Touring on Rebun Island
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…)
Idaho Stops Now Legal in WA
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:10:58-07:00Politics can be a depressing subject these days, but there are occasional good news, too. Here's one: Washington State just passed a new law that allows cyclists to roll through stop signs if no other traffic is present. The same law also allows cyclists to proceed through a red light...
My PBP Bike: Fenders
Jan Heine2024-03-16T21:50:26-07:00Until 1991, all bikes in Paris-Brest-Paris had to be equipped with fenders. Traditionally, this had been a way to distinguish randonneur events from races – the randonneurs were expected to ride bikes that were equipped for real-world riding. However, by the 1980s, there simply weren't many performance bikes with fenders...
Handlebar Width Matters
Natsuko2021-04-23T14:10:58-07:00When I got my new C. S. Hirose, I was excited to have a bike with wide tires for the gravel roads of the Cascade Mountains. I love my other Hirose, and so I asked the builder to make the new one as similar as possible. Some parts we brought...
Bicycle Quarterly Photo Contest
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:10:58-07:00Now that summer officially has officially ended, we can start to look back on the cycling season. So much has happened since we started riding in late winter under clear, sunny skies! The events of 2020 have upended many plans, but cycling is the one place where we can live...
Autumn 2020 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:10:59-07:00The Autumn 2020 Bicycle Quarterly is heading to the printer soon. We're especially excited about this edition, with great stories and adventures, plus a renewed focus on ground-breaking technical research. (more…)
Why Pros Ride Handmade Tires
Jan Heine2022-09-30T07:29:55-07:00In France, the Tour is one of the rituals of summer. I can't count how many times during my research I've interviewed somebody while the colorful images were playing on TV in the background. Racers, randonneurs, cyclotourists – all enjoy the grand landscapes, the beautiful form of the riders, the drama...
Last chance to get the Summer Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:10:59-07:00The Summer Bicycle Quarterly has been a favorite of our readers. They were gripped by Peter Gaskill's report from the incredible Atlas Mountain Race. They enjoyed shop visits at Fern Bicycle in Berlin and with the pioneer of American constructeurs, R. T. Jansen. They marveled at beautiful bikes, from a refurbished...
My PBP Bike: Contact Points
Jan Heine2021-04-27T13:47:27-07:00This year's rides have been more self-supported than usual – cafe stops aren't really part of the program right now. So the 'new' bike that I built for last year's Paris-Brest-Paris has seen a lot of use, since it's designed for riding long distances without stopping. In our series about...
Testing Prototypes
Jan Heine2022-03-05T12:04:15-08:00Product development is fun, because we get to think about bike parts, figure out how to improve them, and then test them on our adventures. This summer has seen plenty of excitement in that respect. Some of the parts we've been testing are almost ready to go into production; others...
Lael Wilcox: Riding out of Nome
Lael Wilcox2021-04-23T14:11:23-07:00Roads 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 contained....
No Un-Meeting this year; BQ Photo Contest
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:23-07:00After much thought, we've decided to cancel this year's Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting in Marin County, California. We've made this difficult decision together with this year's organizers, Bicycle Counterculture. The pandemic shows little sign of letting up. To have a large number of cyclists travel to the Un-Meeting and gather does...
Hidetaka Hirose, 1942-2020
Jan Heine2023-02-09T15:41:25-08:00Hidetaka Hirose, the genius behind C.S. Hirose, died early on Saturday. For 40 years, he built bicycles that were custom-built for their riders in every way: Not just size, geometry and tubing selection, but even the components. (more…)
Back in Stock: Waterbottles, Musette Bags, MKS Pedals
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:23-07:00Keeping everything in the Rene Herse program in stock is a challenge during the best of times, and it's been especially difficult during the pandemic. We're always excited when a shipment comes in, and even more when we get several. After a long wait, our
California Fires: We’re heartbroken
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00We're heartbroken to hear about the fires that are raging in California and much of the West. Our thoughts go out to all who are affected. Learning of acquaintances in the bike industry who lost their homes and workshops... Seeing old-growth redwoods and historic park buildings burn... Seeing the air...
Rob English’s new bike
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00Rob English is not just a talented framebuilder, but also a top-class rider and racer. He recently built this bike for himself. Even though the bike is a superlight racer, it rolls on (extralight) 700C x 32 mm Stampede Pass tires – a sign how far racing bikes have come....
Ted King discovers the Cascade Mountains
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00Ted 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, so...
Sofiane Wins French Divide!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:001,409 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…)
Oracle Ridge Tires in Stock
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00Lael Wilcox has been enjoying her Oracle Ridge prototypes all summer in Alaska. Now you can get a set for your bike, too. The new tires are now in stock with Standard, Extralight and Endurance casings. (more…)
Back in Stock: Berthoud Saddles, Bar Tape, Mirrors
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00Our friends at Berthoud Cycles in France have been working overtime, and we just received another shipment. We've got most saddles in stock again, as well as spare parts to rebuild your worn saddle with a new leather top, swap stainless steel rails for titanium, or replace parts that...
15 Years Ago: Three Volcano All-Road Brevet
Jan Heine2022-07-11T20:29:33-07:00It's hard to believe that 15 years have passed since I got 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 year,...
Bikepacking.com reviews the Fleecer Ridge
Jan Heine2022-03-05T12:04:37-08:00When we introduced the our Fleecer Ridge 700C x 55 mm dual-purpose knobbies, we sent two sets to Neil and Logan at Bikepacking.com. Since the Fleecers are our first tires specifically intended for bikepacking and the Tour Divide, we were eager to get their feedback. That was a few...
Introducing the Oracle Ridge 700Cx48mm
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00When bikepacking legend Lael Wilcox talked about the tires she wanted for her bikepacking adventures, she mentioned a 48 mm-wide knobby in addition to the Fleecer Ridge 700C x 55: Ideal for many modern gravel bikes like her Specialized Diverge. Lael suggested a great name for...
Beautiful Bikes at Enve’s Builders Roundup
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00The Enve Builders Roundup is a show of custom bikes (and Enve's components). Among all the great bikes, here are three of our favorites (more…)
Finding the perfect tire pressure
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00There's a lot of talk about optimizing tire pressure these days. In years past, most of us inflated our tires to the maximum pressure rating shown on the tire sidewall. It's more complex now. Like Goldilocks, we add air and then let out some again, until we've found what seems...
Why 700C wheels DON’T roll faster
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00These days, it's widely accepted that 700C wheels roll faster than smaller hoops. It's a bit like the old belief that narrower tires are more efficient – so self-evident that it doesn't even need explaining. After all, simple physics tells you: A bigger wheel rolls faster, because it hits bumps...
New, Small and Useful
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00Sometimes it's the small things that make a big difference. Things that we need or want, but that nobody makes because they are, well, small and not so profitable, since they'll sell only in small numbers. But we need them for our own rides, and so we're making them. We've...
My PBP Bike: The Wheels
Jan Heine2021-04-27T13:44:50-07:00When I asked which part of my bike for last summer’s Paris-Brest-Paris our readers wanted to hear more about, the answer was: “Everything.” So I'm writing a series of posts about the parts of the bike. I’ve already talked about the frame and the
People who inspire us: Sofiane Sehili
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:24-07:00There are few photos of Sofiane Sehili in full flight, because he's usually ahead of the photographers... Working as a bike messenger in Paris, Sofiane first dipped his toes into ultra-cycling in 2016, when he rode in the epic Tour Divide, the race that runs along the crest of the...
Raymond Henry, 1944-2020
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00With great sadness, we say Goodbye to Raymond Henry, cycling historian extraordinaire, grand randonneur, and wonderful friend. He passed away today from the complications of a surgery that was to allow him resume his active life of cycling, woodworking and gardening. Raymond experienced the glory days of French cyclotouring first-hand. As...
Tubeless Tire FAQ
Jan Heine2025-04-13T21:59:15-07:00Car and motorcycle tires have been tubeless for decades, but bicycle tires have continued to use tubes. That changed during the 2010s, when first mountain bikers and then the riders of all-road and gravel bikes started to experiment with tubeless technology. They reason was simple: If you could run your...
Summer 2020 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00The Summer 2020 Bicycle Quarterly is at the printer. It'll be mailed at the end of the month, but we just learned that due to staffing shortages at our printer, we need to complete the mailing list tomorrow morning (Thursday). To get your copy with the first mailing, please make...
DIY Gravel: Ted King’s Epic Cross-Vermont Ride
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00Ted King's DIY Gravel may have been born out of necessity – there are no gravel races right now, so why not ride our own rides and challenges in the mean time? Ted's idea has been a lot of fun, and more than a thousand riders have risen to the...
Pure Speed: Time trialling on Rene Herse tires
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00With all the emphasis on gravel and less-than-smooth backroads, it's easy to forget the joys of pure speed as you glide over smooth pavement. And perhaps nothing is more about speed than triathlons. Few people know that both BQ team rider Mark and I did triathlons way back in the...
Committed to Diversity
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00There is much that needs to change in our world until all humans are treated equal, have equal opportunities, and feel equally welcome. We each must do our part to make it happen! At Rene Herse Cycles and Bicycle Quarterly, we are committed to diversity. We believe that great stories exist...
People who inspire us: Nelson Vails
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00One of the highlights of last year's North American Handmade Bicycle Show was meeting Nelson Vails. I saw him walking by, and I thought: "That is Nelson Vails! I've got to shake his hand!" We ran after him... He turned out to be a most charming gentleman. Natsuko was surprised...
People who inspire us: Rachel Henry
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00Rachel Henry (right) loves her Jo Routens bike. When Natsuko and I visited them for a story about her husband Raymond, the historian of French cyclotouring and long-time Bicycle Quarterly contributor, the two accompanied us out of town on the spur of a moment. Rachel prefers contemplative cyclotouring, but she’s a...
People who inspire us: JaBig
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00Now is a good time to think about the people who’ve inspired us. It’s a good time to show that cycling can be welcoming of non-whites. It’s a good time to listen to other voices. They have good stories to tell! JaBig is a DJ from Montréal in Canada. He first...
People who inspire us: Eritrean Road Racers
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00Now is a good time to think about the people who’ve inspired us. It’s a good time to show that cycling can be welcoming of non-whites. It’s a good time to listen to other voices. They have good stories to tell! Eritrea has a vibrant cycling scene, ever since Ghebremariam Ghebru...
People who inspire us: the Bruce family
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00Now is a good time to think about the people who’ve inspired us. It’s a good time to show that cycling can be welcoming of non-whites. It’s a good time to listen to other voices. They have good stories to tell! The Bruce family from Chicago were good friends (and customers)...
George Floyd, Christian Cooper, Ahmaud Arbery and the Couple on the Train
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:11:25-07:00Last year, on the train to Sacramento, we met a wonderful black couple in the dining car. They had gone to Seattle to celebrate their wedding anniversary. They had met when they were part of the civil rights movement in the South. They moved to the West Coast, because, as...
Rene Herse x Velocio Ultralight Jersey
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:01-07:00We're excited about our new jerseys. For almost two years, we've been looking for the perfect jersey. We didn't just want to get some print-on-demand jerseys, but we wanted a jersey that offers the best performance and quality, as well as responsible manufacture. The Rene Herse x Velocio Ultralight jersey is...
1952 Rene Herse – Ancestor of Our All-Road Bikes
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:01-07:00It's hard to believe that it was 20 years ago when I first got to experience a 650B all-road bike. The bike in question was a 1952 René Herse Randonneuse. I had been curious about the bikes from the great French constructeurs, but there weren't many around. And those who...
Rene Herse Musette Bag
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:01-07:00Sometimes small things make a big difference: The Rene Herse musette bag is one of the most useful things you can bring on a ride. (more…)
Live Talk on Bikepacking.com with Lael, Neil and Jan
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:01-07:00https://youtu.be/IOscnup4Rys If you missed yesterday's live talk on Bikepacking.com, it's now uploaded to their channel – click above to view it. It was a fun conversation with two Tour Divide racers, Lael Wilcox and moderator Neil Beltchenko, about what they want in a tire, how we're developing tires, and how we've...
Fleecer Ridge and Noise Cancellation
Jan Heine2021-08-20T12:17:36-07:00We've got the new Fleecer Ridge 700C x 55 bikepacking/gravel/all-round tires in stock now. They come in the Standard, Extralight, Endurance and Endurance Plus casings. This means you can get the volume and groundbreaking tread pattern – more of that in a moment – with a full range of casings....
Back in Stock and New Fenders
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:01-07:00Let's start with the most exciting part first: We've got new 75 mm-wide fenders, both in 650B and 26" versions to fit comfortably over our widest tires. They're made from a thicker aluminum for extra strength, so it's well-suited for bikes with knobby tires which can...
New Endurance and Endurance Plus Tires
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:01-07:00We're expanding our tire line-up for tough conditions: Two of our most popular tires are now available in reinforced Endurance and Endurance Plus versions. (more…)
Why We Don’t Like Side Knobs
Jan Heine2023-05-08T09:09:55-07:00The standard way to make tires for gravel racing is simple: Use a smooth center with side knobs that are supposed to help with traction in corners. The idea is that you roll on the smooth part most of the time, and you get added traction when you lean into...
Lael Wilcox: What Makes a Great Bikepacking Tire?
Lael Wilcox2021-04-23T14:12:01-07:00Long distance bikepacking is all about making equipment compromises. Generally speaking, for me, bikepacking is multi-day dirt-road riding and carrying what I need along the way. Road surfaces, conditions, and weather are ever-changing— that’s part of the adventure. When setting out for a tour, I select equipment based on what...
Round 2 of DIY Gravel
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00Today would have been the Belgian Waffle Ride in California – which means that Round 2 of Ted King's DIY Gravel is starting. We've got until next Sunday to do our own version of this iconic ride, which offers three versions: Waffle is 138-miles, 53 off-road and nearly 12,000 feet...
DIY Gravel #1: Rasputitsa in Washington
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00When 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 and...
Join Ted King for DIY Gravel
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00All of us are figuring out how we can resume our lives safely and responsibly. How can we ride our bikes? Does it make sense to train when races and events are postponed or cancelled? How can we enjoy the community that cycling brings us? I caught up with gravel...
Thank you!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00This post is to say 'Thank you!' It's no secret that times are difficult. The news are not encouraging. Businesses everywhere are struggling, and we're not exempt. We appreciate your orders at all times, but now they are doubly important. As we take turns working in our empty office and warehouse, we're...
What We Ride (Part 4): The Mule
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00In this mini-series, we look at the bikes of the BQ Team. These are the bikes we bought with our own money and/or built with our own hands. These are the bikes we ride most often, because we feel they work best for the rides we do. And – most...
What We Ride (Part 3): Steve’s Frek
Jan Heine2023-02-15T08:23:52-08:00This mini-series shows the bikes of the Bicycle Quarterly Team. These are the bikes we've bought with our own money and/or built with our own hands. They aren't show queens, because we ride them hard. They've proven themselves over many thousands of miles on the – often quite rough –...
What We Ride (Part 2): 333fab Titanium Randonneur
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00In this mini-series, we're looking at the bikes that the BQ Team rides. These are the bikes we've bought with our own money (or built with our own hands). These are the bikes we ride most of the time, whether we're heading for a quick 2-hour spin or a multi-day...
BQ 8-packs and Rene Herse Book for $50
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00Everybody needs a good read right now! We all know what to do to keep ourselves and others safe. We all know what is going on in the world. There is a time when it's important to turn off our screens, make a cup of tea, and enjoy a...
What We Ride (Part 1): Mark’s 6-Hands
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00Editor's Note: We've been thinking about our role in the response to Covid-19. Here is what we can do: If there is a way we can positively influence the situation – like advocating social distancing and wearing face masks before these practices had widespread support – it's our responsibility do...
Calling for some real innovation!
Jan Heine2022-04-02T09:22:18-07:00April 1, 2020: This is the time of year when we take a break from the daily news and look at areas where real progress is possible in bicycle design. Forget marginal gains – today we're looking for revolutionary ideas! The industry likes to crow about disc brakes and carbon...
Everybody needs a good read now!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:02-07:00Sometimes, it's good to take a break from the news, turn off our screens, and immerse ourselves in a good read. Now this need is more urgent than ever, and so we're preparing a second mailing of the new Bicycle Quarterly this week – sooner than originally planned. Before you even...
Keeping our employees safe
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00Yesterday, Washington State finally issued an order for everybody to stay at home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. It's something most of us wanted to see much sooner, and we've been acting for several weeks as if it had been in place already. Bicycle repair facilities and companies...
We’re open and staying safe
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00Many customers and readers have asked and worried about us. This post is to reassure everybody that we're doing fine at Rene Herse Cycles. For the time being, Seattle is relying on everybody's best efforts of social distancing and staying home, and there is no mandatory lockdown. Fortunately, people are...
FMB Tubulars
Jan Heine2023-05-29T22:17:33-07:00Over the last year, we've worked on re-introducing FMB tubulars to the North American market. FMB tubulars perfectly complement our Rene Herse clinchers. They feature similar no-nonsense tread patterns for road, dirt and mud. FMB's three casings all offer supple performance, but they vary in their degrees of sidewall protection....
Adjusting to New Realities
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00In 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…)
Spring 2020 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00It's always exciting when a new Bicycle Quarterly goes to print. After months of work, we finally see the magazine take shape on paper, and soon our readers will enjoy their copies. We're doubly excited about the Spring 2020 edition with its mix of engaging stories. Karen Yung reports...
New RH Endurance Tires in 700C and 650B
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00Many of you asked for more tires with Endurance casings... The 700C x 35 has long been a favorite of gravel racers and all-road riders. Now you can choose between the versatile Standard casing, the superfast Extralight and the tough (but still lightning-fast) Endurance.
Celebrating International Women’s Day
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00To celebrate International Women's Day, we selected four Bicycle Quarterly covers that show extraordinary women cyclists. (more…)
Ted King’s Tips for Choosing Gravel Tires
Ted King2024-01-27T22:25:24-08:00Editor's Note: 'Gravel' means different things in different regions, from the smooth dirt roads of Vermont to the Flint Hills of Kansas. Few riders have as much experience riding and racing all over the world as Ted King. Here is how the 'King of Gravel' chooses his tires. It’s only in the...
On Top of the World – BQ 70
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00When we got one of the first prototypes of the new Crust Canti Lightning Bolt for testing, we decided to really take it to the limit: How would it perform on a 36-hour adventure in the Cascade Mountains? We took it from Seattle to the highest roads on Mount St....
Memories of Summer: Lake Bessemer
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00As 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 came...
Enve and Zipp hookless rims and Rene Herse tires
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00Rene Herse tires are safe to use on hookless rims from Enve and Zipp – even when mounted tubeless (for tubeless-compatible tires). Over the last year, we've worked with the engineers from both companies to ensure the full compatibility of our tires with their rims. Tubeless tires are an emerging technology....
Bicycle Quarterly Past Editions: 15th Anniversary
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:03-07:00Readers have been asking about our four-pack with the 15th anniversary Bicycle Quarterlies. When we streamlined out back edition catalogue, we had removed it. By popular demand, it's back. (more…)
Looking Back Over the 2010s
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00At the beginning of the year, we talked about our predictions of where bicycles are headed in the upcoming decade. Now, with a little time to reflect on the 2010s, it's fun to look back and see what the last decade really has been all about...
My PBP Bike: The Frame
Jan Heine2021-04-27T13:34:52-07:00When I asked readers which part of my bike for last summer's Paris-Brest-Paris they wanted to hear more about, the answer was: "Everything." So we'll make a series of short posts about the parts of the bike. I've already talked about the centerpull brakes here. Today, let's look at...
A Winter Ride
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00When 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 with...
12-Speed Rene Herse Cranks
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00We're excited to announce that our ramped-and-pinned chainrings are 12-speed compatible. We knew that 12-speed was coming when we developed our 11-speed rings, so we tried to anticipate the requirements, so that our chainrings would be compatible with 12-speed as well. Now we've completed our testing, and we're happy to report...
Lael Wilcox: The Mount Lemmon Challenge
Lael Wilcox2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00I 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 that story....
Don’t Miss the Winter Bicycle Quarterly!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00Make a cup of hot chocolate (or tea or coffee), sit down with a good magazine, and enjoy the evening! That's what readers have done with the Winter Bicycle Quarterly. Before even opening the magazine, they've savored the beautiful cover painting by Myoshi. (more…)
Ryan’s Bike for Paris-Brest-Paris
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00Ryan Francesconi rode his steel-framed Smeltzer 'Thee Gifford' adventure bike in last summer's Paris-Brest-Paris. Ryan's tires were wider than almost anybody else's, and yet his 650B x 48 mm Switchback Hill Extralights didn't slow him down as he surfed the fast pacelines during the early hours of the event.
David’s Bike for Paris-Brest-Paris
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00When David Wilcox signed up to ride in last summer's Paris-Brest-Paris 1200 km (750-mile) brevet, he wondered about which of his bikes – he has quite a stable! – would be best for this long ride. Comfort is paramount if you're going to spend 45+ hours in the saddle, but...
James Bay Descent – The Movie
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=579&v=Fz106hSZqJk&feature=emb_logo When Ted King, Ryan Atkins, Eric Batty and Buck Miller rode more than 600 km in northern Ontario last winter, it was a real adventure – and they raised money for a local charity. We were happy to be involved in a small way – we supplied the entire team...
UD Racks for (almost) every bike
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00Handlebar bags are one of the best places to carry luggage on your bike. Right in front of you, the contents are easy to reach. A handlebar bag doesn't increase your frontal area, so it's aero, and it doesn't get caught on obstacles when you ride through tight spaces....
Myths Debunked: 700C Wheels Are NOT Faster
Jan Heine2021-06-29T20:24:34-07:00When we started this series to celebrate Bicycle Quarterly's 15th anniversary, we thought we'd eventually run out of myths. But it seems that new ones are created as fast as we can debunk old ones. The latest is "700C wheels roll faster than 650B." This is stated with the same certitude...
Myths Debunked: Wide Tires Are NOT Slower
Jan Heine2023-06-23T17:22:09-07:00When we started to publish Bicycle Quarterly 15 years ago, it seemed that most of the technical aspects of bicycles were well-known. And yet, as we tested many different bikes, we started to question many of the things we had accepted as 'facts.' To celebrate our 15th anniversary, we’ll...
Predictions for the 2020s
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00Happy New Year and welcome to a new decade, the 2020s! Ten years ago (above), Bicycle Quarterly predicted that wide tires would become commonplace, that all-road bikes would replace racing bikes as the most popular genre, and that riders would soon venture off the beaten path and onto gravel. All that...
Bicycle Quarterly Past Editions
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00The most common comment we get from Bicycle Quarterly readers is "I wish the magazine came out more often." Publishing more often would be nice, but it's not possible: It takes three months to create each edition. With more than 100 pages of stories – all original contents...
Happy Holidays!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:24-07:00All of us at Rene Herse Cycles and Bicycle Quarterly thank you for your support. We wish you a wonderful new year filled with many great rides! —The Rene Herse team
Rethinking Packaging
Jan Heine2023-12-02T12:00:37-08:00Since we've started making bike parts again in 2011, we've been working on reducing our environmental impact. We were among the first to use custom-designed cardboard boxes with inserts that hold our cranks securely. That has been part of our commitment to reduce our impact – while making sure that...
Jikkoku Pass in Autumn: Day 2
Natsuko2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00In 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...
Jikkoku Pass in Autumn
Natsuko2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00Usually, 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 of...
Frank Berto: We will miss you!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00Word has just reached us that Frank Berto passed away last Sunday, aged 90. Berto was one of the most inquisitive technical minds in the cycling world and a long-time contributor first to Bicycling magazine and then to Bicycle Quarterly. An avid cyclist since his childhood in the 1940s, Frank...
Bicycle Quarterly 70 Focuses on Adventure
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00The Winter 2019 Bicycle Quarterly is back from the printer. The cover continues our tradition of featuring original artwork: Myoshi's gouache painting shows the Crust Lightning Bolt during our test ride in the heart of the Cascade Mountains. (more…)
Riding the Un-Ride with Ted King
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00Today'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 the...
How durable are leather saddles?
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00How durable are leather saddles? It's a question we often get with respect to the Berthoud saddles we distribute in North America. Especially now that it's winter here, and often raining. Will a leather saddle be ruined if it's ridden in the rain? The answer is a reassuring 'No.'...
This Sunday: Ride Tahuya with Ted King
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00Just 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. ferry...
Winter 2019 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00Adventures in all their forms are the theme of the Winter 2019 Bicycle Quarterly. Lael Wilcox and Rugile Kaladyte tour Kyrgystan in preparation of the Silk Road Mountain Race. Three friends attempting a new route on the border between France and Italy. Two riders enter The Japanese Odyssey, a ride so...
Are gravel bikes slower than road bikes?
Jan Heine2025-04-13T22:26:13-07:00The euphoria about gravel bikes is hitting a snag: Many riders feel that their gravel bikes are slower than their road bikes. For example, James Huang, the technical expert from CyclingTips.com, posted: "I've been spending too much time on gravel and mountain bikes lately. Good to be reminded what real speed...
Blog Transition is Complete
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00Thank you for your patience last week while we've transitioned the blog to the Rene Herse web site. We've moved all the old contents – blog posts and comments – to the new site, so everything continues to be available. If you've bookmarked a blog post, the link no...
Steel Road Bike Book (Japan)
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:12:25-07:00During a recent trip to Japan, we saw a beautiful book about steel road bikes, published by our friends at Bicycle Club magazine. The cover bike may look familiar to Bicycle Quarterly readers – it's part of a famous Japanese collection that we featured a few years back....
