep
Welcome to Our New Blog!
In this space, I'll blog about what is going on at Bicycle Quarterly: Rides we do, how we keep our bikes on the road, new products, glimpses of topics in upcoming issues of the magazine and more. BQ's contributors will feature occasionally as well. We welcome everybody to join...
