Every brake system is only as strong as its weakest link, and often that is the cable hanger. When you brake hard, the hanger flexes. That means less braking force is available to squeeze the rim – your brake is lacking in stopping power and feel. To solve this problem,...
Just minutes ago, Kevin 'Benky' Benkenstein finished the 2,712 km (1,685 miles) of The Rhino Run bikepacking race. After traversing the rugged Cape Province of South Africa and the Karoo and Namib Deserts, Benky arrived in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, just before midnight (local time). For 7 days, 18...
Fender can seem unglamorous compared to electronic derailleurs or one-piece carbon cockpits. Yet fenders actually make a bigger difference in how much we enjoy our bikes, especially during the rainy season. Even when it's dry outside, the forecast may predict a "30% chance of rain." With fenders, we head out...
In the current situation, the news can become overwhelming. We want to be aware, but we also need to tune out from time to time to retain our sanity. That's when we make a cup of tea and sit down with a good magazine... So we've decided to do another mailing of...
Kevin 'Benky' Benkenstein has finished the first leg of the Rhino Run bikepacking race, traversing the Cape Province of South Africa at a blistering pace. He took a short rest in Stellenbosh near Cape Town, before embarking on the 'main course' of the race into the deserts of the Karoo...
This morning, the 2023 Rhino Run bikepacking race started in Plettenberg, South Africa. Riders will cross the rugged mountains of the Cape in South Africa before traversing the Karoo and Namib Deserts during the 2,750 km (1,708 mile) race. Last year, Kevin 'Benky' Benkenstein and Abdullah Zeinab raced neck-to-neck for...
During the Arkansas High Country Race, my most memorable—and fun—riding was at night. As it turned out, I rode the roughest and most technical sections of the course in the dark. What surprised me was that I found riding gravel easier at night than during the day....
When the podium for the challenging South Loop of the 2023 Arkansas High Country Race was announced, we were excited to see that all riders in the first places chose Rene Herse tires: 1st and FKT – Andrew Onermaa: 700x55 Fleecer Ridge Endurance 2nd – Bryan Dougherty: 700x42 Hurricane Ridge Endurance 3rd – Jan Heine: 26"...
When I entered the Arkansas High Country Race last year, it was just the right mix of fun and hard to create lasting memories. Winning the South Loop and setting the FKT was nice, too. It was almost a foregone conclusion that I'd return. Partially to experience it again, and...
Yes, I'm back! Beautiful, challenging roads; amazing scenery; friendly people; a wonderful start/finish location... I just could not resist. So I'm lining up on the start line again this year to race the South Loop: 486 miles (780 km) and 32,500 ft (10,000 m) in elevation gain. I really loved the...
We're excited that our friend Kong Fùfù (he prefers to remain anonymous) has been selected to represent France at the UCI Gravel Worlds this weekend. Naturally, I asked him which tire he'd run. His reply: "I will ride the 700x44 Manastash Ridge. I don't like to do what the others do,...
In late 1938, Rene Herse Cycles was founded out of a passion for making bikes faster, more versatile, and more reliable. In the 85 years since then, this passion has set records and FKTs, won national titles and world championships, and has made cycling more fun for...
A huge congrats to Lauren de Crescenzo for winning The Rad Dirt, the final round of the Lifetime Grand Prix race series. Averaging 19.08 mph (30.71 km/h), Lauren surged into the lead on the challenging 110-mile (177 km) course that traversed the remote and rugged Spanish Peaks region of Colorado. Lauren...
This year is the second time that the UCI holds the Gravel World Championships. USA Cycling has announced the roster they are sending to Veneto, Italy, to take on the best racers in the world. We're excited to see these two outstanding athletes selected as part of the national team....
Our book about the technical developments of the last 15 years is called 'The All-Road Bike Revolution.' We don't use the term 'revolution' lightly—modern all-road bikes truly have changed how we ride. We used to have multiple bikes: a road bike for going fast, a touring bike for carrying...
Ted King and his wife Laura have long been champions of the cycling community in every sense of the word. Ted, of course, is best known as the 'King of Gravel,' having won Unbound (twice), SBT GRVL and many other big gravel races. Laura is a champion in her own...
Last weekend, the first-ever USA Gravel National Championships were held in Gering, Nebraska. The chance to put their name forever at the top of the list of U.S. gravel champions brought together most of the fastest racers in the U.S. Nobody wanted to miss the chance of putting on that...
One of the most popular tires in the Rene Herse program is the Oracle Ridge dual-purpose knobby. Now it's also available with our ultra-tough Endurance PLUS casing. At 48 mm wide, the Oracle Ridge hits the sweet spot between narrow gravel tire and mountain bike volume—ideal for the latest generation...
If you've read the previous post, you know that this year's Paris-Brest-Paris wasn't without challenges. It was a hard ride, and if the final result is actually quite respectable (60:05 hours for the 1218 km), that's due in large part to my bike. Not only did it perform flawlessly, but...
The 1200 km of Paris-Brest-Paris are never easy—the relentless hills will see to that—but the best rides are those where working hard is almost pure pleasure. It's not that the pedals turn by themselves—you feel your legs working hard, but all you notice is what the French call "the taste...
With Paris-Brest-Paris, a big part of the adventure is just getting to the start. First you have to qualify, then train, then plan your ride... and finally you have to get yourself and your bike to Paris. Especially your bike. Air travel with bikes has become easier as airlines have...
A huge congratulations to Sofiane Sehili for winning the Silk Road Mountain Race for the third time in a row! The 1880 km (1170 mile) race goes over long-abandoned military roads in Kyrgyzstan, climbing 35,000 m (115,000 ft) over some of the world's highest passes. In recent years, it has...
"I'll be in Seattle for one day in August. I'd love to go riding," said the email from our friend Hirohisa Yamaguchi. He's the editor-in-chief of Japan's Bicycle Club magazine. At first I thought of a big adventure in the mountains, linking several gravel passes. But with jet lag and...
The training is done. The bike is (almost) ready. The time to go to Paris for the 1200 km (750-mile) Paris-Brest-Paris is approaching rapidly. Over the last year, we've talked about preparing for this big ride (or any other) in our 'Road to PBP' series in Bicycle Quarterly. The days...
Long-distance events like the Dark Divide 300 require more than just leg power. Unlike road racing, where bikes are very similar, strategies are decided by directeurs sportif in team cars, and the rider with the most watts usually wins, there's no established standard for bikepacking bikes, and strategy is just...
There are many cycling films, but few have moved me as much as Don't Look Back, the story of last autumn's Rhino Run ultradistance race in South Africa and Namibia. Readers of the Spring Bicycle Quarterly are familiar with the story of how Abdullah Zeinab and Kevin 'Benky' Benkenstein raced...
The new Bicycle Quarterly is at the printer. It's always fun to see the pages come off the press. We're there to check that the colors are exactly right. It's much more work than putting together an online journal, but the sheer beauty and permanence of print make it worth while....
Writing about the Dark Divide 300 is a challenge—not quite as much as riding it, fortunately. You see, I'm suffering from the opposite of writer's block: There are too many stories. Which one to tell? This route is epic, reminiscent of the dramas of ancient Greek: full of action, beauty,...
This afternoon, I am heading out on the Dark Divide 300 bikepacking route. Ever since Ben Everett, the mastermind behind the Evergreen Gravel Racing series, announced this challenging route, I've wanted to ride it. The course includes many of the best gravel roads in the central Cascades, passing through the...
Just a quick note that we finally received our latest shipment from Berthoud in France. Ted King's favorite mirrors are back in stock. If you pre-ordered one, it's been shipped, and you'll receive an email with tracking information in the next day or two. We also have most Berthoud saddles,...
Adrien Liechti is one of the world's fastest ultra-distance racers. Recently, he won Ascend Armenia, a new race on the calendar that took riders far off the beaten path in this relatively unknown eastern European country. After the race, I caught up with Adrien to talk about the race. Jan: Congratulations...
In France right now, the Tour de France is omnipresent. That's not an overstatement. Almost everybody, whether they are sports fans or not, follows the Tour. It's not just the racing, but also the beautiful images. The Tour is a carefully choreographed show of French landscapes and sites, with the...
Readers of this Journal may remember that I've been dreaming of testing tires in an abandoned railroad tunnel. A bit of background: We've known for a long time that testing tires on drums in the lab produces misleading results. Without a rider on the bike, you can't measure the suspension...
For the last few editions of Bicycle Quarterly, we've been celebrating the 20th anniversary of the magazine. Back then, we were just out of college, ready to challenge the established cycling world with new ideas (and a few forgotten ones that we were rediscovering). At a time when road racing...
A huge congratulations to Lael Wilcox! First female finisher of the Tour Divide, still smiling after 2698 miles and a ride that was not without challenges. Way to go, Lael! Photo credits: bikepacking.com (Photo 1); Rugile Kaladyte (Photo 2)
I'm riding in a world of green and white. Evergreen tree branches are above my head. Ferns grow by the roadside. Moss covers the tree trunks. All are different, vibrant shades of green. Anything beyond the next fifty meters disappears in the white fog of low clouds and drizzle. The...
In two weeks' time, we'll celebrate the lofty ideals on which this country was founded—today we reflect on the long and sometimes arduous path to get there. And yet today isn't a solemn holiday, but a joyful celebration of what we've achieved, and a way to get energized to continue...
Sometimes we forget how much there is to discover close to home. Last week, we headed for a short trip to the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. It was a cloudy afternoon—not a perfect day by any means. But it's always great to get out, and it's good to...
The Tour Divide, the bikepacking race along the spine of the Rocky Mountains, from Canada to the Mexican border, started this morning. More than 190 riders took off on their 2,745-mile (4,418 km) journeys that will take weeks to complete. (The late Mike Hall set the FKT of just under...
Unbound, the race across the Flint Hills of Kansas, has effectively become the world championship of gravel cycling. Year after year, professional racers from all over the world line up next to amateurs to tackle the steep hills, the rough gravel—and the weather. When it's dry, the challenge comes from...
When we started to develop tires, we refused to accept what passed as 'common sense.' Back then, you just 'knew' that wide tires rolled slow. But when we looked at what could be done to make wide tires less slow, we realized that there was no need to compromise: Wide...
One reason we love racing is the beautiful images that accompany the sport. Whether it's Jered and Ashley Gruber's moody images from Europe or Marc Arjol Rodriguez captivating photos of gravel racing in the heartland, there is an aesthetic to racing that appeals whether you care about the sport itself...
Rene Herse cranks don't need an introduction any longer. Net-shape forging makes them stronger than other small-production cranks. They are superlight. Chainrings choices are almost unlimited. We think they are beautiful, too. The cranks are made in small batches, and recent production runs sold out before we could even announce...
A huge congrats to Adrien Liechti, winner of the inaugural edition of the Hellenic Mountain Race! Created by the folks behind the Silk Road Mountain Race and Atlas Mountain Race, the all-new Hellenic Mountain Race is a 940-kilometer unsupported bikepacking race through the rugged mountains of Greece. Traversing the steep slopes...
Twenty-twenty-three is a PBP year. Cyclists who want to participate in the world's oldest long-distance event also ride four brevets to qualify: 200, 300, 400 and 600 km. (Paris-Brest-Paris is organized every four years.) The idea is that riders build their stamina, speed and experience until they are ready for...
Last year's Tour Divide was a true challenge, with snow, wind, rain and fires adding to the difficulties presented by the 2,666-mile trek along the spine of the Rocky Mountains—from Canada to the Mexican border. At a time when most sports are reduced to short made-for-TV formats, long bikepacking races...
Congratulations to Marisa Boaz for first place at last weekend's Hogback GRVL in Iowa. The Mazda Lauf Factory Team rider raced on 700C x 44 mm Snoqualmie Pass Endurance tires and averaged more than 20 mph (32 km/h) over the very hilly 70-mile (115 km) course. Marisa reported: "There were...
Last year's bikepacking races saw some incredible competition. Sofiane Sehili won the Silk Road Mountain Race from James Hayden by less than an hour. Even more suspenseful was the Rhino Run, the race across the Karoo and Namib deserts of southern Africa. For almost eight days and 2,750 kilometers, Kevin (Benky)...
This weekend was the finale of the Grasshopper Adventure Series: The Six Sigma Hopper included some Class IV gravel with five creek crossings as well as "pavement pocketed with wheel-enveloping potholes." That's Laura King's (right) assessment of the course, but it didn't hold her back. She came second in the Pro...
Long-distance gravel races put extreme demands on chain lubes. Wide and often knobby tires throw up a lot of dust, and the bikes are usually not equipped with fenders to keep that dust off the chain. Adding to the challenge are creek crossings where the chain gets submerged. Repeat for...
We think a lot about limiting our impact on this world. Making parts for bikes that last for decades without becoming obsolete, and that encourage us to ride from home, is a big part of it. On the left, Mark’s 2007 machine, on the right my 2021 bike for the Oregon...
Ted King made a video about how he chooses the tires for his gravel and road bikes. Watching it, I was reminded that we've been working together for 4 years now—and I found out that he's been riding Rene Herse tires for 7 years. I had noticed the occasional photo...
We are excited to work with some of the world’s best racers. All of them could ride any tires they want. That they choose Rene Herse tires is a vote of confidence, and their results speak for themselves. They've stood on the podiums of all the big gravel races: Unbound,...
Many of our customers have patiently been waiting for the Berthoud Bar-End Mirrors to come back in stock. The mirrors are small and unobtrusive, yet offer a good field of vision. They are machined from aluminum, so they are sturdy and beautiful. They adjust by hand, yet they don't go...
We just received a big shipment from France, which includes components from Berthoud Cycles and the famous FMB tubulars. We're excited all these wonderful parts are back in stock. These components are made by hand in small batches, so quantities are limited. Most eagerly awaited are Ted King's favorite bar-end...
April 1, 2023: After developing the ultimate analog derailleur, it was only natural for Rene Herse to turn its attention to the other end of the spectrum: We are proud to introduce the world's first automatic transmission for performance bicycles. Look closely at the photo above,...
We now have the new 700C x 44 mm Manastash Ridge tires in all casings: Standard, Extralight, Endurance and Endurance Plus. A new dual-purpose knobby is a big occasion for us, and we'd like to use this opportunity to show you the tech behind these tires. Our smooth all-road tires (left)...
We just received a shipment from Schmidt in Germany. That means generator hubs and lights are back in stock, plus other useful parts. One of the most interesting tools in recent years is SON's new gauge to measure the Effective Rim Diameter (ERD). For people who build their own wheels,...
With every edition of Bicycle Quarterly, we try to provide an exciting mix of stories. Articles about incredible adventures, but also about the joys of exploring at a more leisurely pace. About the latest and greatest bikes, but also about classics and proven technology. Add a little history, some technique,...
Eagle-eyed observers have spotted a gap in the Rene Herse tire program, and they've flooded our suggestion inbox with requests for a 44-45 mm knobby tire. They are right. At the narrow end of the spectrum, we have our 38 and 42 mm gravel knobbies. At the wide end are...
Rene Herse tires swept the podiums at the first major gravel race of 2023, The Mid South: 1st, 2nd, 6th, 9th and 12th places among the women, as well as 4th among the men. That result is all the more remarkable as these racers don't get paid to ride Rene...
If you missed out on the original pre-order of the OPEN × Rene Herse U.P.P.E.R., here's one more chance: We made a few extra, and so there is a very limited number of frames that are ready to ship. These will go quickly, and then there will be no more—except...
The 2023 gravel season is off to an incredible start. This weekend's Shasta Gravel Hugger saw snow, mud, sunshine and everything in between. Brennan Wertz won the race for the second year in a row. He told us the story of his race: "Shasta Gravel Hugger was an incredible event...
With the current edition, Bicycle Quartery is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It's been fun to look back at how much cycling and bicycles have changed over those two decades. A sign of how profound those changes have been, and how much BQ has influenced them, are new words that we...
Enve's new MOG, launched last week, looks like a great bike. Riders report it's exactly what a modern gravel bike should be. One thing that makes the MOG special: It's designed for 700C wheels only. That means it's simple, without flip chips and other gizmos to adjust the geometry for...
Good news: We've got cranks back in stock. They are being made in small batches right now. With the pent-up demand, the first batches will sell out quickly, but more are coming. Chainrings are also in stock in most sizes, with more on the way. If you're planning to customize...
I got to know Brennan Wertz when he worked at Above Category, one of our favorite shops in the Bay Area. A year ago, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming a gravel racer. We met in person at Unbound when we finished just minutes apart—he raced the 200-mile...
Thank you to all readers who made our fundraiser for the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria a success. 139 readers signed up for a subscription or renewed an existing subscription. We added a little of our own to make donations totaling $ 6000 to Doctors Without Borders,...
Today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday, Feb. 9-10, 2023), we are donating the entire cost of Bicycle Quarterly subscriptions and renewals to help victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. We've all been shocked and saddened by the terrible news and the incredible suffering. For us, the news have been...
When Bicycle Quarterly got started 20 years ago, cycling culture, especially in North America, was focused almost entirely on racing—and on male racers. Manufacturers pushed bikes for competition, whether road or mountain bikes. If they offered bikes intended for exploring and adventure at all, it was usually a single "touring"...
In this series, we look at things that you hear from many sources, but that aren't supported by data and testing. It's natural to be skeptical when long-held beliefs are challenged—that's why we lay out the evidence so everybody can evaluate it for themselves. That's how we've always done it,...
December took Natsuko and me to Japan for the launch of the Japanese edition of our book The All-Road Bike Revolution. Natsuko is well-connected in the Japanese cycling and publishing world, and so this became a whirlwind tour of interviews, podcasts and rides. We also visited several builders to see their...
Let's start with the bad news: Prices for many Rene Herse components and tires may go up in the near future. "Wait," I hear you say: "Wasn't inflation supposed to be over?" Yes and no. Many of our suppliers have increased their prices over the last two years: Costs for...
In part 1 of our series of 'Gravel Myths,' we looked at the idea that you don't want to run 'too much tire' for a given course. We found that, when in doubt, it makes sense to choose wider tires: They roll as fast on smooth surfaces, and much faster...
Is it crazy to develop a new analog derailleur, when the entire industry is headed toward electronic shifting? Maybe... about as crazy as crafting mechanical watches. Or pressing new vinyl records. Perhaps the best example are cars: I love my 30-year-old Subaru because it's analog. Most current cars have automatic...
To start the new year, we'll look at five 'Gravel Myths.' Things that are still touted by many in the media and the industry. And yet there's no evidence to support those myths. Knowing how gravel bikes really work can help you make smarter equipment choices, go faster, be more...
2022 feels like it's been a long year. So much has happened, it sometimes seems almost like a miracle that we've been able to ride our bikes at all! Looking back, there have been some wonderful rides. The year started with the test of the Ritchey Ascent (above). What started as...
When we put together our 20th Anniversary Bicycle Quarterly over the last few months, this was also an opportunity to reflect on what is important to us. It was a good to think about our focus—not just where we are coming from, but also where we are headed. We love...
A number of readers have asked about the build of my OPEN × Rene Herse U.P.P.E.R., so here it is. The build was informed by the qualities I wanted in this bike. The goal was to bring out the best of the U.P.P.E.R.: I want a bike that is fun...
All of us at Rene Herse Cycles wish you Happy Holidays! We hope you're staying warm and safe. Natsuko, Jan & Rene Herse team 📷 Isabel Uriarte, Glass & Light Society
Merino tights are an essential part of our cycling wardrobe for cold- and wet-weather riding. Comfortably warm, but rarely too hot: Wool beats all synthetics when it comes to adapting to different temperatures. Rain or shine: Wool insulates equally well whether it's dry or wet. That means wool tights are...
The response to our Nivex derailleur has been overwhelming. It's not like everybody plans to get a custom bike with a desmodromic derailleur, but a typical comment was: "I'm glad it exists." And there's no doubt you can enjoy analog cycling on a much smaller budget. It's more a...
The floodgates are finally opening. The products we ordered so long ago are finally arriving. This means that things that were out of stock for a while are back, or they are expected soon. Here are some ETAs for things many of you have been patiently waiting for:
Nivex derailleurs and most associated parts are now in stock! It's been a long journey, with R&D starting more than four years ago. When you make a derailleur that's not just a copy of what's already out there, but fundamentally different, you're starting almost from zero. (The 1930s Nivex provided...
We're mailing the 20th Anniversary Bicycle Quarterly today. It's an exciting milestone. Has it really been 20 years? Yes, we're no longer the kids from Seattle, barely-out-of-college, whom the cycling establishment eyed with suspicion. What used to be radical ideas—things like "wide tires can roll fast" or "gravel riding can...
It's the holiday season, and finding gifts is one of the things that can contribute to holiday stress. It needn't be that way—gifts can be fun for both the giver and the recipient. At least for cyclists, it's easy to find something that will delight and be useful. Hopefully we...
Natsuko and I just received the Japanese edition of our book The All-Road Bike Revolution. It's quite moving to see this project come to fruition, with so much passion from everybody involved. Translating a technical book is a major undertaking: Not only are there more than 50,000 words, but the...
As we're getting ready to celebrate the 20 years of Bicycle Quarterly, we'd rather tell you about the anniversary edition we're preparing, with a look back at the most beautiful bikes we've featured over all these years, and the background story of our technical research that has changed the bike...
When Lyli Herse asked me, 15 years ago, to carry Rene Herse Cycles forward, I was very honored. I had long admired her father's work (as well as hers and that of her husband Jean Desbois). Their bikes had inspired our research, and they formed the foundation for the all-road...
A few weeks ago, we talked about Ted King's favorite mirror, and how he used it on a recent adventure in the Cascade Mountains to scan the road behind and spot cars long before we could hear them. It made for a safer and more relaxing ride.
Just in time for the end of daylight savings time, we've added a few taillights to our program. We've long carried the Busch & Müller Secula Plus ($ 34, right)—a simple modern LED light for fender mounting. Like all lights in the Rene Herse program, it includes a standlight, so...
The reaction to our collab with OPEN has been tremendous. Most readers seem to love the design—Natsuko and There There (the design studio) have done an outstanding job. As always with a new project, there are a few questions... Shipping, duties and taxes World-wide shipping is just $ 80. North American customers...
Mudflaps are humble, yet important, parts of our bikes. With fenders, the water exits at the bottom of the fender. On the front fender, that water then gets incorporated into the spray from the front wheel. As a result, a fender without a mudflap actually can spray more water onto...
Ted King called after the Arkansas High Country Race and asked: "Would you like to talk about Arkansas on my podcast?" It's fun to chat with Ted. He's one of the smartest people I know. His interests run far and wide, and his enthusiasm knows no bounds. I wish we...
Our most popular chainrings are back in stock: The 46/30-tooth 12-speed-compatible rings have just arrived. The other sizes are in production, and we should have the entire program available again within the next month or so. Why has it taken so long? These chainrings are very hard to make: With...
A couple of years ago, Ted King asked me for a mirror. He wanted to try one... I didn't think about it again until we explored bikepacking routes in the heart of the Cascades this summer. We started our ride by climbing Cayuse and Chinook Pass in the early morning...
Sometimes non-cyclists wonder why we do this. Why do we ride such long distances? Why do we push ourselves to the limit? Why do we spend so much time and effort making our bikes as fast and performing as possible? It's because extraordinary rides create extraordinary emotions. And rarely have...
The Ozark and Ouachita Mountains. Lush green valleys. The Arkansas River valley. I've heard so much about the Arkansas High Country Race... ...from Ted King, who raced the full-length 1000-mile version and set the FKT,... ...from Annie Davis who rides there all the time and holds the FKT for the Northwest Loop,...
It's raining today in Seattle, and we're glad to have bikes with really good fenders. It was a revelation when we realized that the unpleasantness of riding in the rain is mostly due to spray from the wheels. Unless you're riding in a typhoon, there's comparatively little water falling from...
Already a year has passed since I last rode the Oregon Outback, the 364-mile (585 km) bikepacking route that traverses the length of Oregon. That ride was the culmination of a dream that took seven years to achieve. Ever since the very first Oregon Outback—back in 2014 when it was...
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