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...
If you've built a bike with quick release hubs lately, you probably noticed that elegant and lightweight quick releases are hard to find. I know, because that's a problem I've run into. I am embarrassed to admit it: My Rene Herse bikes for Paris-Brest-Paris, Oregon Outback and Unbound XL all...
Ted King's been on a roll lately. After his superb video about our epic ride when we scouted new bikepacking routes in the heart of the Cascade Mountains, he's made another short clip about our bikes. I think they look great all dusty, after riding all day, after climbing (and...
"I'm going to be in Seattle," said Ted King. "Let's go for a ride!" Where do you take the 'King of Gravel,' the guy who's won more gravel races than almost anybody else on the planet? Earlier this year, we've introduced some of our favorite routes in our website, and I've...
Maybe you're getting tired of us talking about the races won on our tires. Like proud parents, we just can't help mentioning yet another big win, like when Sofiane Sehili repeated his win in the toughest bikepacking races of all, the Silk Road Mountain Race, last weekend. Most of our...
The new 36-tooth one-by chainrings for Rene Herse cranks are now in stock. Like all our components, they've been tested extensively before we offer them to our customers. We've run them on challenging courses with different drivetrains to make sure they are compatible. Above is Anton Krupicka, who rode a...
Less than a week after we discussed why 'too much tire' isn't really something we should worry about, Lauren de Crescenzo won SBT GRVL in Steamboat Springs, CO, on 700C x 44 mm tires (above on the left). SBT is known as one of the smoothest...
Update 12/2025: This post was written in 2022. Back then, we mentioned that narrow handlebars are the most obvious way to improve the aerodynamics of a bike. Back then, we were the only ones talking about this. In just 3 short years, narrow bars have become popular, to the point...
The wait is finally over: Rene Herse chainrings are coming off the production line again. But this is more than a 'Back in Stock' notice: The new chainrings feature our downshift technology. This technology is found on the very best 12-speed chainrings (including those from Rene Herse), but this is...
It's exciting to see the Tour de France Femmes take to the roads of France this week. It's a big step toward reducing the gender imbalance in bike racing. Most of all, there has been some great racing for all of us to enjoy. The Tour Femmes brings back memories of...
Since its inception more than a century ago, randonneuring has always been about pushing one's boundaries, exploring distant places, and experiencing spectacular scenery, all while enjoying the company of other like-minded cyclists. That tradition was alive and well last weekend during the 3 Volcano 300 km brevet. The course went right...
"Why did you want to ride Paris-Brest-Paris?” Natsuko asked Robert Demilly, who set a record in 1966, completing the big ride in 44:21 hours (together with Maurice Macaudière). We were sitting on the terrace of a French café together with Lyli Herse and other anciens pilotes. It was a beautiful,...
It's common for companies to write about their 'revolutionary' products, when in reality the new stuff is very similar to what's already out there. That's why independent reviews are so important, especially when they come from experienced riders who buy their own products. I've been following the adventures of joeski_nw...
The Summer Bicycle Quarterly is on the press now. What makes this edition special is the sheer variety of the articles. At Bicycle Quarterly, we cover cycling in all its wonderful variety. For example, we feature studio photoshoots of no fewer than three bikes: Our test bike, the carbon Allied Echo has clever flip...
When Bikepacking.com featured the bikes of more than 120 riders in this year's Tour Divide, there was a wide variety of bikes for this incredible race from Canada to the Mexican border. About half the riders prefer drop bars, the other half flat bars. Some use suspension, others run rigid...
Seattle has some of the best urban riding in the world. The coastline and many lakes make for scenic riding and routes with almost no cross traffic. Add the urban parks designed by the Olmstead Brothers (of New York Central Park fame), and you have a wide range of rides...
We are excited to work with some of the world’s fastest racers and most intrepid adventurers. They test our tires all over the world, from the Flint Hills of Kansas to the forgotten mountain passes of the Silk Road Mountain Race. They provide feedback and ideas for product development. They...
The response to our online Tire Pressure Calculator has been tremendous. Cyclists everywhere appreciate a simple tool that allows them to figure out the lowest rolling resistance for their tire size and weight. It makes it easy to optimize tire pressure based on real data. One common request has been to...
Adapted from Natsuko's article published in Bicycle Quarterly 58. During the Fun Ride before the Otaki Mountain Bike Race, the other participants were surprised when they noticed that my bike is equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace derailleurs. But for me, the performance of my bike is very important. That doesn’t mean that...
What a week it's been! Seven days ago, I imagined Kansas as flat and covered with corn fields. And I wasn't sure whether I wanted to return to racing after more than a decade away from the peloton. Since then, I've cycled 350 miles (530 km) through a beautiful, wild country...
It's hard to describe the buzz of excitement here in Emporia on the eve of the Unbound, arguably the biggest gravel race in the world. BQ test rider Mark and I are riding the Unbound XL, the 350-mile race through the Flint Hills of Kansas. At least this week, Emporia is...
Here's why we love really good tubeless-ready rims: The rim/tire fit is about perfect. It has to be – otherwise the tire can blow off, since there's no tube to reinforce the transition from tire to rim. This means it's easy to mount tires, and also easy to take them...
As part of our effort to test and improve our products, a small team from Rene Herse Cycles – comprising of Mark and me – is heading to Unbound XL, the 350-mile race across the Flint Hills of Kansas. This isn't Rene Herse's first foray to Unbound: Our tires have...
We just received the first shipment of our Rene Herse × Barbieri Nuda carbon minipumps – the big sister of the tiny Nana pump that has been one of our all-time best sellers. The Nuda is a collaboration between Barbieri in Italy and Rene Herse Cycles. Barbieri had discontinued this...
All of a sudden, it’s almost summer. With a busier spring in the desert than expected—from starting a new Tucson GRIT (Girls Riding Into Tomorrow) cycling mentorship program to setting a new fastest known time on the 827-mile Arizona Trail—time just flew. In between were a quick trip to Alaska to...
It's been busy at Rene Herse Cycles. With all the big gravel races on the calendar, plus many riders planning their own private adventures, tires have been flying off the shelves. As a result of this surge in demand, a few popular models were out of stock for a few...
We work with a number of top riders and racers to develop and test our tires. After big races like Unbound, the famous race across the Flint Hills of Kansas, we ask them to send back the tires they raced on, so we can look at how they fared. Seeing...
"Navigating the unknown was the most challenging aspect of the trip, but also the most rewarding." Hailey Moore's intrepid solo ride over the Ozark Gravel Doom, the 378-mile (608 km) bikepacking route in Arkansas clearly left strong impressions. That's not surprising, as the DOOM, as it's affectionally called, remote and...
The Nana carbon minipump has been one of our best-sellers. It's small, it's light, it's cute, and it works well. I carry one on every ride as a backup in case my 'big' pump fails. (That has happened only once in all my riding, but at 25 g and the...
Some readers were surprised by the light weight of my Oregon Outback bike: 10.3 kg (22.7 lb) with lights, rack and all those parts that usually are left off when a bike is weighed: pedals, bottle cages, pump, etc. Others wondered how our bikes can withstand these challenging rides without...
"26in?! Why not a big fat 700c tire?" asked the Velo-News editor when he heard about my FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the Oregon Outback, the 363-mile (585 km) bikepacking route that stretches all the way across Oregon, from the California border to the Columbia River. So much of my...
There isn't much discussion of the subtleties of handlebar shapes these days, for a simple reason: Today's racers ride almost exclusively on the brake hoods. Sometimes, they get in the drops. When you put out that much power, there's little weight on your arms and hands, and all you need...
DJ + world traveling bike-tourer JaBig is one of the funniest, most positive humans you could imagine. His observations are always inspiring and thought-provoking. Right now, he's on a 6-month, 10,000-mile ride around the perimeter of the United States to raise funds for World Bicycle Relief. Ted King is isn't just...
April 1, 2022. Today Rene Herse Cycles announced a new wheel system with spokes that adjust on the move. This allows orienting bladed spokes in response to crosswinds, and it also makes it possible to true wobbly wheels without stopping. It's another example of the company's 'thinking outside the box'...
The Spring 2022 Bicycle Quarterly is coming off the press as you read this. Paper shortages have delayed this edition a little, but it's been worth the wait. Putting together the magazine has been a lot of fun. Our team followed with amazement as Lael Wilcox rode the entire Alaska Pipeline Trail...
Months of hard work (and patience) are paying off, and shipments are arriving at our warehouse almost daily. Most of the Rene Herse program is in stock now. The latest arrival are SON generator hubs, Edelux lights and associated small parts, like coaxial connectors and dropouts for the ingenious connector-less...
The new Rene Herse tire pressure calculator is based on hundreds of tests of tires from 20 to 55 mm wide. These tests have consistently shown that supple high-performance tires roll fastest at two distinct pressures: A relatively high pressure that provides a firm feel to the bike, and a...
The headline says all you need to know: A small quantity of 177 mm crankarms have arrived, so we can custom-build you one-by, double, triple and even tandem cranks. There's no need to bore you with more stories about supply chain woes. This isn't a post about why we like...
We've got rims again! Rims are essential components of our bikes – we can't ride without them. They are among the parts that we try to keep in stock at all times. But these aren't normal times... To give you an idea of what it takes these days to keep...
We feel it's time to take a break from the news. Not to close our eyes to the terrible things happening in the world. Not to stop being inspired by the heroism of the Ukrainians. Certainly not to block out the suffering caused by war. But to avoid getting numbed...
We get that question sometimes: "Why don't you offer tires with smaller or shallower knobs?" At first glance, it seems like Rene Herse offers only extreme tires. Our tires are either almost slick or have large knobs. Wouldn't an 'in-between' tire offer the best of both worlds – just a...
Thank you to all our readers and customers who chipped in and made our fundraiser for Ukraine a success. A few readers missed the deadline, but we were able to include their donations as well. We came close to our goal of donating $ 10,000 – so close that we...
We can't imagine what it's like right now to be in Ukraine. We've heard about bombing raids and invasions from our grandparents and from René Herse's riders and employees, but those were stories from a time long ago. (The photo above shows the Rene Herse shop window during the German...
JaBig and I have known each other for a number of years now. Back in 2019, he was planning a ride around the world to raise money for World Bicycle Relief, and we asked him whether he was interested in testing our tires on his ride...
At Rene Herse Cycles, we offer parts that last a long time and that are rebuildable if it ever becomes necessary. And not just 'rebuildable' in theory – we stock the parts you need for the rebuild, and provide detailed instructions how to do it. It's all part of our...
Standards exist mostly to ensure interchangeability of parts. If you need replace one of the bolts that attach the bottle cages on your bike, you can go to any hardware store in the world and buy an M5 bolt. Unless it's specified otherwise, the threads will have a diameter of...
The readers of Bicycle Quarterly are a vibrant group, and that comes through in the Readers' Forum where we publish comments, opinions, and questions. It's more than just a 'Letters to the Editor' section; we also answer technical questions that don't warrant a complete Bicycle Quarterly article. In a recent...
"I feel like Santa Claus," said the truck driver when he saw our excitement as we unloaded the latest shipment. "You are! We've been waiting for these for a while!" was our reply. The shipment from Japan included some popular tires, like the 700C x 42 Hurricane Ridge and 700C...
When we talk about wide tires and other bike tech, it's for one reason only: so we can have more fun on our bikes. We have some amazing riding in the Pacific Northwest, and here we're sharing some of our favorite routes. First in the series is a wonderful loop...
This is so evident that it shouldn't need saying: Jews (and all other religious groups) should not have to be be afraid when congregating in places of worship. There is no place for Antisemitism. It's sad that almost a century after this photo was taken, Antisemitism is still very real and...
Inflation has been all over the news, and it's caused much confusion. Customers have asked us: Do we really need to worry if used car prices are high? We are cyclists, after all... From our vantage point, we don't need to worry, but prices will increase. It's a world-wide thing,...
When the project for a Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame was announced, there was immediately some pushback: Isn't 'gravel' too new to have a Hall of Fame? From the perspective of gravel racing, that makes sense. Many of the big names from the early days of 'gravel' are still racing...
It's been a long wait, but we have good news: Rene Herse cranks have arrived. We've got 171 mm arms, and the 165 and 177 mm arms are at the polisher. They'll be here soon. In an age of integrated spindles and carbon cranks, you may wonder why many riders prefer...
This is just a short note that we got more Merino Wool Jerseys. They're the ultimate performance cycling wear for the cold season, and they are a key part of what makes our adventures possible: They keep us dry and warm over a wide range of temperatures, during hard efforts...
The word 'Revolution' is overused. Almost every new product and idea is marketed as 'revolutionary.' And yet, once in a while, something happens that really does change everything. For bicycles, the 'All-Road Bike Revolution' has been perhaps the biggest change since multi-speed drivetrains replaced singlespeeds. The 'All-Road Bike Revolution' can...
Despite its many challenges, 2021 also brought out a lot of resiliency. We learned to live with the new circumstances, helped by the fact that riding bikes is actually safe, even in small groups. For us at Rene Herse Cycles, 2021 was another year where our tires and components were tested...
Rene Herse Cycles was born out of our passion for exploring the forgotten mountain passes of the Cascade Mountains and beyond. Now we are sharing some of our favorite routes, from an all-paved rambles through the Cascade foothills to the multi-day adventures that take you over the highest passes. Explore...
For decades, cyclists have believed that trail makes a bike more stable. It makes sense: A bike's front wheel touches the ground behind the steerer axis. As the bike moves forward, there's a self-centering force on the front wheel – sort of like the caster of a shopping cart. Trail is...
We are grateful for your support, and we look forward to being part of your rides and adventures next year! Jan, Natsuko & the Rene Herse team
Winter is coming to Seattle, but, contrary to stereotypes, it's not always raining. Sunny days invite us to explore neighborhoods we usually don't visit. Last weekend, I decided to ride a bike that brings back many memories: The Rene Herse I used for years to commute around Paris. Back then, I...
We love history because the stories are so inspiring – real life is often better than fiction. One of my favorites is Lyli Herse's record-setting ride up the Puy de Dôme in 1951. Tour de France fans know the 'Puy' as one of the toughest climbs in France. Many times it...
We're excited to share a short review of our book The All-Road Bike Revolution. Adventure Cycling's Dan Meyer wrote: "Jan Heine will be a familiar name to longtime readers of this magazine (he wrote the Mechanical Advantage column for years). Heine has long been an evangelist for the "all-road" bike,...
The first 15 years of Bicycle Quarterly were spent unearthing previously unknown parts of cycling culture, talking to larger-than-life characters, and delving into long-forgotten photo archives. Many of these wonderful BQ editions are out of print, but we recently found a few boxes that had been mis-shelved. Among them is...
The Winter 2021 Bicycle Quarterly is at the printer. We are preparing the mailing list this week – subscribe now to be among the first to get a copy of this exciting edition! It's another un-missable BQ, starting with the cover story: Donalrey Nieva and Karen Yung climb Mauna Kea....
It's the season for giving nice things to people you like. It's an opportunity to show appreciation and love. Giving something that delights and is useful creates lasting memories. Every time we use a gift, we think of the person who gave it to us. It's always fun to use...
Our Merino Wool Jerseys have landed! I've been wearing the prototype for the past year, and I'm glad we can finally offer them to our customers. Some may ask: Why Merino wool? It's all about performance. Synthetic fabrics have improved a lot in recent years, but wool has a few...
Most of my bikes carry a full-sized frame pump, but on BQ test bikes, I often need to bring a minipump. When I had to air up a tire during a ride, Natsuko saw me struggle with the hose and multiple screw-on connectors. "Use my pump," she said and pulled...
Just a quick note that we've received a restock on our most popular tires of the moment, the new 650B x 55 Umtanum Ridge knobbies and 700C x 48 Hatcher Pass all-road tires. A few other models are available again, too. Ever since taking prototypes of the Umtanum Ridges (above)...
Whether it's after a long ride (and shower and good meal) or on a day when it's not appealing to head out at all – there's nothing quite like making a cup of tea and sitting down with a beautiful book. Great books don't just tell stories and convey information,...
The latest U.N. Climate Talks concluded this weekend. There was some encouraging progress, but not nearly enough. Yet bike companies and social media has been mostly silent on what is probably the most urgent problem humanity faces. It's almost as if we don't want to talk about what many perceive...
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