Last weekend, we headed to Jikkoku Pass to work on the old road that has featured in several Bicycle Quarterly adventures. Tokyo's Yama Sai Ken, or Mountain Cycling Club, has 'adopted' the road and goes there twice a year to maintain it. For us, this was a remarkable trip into the Japan of...
One of the hardest parts of bike fit is the width of the handlebars. There are many recommendations, but not all make sense. For decades, racers have been told that handlebars should match the width of their shoulders – but nobody seems to agree how to measure shoulder width! Let's...
Rene Herse Cycles is the exclusive North American distributor for Berthoud Cycles. We are especially excited about their saddles, which combine amazing comfort with modern design and superior durability. Berthoud saddles start with the best vegetable-tanned cow hides, which are dyed in-house. All Berthoud saddle tops are cut in the grain...
To celebrate Bicycle Quarterly's 15th anniversary, we are looking at myths in cycling – things we all used to believe, but which we've since found out not to be true. During these 15 years we've learned a lot, and perhaps the most intriguing discovery is that modern parts aren't as light as...
At Compass Cycles, we are excited to sponsor the 2018 Swift Campout, a global call to go bike camping. On the weekend of the summer solstice (June 23 & 24), take your bike on an overnight trip – alone, with friends, or with one of the groups organized as part of...
Seattle, April 1, 2018: We are proud to introduce the new René Herse quadruple and quintuple cranks. Rene Herse is one of the few manufacturers of triple cranks with a wide selection of chainrings, and we've received requests for even more choices. There is a historic precedent for this: Alex Singer...
In addition to individual Rene Herse x Kaisei frame tubes, we offer three complete tubesets: Superlight, 'Mule' and Oversize. Each tubeset is based on bikes that we have found to work extremely well. The Superlight set is the lightest steel tubeset available today, great for riders who...
I like bicycles and cyclotouring, but I especially like traveling. When I think about where I want to go next, my heart skips a beat with excitement. Passhunting, visiting Onsen hot springs, eating good meals... During my busy life, it's easy to forget the small things that make this world...
[youtube https://youtu.be/x6x5VC2nAuE?rel=0&w=640&h=360] I love the unscripted spontaneity of live interviews, where neither side knows the questions and answers in advance. When I sat down down with Russ Roca of Path Less Pedaled, we talked about how Bicycle Quarterly got started, what inspires Compass products, and how the bikes we ride...
When tubeless tires first became available, they were designed for mountain bikes, and it was their resistance to pinch flats (above) that made them popular. Off-road, there are few nails or broken bottles that can cause punctures (and even those usually will be pushed into the soft ground rather than...
"A supremely grippy, comfortable, fast tubeless tyre with no downsides" is the verdict of the popular British web site www.road.cc. Tester Mike Stead goes on to explain how he used the Barlow Pass tires: "After months of trying, I smashed a 1km Strava sprint segment, knocking...
The Spring 2018 Bicycle Quarterly celebrates how past, present and future have come together to enrich our cycling enjoyment. As we venture off the beaten path into amazing landscapes and toward memorable adventures, we take inspiration from the past, benefit from current technical developments, and shape the future of cycling. Take the...
[youtube https://youtu.be/R37xixiGsX0?rel=0&w=640&h=360] To put our Caletti Monstercross test bike through its paces, we took it passhunting in the middle of winter. Watch the video for a sneak preview, and enjoy the full adventure and bike test in the Spring 2018 Bicycle Quarterly. Make sure to view in 'full-screen' mode! Subscribe today...
Bottom brackets are almost invisible, and you only notice them when something goes wrong. When the bottom bracket in my Firefly started to bind after just a few hundred miles, I put in an SKF, and that was the last I thought about it. When the bike was overhauled, the...
To celebrate 15 years of Bicycle Quarterly, we are examining myths in cycling – things that we (and most others) used to believe, but which we have found to be not true. Today, let's look at tire tread: Tread patterns matter – they can make a difference...
Last weekend's North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) was a great success by all accounts. I've especially enjoyed the beautiful photos of John Watson (aka The Radavist) from the show. With his permission, I am reposting a few of them here. J. P. Weigle's bike (above) for the 2017 Concours de Machines in...
Bicycle Quarterly back issues always are popular, and a number of magazines have run out in recent months. Recently, we found a box of magazines that we had put aside in case we needed to replace copies that were lost in shipping. This means that all but two Bicycle Quarterlies (BQ...
If you are in New England this weekend, I highly recommend a visit to the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS). From Friday until Sunday, dozens of builders from North America and beyond will show their best bikes in Hartford, CT. This year, constructeur J. P. Weigle (above) will exhibit a number...
"Raise your handlebars, and you'll be more comfortable." It's one of those almost self-evident 'truths' of cycling. And yet the reality is not that simple... (more…)
In Seattle, we are lucky: We can cycle year-round. Rarely is it so cold or so icy that cycling becomes difficult. Our cycling season usually starts with the new year. "What about the rain?" you may ask. It's not a big deal if you have the right equipment. Last weekend was the...
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH_AL4rxrp8?rel=0&w=640&h=360] Global Cycling Networks just published a video in which they did an experiment that many of us have been talking about: Load up a frame with flex, and then release that energy. The rear wheel turns as the energy is returned to the drivetrain. It's nice to see it...
Recently, the German magazine TOUR published a table showing the 'five fastest tires in the world.' We are excited to see our Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass 700C x 35 mm tires (back then still under the Compass label) on this list, in the company of the fastest racing tires....
To celebrate 15 years of Bicycle Quarterly, we are examining myths in cycling – things we (and most others) used to believe, but which we have found to be not true. Today, we'll look at frame stiffness. (more…)
For us, cycling is part of our lives. Our bikes are the most important tools we own. We use them for transportation, and we use them for enjoyment, often combining the two. That means our bikes need to be ready at a moment's notice. If we can't get a part,...
To celebrate 15 years of Bicycle Quarterly, we are looking at ‘Myths in Cycling’ – things that aren't quite what we (and most other cyclists) used to believe. Part 3 of the series is about fenders. Many cyclists here in Seattle install fenders when the rainy season starts,...
In part 2 of our series 'Myths in Cycling,' we'll look at why titanium isn't always lighter than steel. I can hear you saying, "What? Everybody knows that titanium has half the density of steel." That much is true: The same part made from titanium will weigh half as much as the...
Lyli Herse would have turned 90 years old today (January 6) – and this post was written to celebrate her life that has inspired so many of us. But alas, I have to report instead that Lyli died on Thursday after a very short illness. Despite the great sadness of...
All of us at Compass Cycles and Bicycle Quarterly wish you a Happy New Year and many great rides for 2018.
All of us at Compass Cycles and Bicycle Quarterly wish you Happy Holidays!
The top of Bealach na Ba Pass This autumn, Andrew Mathias rode around the entire coastline of Britain in one setting. Many of us followed his beautiful journey on Instagram. Now I had the opportunity to interview Andrew about his epic journey. JH: Congratulations on riding around the coastline of Britain. It...
At Compass Cycles, we have taken much of our inspiration from René Herse and his legendary bikes. In the past, we've talked about the great performance and incredible reliability of Herse's bikes, but what is even more striking is their beauty. You notice it immediately when you look at one...
We are excited to announce the latest SON generator hubs. The biggest news is the connector-less SL system for thru-axle hubs: Now you can remove your front wheel and its generator hub without having to disconnect any wires, even with a thru axle. The system consists of three parts: The heart is...
At Compass, we design our components over thousands of miles on the (often rough) roads we ride, so we have full confidence that others will enjoy them as much as we do. Still, we were pleasantly surprised when the world's biggest cycling web site, BikeRadar, tested our handlebars and awarded...
The new Bicycle Quarterly is shipping now – subscribers should have their copies in a few weeks. Many of our readers already have enjoyed the video of our tandem trip to the French Alps. Taking an unrestored 70-year-old bike on a challenging tour was full of...
Our new water bottles celebrate the Compass and René Herse logos with a bold new design. The bottles are based on Specialized's popular 26 oz. Purist design, with our custom graphics. In addition to the iconic logos, the bottles feature a quote that describes our approach to bicycles. The new design is limited...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKo2aDuTZ2g The Winter Bicycle Quarterly features the story of a remarkable adventure: Touring unknown mountain roads in the French Alps on an unrestored, 70-year-old René Herse. To bring you right into the action, we made a little video about the ride. Click on the image above to watch, before reading the full...
The new René Herse cantilever brakes are here! Prototypes of these brakes were one of the secrets that made Peter Weigle’s bike at this year’s Concours de Machines so light. They weigh just 75 g per wheel including bolts, springs and pad holders (without pads). How can...
During the second day of our recent cyclotouring trip to the Aizu mountains in northern Japan, we embarked on a little adventure to discover the 'Forgotten Pass.' In the evening of the first day, we climbed a small mountain pass, but found to our surprise that a...
During a recent trip to Japan, we went on a short trip to the Aizu mountains in northern Honshu (Japan's main island). It was a beautiful day, and the famous kouyou ('autumn red leaves') were at their best. Like most rides in Japan, we started by taking the train. A Shinkansen bullet train...
Compass Cycles is introducing the first-ever 11-speed-compatible René Herse cranks and chainrings. And the first-ever René Herse chainrings with ramps and pins. These are not just any ramps and pins: They're carefully engineered to shift as well as the best cranks from the big manufacturers. We are proud to offer this...
In addition to individual Rene Herse x Kaisei tubes, we offer three tubesets: Superlight, 'Mule' and Oversize. Each tubeset is based on bikes that we have found to work extremely well. Today we'll look at the Mule. Named after my most versatile bike, it features an unusual configuration: an oversized...
We aren't models! Anybody who has looked at our photos will have noticed this... but what I really want to say is that every photo you see in Bicycle Quarterly, on this blog and on the Compass web site is totally authentic. It's not a posed shot with – yes...
During a recent visit to Kyoto, we rented bikes for a day. Cycling is a great way to get around this beautiful old city, and it also presented an opportunity to experience Japanese city bikes. Our guest house offered bike rentals for the equivalent of $ 5 per day. In Kyoto,...
In addition to individual Rene Herse x Kaisei frame tubes, we offer three tubesets. Each tubeset is based on bikes that we have found to work extremely well. These bikes have distinct characters that I'll describe in a series of blog posts. The Superlight tubeset is just that – the...
The Autumn Bicycle Quarterly marks the 15th anniversary of the magazine. To celebrate, we assembled a very special selection of articles into our largest issue yet. Many readers have written to voice their excitement about the latest edition. Here are a few examples: "Issue no. 61 is absolutely the greatest I...
Sometimes, we get questions about why our René Herse cranks aren't anodized. Some even wondered if this was a cost-saving measure. Rest assured, Compass never will choose a cheaper process over a better one. There is a reason why our cranks aren’t anodized: When I was racing, I bought a beautiful used Campagnolo...
Now that it's officially autumn in the northern hemisphere, the temperatures are getting colder, the days are shorter, and there's often a chance of rain in the forecast. For me, that makes riding my bike all the more important. I enjoy breathing fresh air, feeling the wind in my face,...
Quite a few people were surprised at the 2017 Concours de Machines when Peter Weigle's bike was the lightest by a big margin. With a steel frame and mostly metal components, the Weigle weighed just 9.1 kg (20.0 lb) fully equipped with wide tires, fenders, lights, a rack, even a pump...
The updated Compass Babyshoe Pass TC 650B x 42 mm tires are now in stock in all models. What's new? We took our most popular 650B tire, and made it tubeless compatible. When you are riding fast on rough gravel, tubeless really makes sense – as I found out when...
Last weekend was the first cyclocross race in Seattle. Almost every year, the first race catches me by surprise. Summer is over? It's 'cross season already? Usually, I oil the chain on my trusty Alan 'cross bike and head to the races. This year, the Alan's tubular tires needed regluing. The...
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAwXw_GGtY4?rel=0&w=640&h=360] Open made a video to introduce their facelifted U.P. wide-tire racing bike. They went for a beautiful ride in the Alsace Mountains of France, coincidentally the same region where the first post-war Concours de Machines was held in 1946. A few months ago, we sent Open's Andy Kessler a set...
It's no secret that we love steel bikes. Steel allows us to build the bikes we need for our adventures – bikes where every detail is optimized to the nth degree. You can imagine our concern when True Temper, one of the most important suppliers of steel tubing, decided to...
The results are coming in for the Volcano High Pass Challenge. As the name implies, it was a challenging ride with much elevation gain, much gravel, and much scenic beauty. Fifteen intrepid riders set out from the Packwood Library shortly after 5 a.m. on Saturday. The long gravel climb up to Walupt Lake...
Smiles all around: That is perhaps the best summary of the Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting. A couple of dozen cyclists met in Carson, WA, for a weekend of exploring with like-minded cyclists. This year, the weekend started with the Volcano High Pass Challenge, an unsactioned ride/race over 103 miles (166 km) and...
Volcano High Pass Challenge (Saturday, 9/2) Part race, part scenic ride with friends, this unsanctioned event challenges riders of all abilities. The distance is 170 km (105 miles), with half on gravel and half on pavement, from Packwood, at the foot of Mount Rainier, to Carson, on the Columbia River. Anyone is welcome:...
The Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting and the Volcano High Pass Challenge are just a little over a week away! These separate events will take place consecutively on Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2-4). You can do one or the other, but of course, we hope you will join us for both! The Volcano...
With the Autumn issue, we celebrate 15 years of Bicycle Quarterly! Fifteen years is a long time, and much has changed in the bike world since 2003. Most of those changes – wider tires, compact cranks, Allroad bikes – have been for the better, and BQ has played at least...
Sometimes, it feels as if cyclists are divided into two camps on many issues. One of these divisions concerns pedals. There are those who believe that if you don't have clipless pedals, it's hardly worth taking your bike outside. Others fervently believe that any foot retention will ruin your enjoyment...
We just received our first shipment of Gilles Berthoud "Open" saddles. In the past, I've tried many saddles with cutouts, but none were comfortable. While they relieved pressure in the center, the sharp edges of the opening were uncomfortable. So I was skeptical when I received a sample of the...
Jan's comment: It's always interesting to read others' impressions of our work. Cyclodonia discussed several bikes from the Concours de Machines in detail. Translated and reposted with permission. The French original is available here. The views expressed are those of the original author, not mine. Enjoy! J. P. Weigle (Lyme...
Many cyclists dream of a dual-purpose tire that rolls smoothly on paved roads, but has knobs that dig into the surface when it gets slippery. In the past, combining these two qualities in a single tire has been elusive. Usually, the knobs were too squirmy for good performance on pavement...
If there is such a thing, Babyshoe Pass is our favorite tire here at Compass and Bicycle Quarterly. It's 42 mm width gives it great cornering grip, comfort and puncture resistance. The 650B wheel size offers nimble handling with wide tires. The Babyshoe Pass is named after an iconic gravel...
Long-time Bicycle Quarterly reader Matt Surch (above) put his name on the map when he won last year's Steaming Nostril gravel race on Compass Bon Jon Pass tires. We checked back in with him to see how the tires performed in the year since then, and to hear about his road racing...
When Bridgestone USA closed in 1994, many mourned the loss of what they saw as the last bastion of sensible design in the quickly changing world of bicycles. They rejoiced when later that year, Bridgestone's marketing manager Grant Petersen started Rivendell Bicycle Works. The new company's first project were three...
During its last week, the Tour de France heads for a final showdown in the Alps. This year's race is incredibly close, with less than 30 seconds separating the first three riders. The penultimate stage is a time trial, so we may even see an almost-repeat of 1989, when...
The official results of the 2017 Concours de Machines are in! Peter Weigle's bike did even better than we thought: Lightest bike: First place Choice of the jury: First place Technical points (bonus for features, penalties for problems): First place Zero penalties for technical problems Faster than required speed on each stage: zero penalties Overall: Second place We...
Allways pedal At Compass Cycles, we sell only parts that we want to ride on our own bikes. It's important that we can rely on the components we use to carry us through all conditions, problem-free. This is why we offer the top-of-the-line pedals from MKS. Each of the MKS pedals we...
In past decades, there was little doubt about what made a "road" bike: narrow tires, drop handlebars, no fenders. Then randonneur bikes were re-introduced into cycling's mainstream, leading to some confusion. "That is a touring bike," said many. "It has a rack and fenders." But the performance of the randonneur bike is...
The 2017 Concours de Machines in Ambert (France) was a great success for everybody involved. The bikes were amazing – and much-improved over last year's machines – the routes were truly challenging, and most of all, the spirit among all participants was wonderful. The goal was to find the best "light randonneur bike",...
In this year's Concours de Machines technical trials, I am riding J. P. Weigle's entry (above). The Concours is a competition for the best 'light randonneur bicycle.' The rules stress light weight, reliability and innovation. Bikes must be fully equipped with lights and the ability to carry luggage, plus a pump and a bell....
Next weekend, the Concours de Machines (Technical Trials) will be held in Ambert, France. The Concours is a competition between bikes, not riders, with the goal to find the best "light randonneur bike". Bikes will be weighed, judged on their features, and then sent on a challenging course over three days to...
We've experienced a profound revolution in road bikes in recent years: It used to be that to go fast, you rode narrow tires and pumped them up to the maximum pressure. If you wanted more comfort, you used wider tires and (maybe) lower pressures, but you knew that you'd be...
In recent months, I've been traveling and testing so many bikes for Bicycle Quarterly that I my "main" bike, the René Herse, hasn't seen much use. But now the Summer BQ is out, and I am back on my favorite bike. We built it six years ago as a prototype...
"I no longer believe that the ultimate rigidity defines the ultimate bike!" That revolutionary statement came from Damon Rinard, Road Engineering Manager at Cannondale, in a recent Cyclingtips.com podcast on frame stiffness and "planing". For many decades, stiffer frames were thought to perform better. Frame flex was equated with wasted...
The long days of summer see us heading far into the mountains. Often, our ambitious plans push the limits of even the longest days... Above, Natsuko descends the incredible chain of passes in the Cevennes mountains of France. This amazing tour is featured in the latest Bicycle Quarterly. Just in time...
Unpublished photos are fun, especially when they tell a different story from the one featured in Bicycle Quarterly. When I was cleaning out old photo files, I was reminded of our trip to Mexico City a little over a year ago. The main reason to visit Mexico with our bikes...
It's always interesting when bike industry people talk among each other, off-the-record. On the ride from the airport to Paul Camp a few weeks ago, one bike tester was still visibly shaken when he related: "My tubeless tire blew off the rim yesterday. I almost crashed." Worried that...
A few weeks ago, the Bicycle Quarterly editors went to Paul Camp – a get-together for the media at Paul Components, the famous maker of brakes and other parts. The idea was simple: Instead of attending a big trade show, why not get the media together, bring them to Paul in...
At Bicycle Quarterly, we've been testing quite a few titanium and carbon bikes lately, and even a bike made from bamboo. We really liked most of these bikes. And yet our own bikes continue to be made from steel. Why don't we ride carbon or titanium (or bamboo) bikes? We choose steel...
The new Bicycle Quarterly is at the printer. It's our biggest issue yet – well over 100 pages filled with exciting adventures. Here are a few of them: Renowned framebuilder and constructeur Peter Weigle joins us on a trip to Japan. Read his experiences with Rinko-ing his bike, riding the incredible Japanese mountain roads,...
7 Questions with Jan Heine, of Bicycle Quarterly We always enjoy to learn how others see Compass Cycles and Bicycle Quarterly. Paul Component Engineering has been making CNC-machined bike components in Chico, California for over 25 years. Like Compass, Paul focuses on quality, craftsmanship and making parts that last...
Spacers with a flat surface on the inner diameter can help prevent your headset from loosening. Just to clarify: If your headset stays put as it is, then don't change it! It's just that my headsets kept loosening on two different bikes, and so I was looking for a solution. Classic headsets...
Bikepacking is popular because it allows you to go places where bikes with panniers face difficulties. Bikepacking bags are inside the outline of the bike, so you can go anywhere an "empty" bike can go. Pushing the bike is easier, too, when there are no bags hanging off the sides. The only problem...
by Natsuko Hirose, Bicycle Quarterly. On a rainy Sunday, I visited a farmers' market in Seattle, instead of going cyclotouring. I saw many tulips for sale. Often, I forget about the seasons, because I am so busy. I wondered why there were so many tulips. Jan explained: "It's the season of...
I really like our cyclotouring knickers. They are based on a design I discovered in Japan. The ones we offer are a development from that, a little lighter and even better for spirited riding. I've been wearing mine on almost every ride since we introduced them. So it's no surprise that...
Drew Wilson won the Ragnarok 105-mile gravel race on Compass tires recently, so we used the opportunity to ask him about his race and gravel riding in general. JH: Congratulations on your win at the Ragnarok 105. It’s a tough event - tell us a bit about it. DW:...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUvHudzx8VE Bicycle Quarterly took the Open U.P. to Odarumi, one of the highest passes in Japan. How does a carbon bike for wide tires handle the 2000 m (6600 ft) paved climb? And how does it do on the challenging gravel descent? We made a little video to take you right...
Compass Cycles is proud to sponsor the Swift Campout for the second year. The Swift Campout is a global event, allowing riders to participate where and as they choose: On Saturday, June 24, cyclists will head out for camping trips to a destination they select, then return on Sunday. It’s fun...
First, I want to apologize that several Compass tire models are out of stock. Orders from our distributors in Europe and Japan have exceeded our expectations, and tire production has to be scheduled long in advance... The tires now are on a boat to Seattle. We should have all models back in...
Compass Cycles and Branford Bikes are excited to announce the Volcano High Pass Challenge as part of a Labor Day weekend filled with great rides. Part race, part scenic ride with friends, this unsanctioned event challenges riders of all abilities. The one-day route goes from Packwood, at the foot of Mount...
The other rider passed us at great speed. Getting passed by "hobby racers" while cyclotouring with my Japanese friends isn't unusual, especially on valley-bottom roads that see many cyclists. From behind, the rider looked odd. His position was very low. He was turning a large gear. All this sounds like a novice rider,...
A highlight of my trips to Japan is visiting Cycle Store Hirose. It's a truly special place. I enjoy talking about bikes with Mr. Hirose. His knowledge is deep, and his ideas and thoughts never cease to surprise me. This time, I was proud to show him the Compass decaleur that licenses Hirose's locking...
When building a bike, one important decision concerns the wheels. How do you get the best performance and still make your wheels strong enough to withstand 20,000+ miles of riding on rough roads without needing service? By now, most cyclists know that spokes don't break from overloading, but from fatigue as the...
Tokyo's Mountain Cycling Club reminds me of the Groupe Montagnard Parisien: almost unknown, yet fascinating and influential far beyond their limited membership. The French riders brought us the Technical Trials and modern randonneur bikes, while their Japanese counterparts co-invented mountain bikes. The Mountain Cycling Club started exploring the mountain passes in the Japanese Alps decades ago....
We now offer Compass centerpull brakes with a backing plate for bolt-on mounting, in limited quantities. Many customers have asked for this: Wouldn't it be nice to get the superlight weight and superior performance of these brakes on an existing bike? A backing plate connects the pivots with the fork crown,...
Compass is proud to introduce what we consider the ultimate decaleur. Combining the ideas of René Herse and H. Hirose with Nitto's craftsmanship, the new Compass decaleurs are strong, light, beautiful and reliable. Here is why decaleurs are important: We love handlebar bags. They are a great way to carry the things you...
We are always excited when the final files for Bicycle Quarterly go to the printer. We think that our readers will especially enjoy the Spring 2017 issue. We tested no fewer than three really amazing bikes. The Open U.P. (above) promises the performance and feel of a modern carbon racing bike and the...
During our Bicycle Quarterly adventures and travels, we generate hundreds – sometimes thousands – of photos. Only a fraction of them make it into the magazine, and there are many great shots that linger in the archives forever. Now Bicycle Quarterly has its own Instagram account (@bikequarterly) to...
At Compass Cycles, we love riding on gravel roads, so it may come as a surprise that we don't make "gravel" tires. Compass tires are road tires, perfected for use on paved roads. The rubber compound is optimized for grip on pavement, and the "chevron" tread pattern interlocks further with the road...
You may have seen the headlines that global temperatures have hit record highs each of the last three years. There is little doubt that global climate change is real and accelerating. The signs have been there for decades: When I worked in the Cascade Mountains on...
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