Happy Holidays!
All of us at Compass Cycles and Bicycle Quarterly wish you Happy Holidays!
Rides to Remember
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:08-07:00As 2018 comes to a close, it's fun to look back on the great rides we've done. For me, it's been a wonderful year full of exciting adventures. It started with the annual New Year's Cycling of Tokyo's Yama Saiken (Mountain Cycling Club), the famous passhunters. Jikkoku Pass is a great...
Compass becomes Rene Herse Cycles
Jan Heine2025-11-26T22:13:41-08:00Starting in early 2019, Rene Herse Cycles will be the sole brand for all tires and components made now by Compass Cycles. This streamlines our two brands and clarifies the philosophy that guides us. Since Lyli Herse asked us to become custodians of the Rene Herse name more than a decade...
Winter 2018 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:29-07:00The cover of our Winter edition is one of my favorites. It illustrates the story of Natsuko buying her first bike, when she was a college student. Read how she struggled to figure out what it meant when bike magazines listed the price for "frame+fork only," and how she finally decided...
Racing a 40-year-old bike
Jan Heine2026-07-19T00:06:14-07:00I've been racing my Alan cyclocross bike since I bought it second-hand, many years ago, when I was still in college. Back then, it was simply a used 'cross bike. Now it may seem like a relic from another era. And yet the Alan continues to hold its own in the...
Bicycle Quarterly Movie: A 30-Hour Ride
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:29-07:00[youtube https://youtu.be/MBUSuXHhsBQ?rel=0&w=640&h=360] How do you test a bike like Mitch Pryor's latest MAP All-Road? With its 48 mm-wide tires, fenders, racks and full lights, this is a bike designed for epic rides. How about taking it on a 30-hour, non-stop ride that traverses four mountain passes and crosses the crest of...
BQ 4-Pack: 15th Anniversary Year
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:29-07:00To celebrate Bicycle Quarterly's 15th anniversary last year, we increased the size of the magazine and put together a number of truly outstanding editions. We now offer them in a special 4-pack. We kicked off our anniversary year with our biggest edition ever. More book than magazine, this hefty volume counts...
Why Supple Tires Run at Higher Pressures
Jan Heine2022-03-23T08:58:35-07:00One of the benefits of wide tires is that they run at lower pressures. Yet the supple casings of our Rene Herse tires require higher pressure to corner well and not bottom out on big bumps. Doesn't the higher pressure negate the benefits of wider tires? Think of the tire casing...
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:29-07:00Happy Thanksgiving to all readers, customers and cyclists! We're grateful for the joys and friendships that cycling have brought us.
Jordan Rapp tests the Compass Snoqualmie Pass 700C x 44 Extralights
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:29-07:00We're always excited to get feedback on our tires, and when it comes from someone like Jordan Rapp, it's especially valuable. The names of semi-professional gravel racers aren't yet household names – Jordan used to be a pro triathlete before becoming a gravel racer. This year, he came 6th in...
Fire in Paradise – Update on Mitch and Alistair and Ways to Help
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:30-07:00Alistair Spence and Mitch Pryor have been my friends for a long time. They both live in Paradise, CA, which was devastated by fire last week. Both are OK; they got out just in time. Their homes literally were burnt to the ground, but what counts right now is that...
Natsuko’s Trip to Rishiri Island
Natsuko2025-12-21T00:58:01-08:00Mount Rishiri-Dake (1721 m) is a popular hiking destination. Bicycle Quarterly editor Natsuko Hirose takes you to Rishiri Island, off Hokkaido's coast in northern Japan. From the northernmost town in Hokkaido, Wakkanai, there is a ferry that goes to Rishiri and Rebun Islands. These small islands are the northernmost inhabited parts of...
Tubular Stays and Other Fender News
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:30-07:00Many years ago, a big magazine published a note about Honjo fenders, which were just starting to trickle into the United States, and noted: "We are charmed by the idea that there actually are fender snobs." Those days are long over: Today fenders are recognized as an integral part of many...
How Long Do Compass Tires Last?
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:30-07:00One of the less-noticed results of the 'Wide Tire Revolution': Our tires last a lot longer these days. When I rode 20 mm-wide tires, I rarely got more than 1300 km (800 miles) out of a set of performance tires. For long-distance races, I put on new tires for every...
BQ Skills: Ghost Riding
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:30-07:00[youtube https://youtu.be/xGh49T2rlmY?rel=0&w=640&h=360] Most of us remember when we learned to ride a bike. The incredible feel of balancing on two wheels – it felt like flying. Over the following days, months and years, our skills improved. First we learned to ride without wobbling. Then – in my case – to start...
Myths Debunked: Marginal Gains Are NOT the Best Way to Make Your Bike Faster
Jan Heine2024-07-12T12:36:22-07:00'Marginal gains' are the latest buzzword in cycling. The idea is that many tiny improvements can add up to make a meaningful difference. Make 10 changes that each save 3 Watts, and you'll have gained 30 Watts... Think of Greg LeMond winning the 1989 Tour de France by eight seconds (above)......
Autumn 2018 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:30-07:00The Autumn 2018 Bicycle Quarterly is at the printer and will be mailed soon. It's another action-packed edition that will bring many hours of reading enjoyment. What better way to test the Masi Speciale Randonneur and the Frances Farfarer trailer than to take them on a real adventure? For our third attempt...
Why We Like Custom Gearing
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00Our Rene Herse cranks are available with chainrings from 24 to 52 teeth, in single, double and triple configurations, including 11-speed compatible versions. We even offer tandem cranks. That way, riders can benefit from customized gearing, but it also means that we stock a lot of chainrings. We try to keep...
Myths Debunked (14): More Lumens DON’T Make a Better Light
Jan Heine2022-10-26T09:27:09-07:00As the days get shorter, many cyclists are thinking about lights. How do you measure the quality of a headlight? It's tempting to look at how many lumens the light puts out. After all, brighter is better, isn't it? On the road, what matters is not lumens, but lux. What is...
BQ 65 Preview: Traversing the Sawtooth Range
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czyAPChY9xg&feature=youtu.be The Autumn Bicycle Quarterly take you on a trip across the Sawtooth Range. Long-term BQ readers know that it's been a bit of a holy grail for us to find a passage across this mountain range, with our first attempts ending in washouts and snow. This time we take the...
International Mysteries of Cycling History
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00The history of cycling has brought us many useful things. If old randonneurs hadn't talked so fondly about the supple, wide, handmade clinchers of the 1940s, we might never have developed our Compass tires along the same lines. Without photos of mid-century riders scaling unpaved passes in the Alps, we...
Great Times at the BQ Un-Meeting 2018
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00The 2018 Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting brought together a great crew of old and new friends. We want to thank all for making this a great weekend! On Saturday morning, about 60 riders met at the Seattle Ferry Terminal to catch the boat to Bremerton. As always, the crowd was varied – all...
New Parts from SON
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00SON has introduced a few useful products that have us quite excited. First, there is the 12 mm Thru-Axle Adapter. You may know the dilemma: As the days get shorter, you really want to equip your bike with generator lights, but you don't want to invest in a hub that soon...
Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting Routes
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00After last weekend's 'pre-ride,' we've finalized the routes for the Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting. What is the Un-Meeting? It's simply a great weekend of riding off the beaten path: Everybody is welcome to join us. We publish a time and a destination. Beyond that, there are no services provided. No registration, no entry...
Night Ride through the Tahuya Hills
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00With the Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting approaching – Sept. 8 and 9 – I wanted to double-check the course. I had never ridden the new route out of Bremerton that by-passes the busy highway. And in the Tahuya Hills, landslides and floods can wipe out roads entirely....
Rene Herse 11-speed Chainrings in New Sizes
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00Chainrings choice. It's one of the main attractions of our Rene Herse cranks – together with light weight, supreme reliability and, dare we say it, good looks. So when we presented our first 11-speed chainrings, it was only a matter of time until the program was expanded. Now we are...
Myths Debunked: You CANNOT Lean without Countersteering
Jan Heine2023-03-09T07:31:30-08:00Glancing at the photo above, you might think that I am turning right (seen from the rider's view). Actually, I am beginning a left turn. What you see is countersteering – literally the only way we can lean a bike into a corner. (more…)
BQ Un-Meeting 2018
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:31-07:00The Bicycle Quarterly Un-Meeting is just a month away! The Un-Meeting is our annual get-together with those who share our joy of riding off the beaten path. It's not an organized event – we just publish a date and time, and everybody is welcome to join. There are no fees, no...
15 Years of BQ: Plus Ça Change
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00With Bicycle Quarterly celebrating its 15th year, it's been fun to look back over the decade-and-a-half of publishing the magazine. A lot has changed, most of all the size: The first issue was a slim 20 pages, the latest one is more than five times as large! As BQ grew and resources became...
Disc Brakes in the Tour de France
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00This year's Tour de France has had its share of drama, and the winner won't be the one most observers predicted. Among the sporting achievements, the technological innovation was easy to overlook: Finally, the UCI approved disc brakes, and the Tour is the first big stage race where they've been used. Reading the...
New Products and Back in Stock
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00We are excited about a number of new products. MKS has reworked their popular Sylvan pedals with silky smooth cartridge bearings. Now called the Sylvan Next, we've carried the Touring version for a while. New in the program is the Track pedal (above). The new Track pedals are a great...
Compass Photo Contest Winner
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00The votes are in! Giovanni Calcagno's photo on the Via del Sale won the Compass Swift Campout photo contest! The Via del Sale criss-crosses the Italian-French border as it connects Limone Piemonte with Ventimiglia via the Maritime Alps. To me, the photo embodies everything I love about cyclotouring off the beaten path:...
Road.cc Reviews the Compass Switchback Hill
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00Road.cc tested another Compass tire. After the Barlow Pass and the Steilacoom dual-purpose knobbies, they had a go with the Switchback Hill 650B x 48 Extralights. This time, they used a different tester, Dave Atkinson. He liked the tires just as much... His conclusion echoes ours: "At a time when people...
Myths Debunked: Disc Brakes DON’T Always Work Better Than Rim Brakes
Jan Heine2024-08-08T17:03:12-07:00To celebrate Bicycle Quarterly‘s 15th anniversary, we are looking at myths in cycling: things we used to believe, but which we’ve since found not to be true. Disc brakes have become popular on virtually every type of bicycle for a variety of reasons. One of them is that they are perceived...
Compass Photo Contest: Vote for Your Favorite!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00The Compass Swift Campout photo contest has been a huge success with almost 500 entries! With so many amazing photos, it was impossible to select just 8 finalists, so we finally settled on 10. We selected photos that show different aspects of the contest theme 'Cyclotouring off the beaten path.' Now it's up...
Supple Trumps Wide
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00High-performance bicycles have changed tremendously in recent years. As one manufacturer said at last year's Interbike: "In the past, everybody asked how much your bike weighed. Now all they want to know is how wide a tire it fits." Wide tires have revolutionized how we view performance bikes. In the past,...
Summer 2018 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00The Summer 2018 Bicycle Quarterly is off the press and will be mailed to subscribers soon. To cap our 15th anniversary year, we've put together a 112-page edition filled with truly remarkable stories. In our biggest adventure yet, we traversed the breathtaking Copper Canyons of northern Mexico. It was an amazing...
A knobby faster than most road tires?
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00At Compass, we see little point in replicating what you already can buy from others. When we made our first knobby tires, we wanted true dual-purpose tires. Could the new knobbies match the on-pavement of good road tires, yet grip as well in mud as true cyclocross tires. Impossible? You'll...
Compass Swift Campout Photo Contest
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00Entries for the photo contest keep pouring in – so far more than 250 photos have been submitted. Check them out on Instagram under #swiftcompasscontest! It's not too late to enter: Upload your best shots that show 'cyclotouring off the beaten path' to Instagram, add the hashtag, and...
BQ 64 Preview: Our Biggest Adventure Yet
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00[youtube https://youtu.be/21Vb3RPCRG0?rel=0&w=640&h=360] The Summer 2018 Bicycle Quarterly caps our 15th anniversary year, and so we've put together a very special issue. In our most epic adventure yet, we headed south to the incredible Copper Canyons of Mexico. The video above takes you right into the action. Make sure to enjoy it...
Back in Stock and New Fenders
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00Some new products are much more popular than we anticipate. Even though we try to keep everything in stock at all times, production can take a while to catch up to the increased demand. Recently, that has affected a few products. The first batch of our 11-speed Rene Herse chainrings sold out...
Myths Debunked: Front and Rear tires should run at (roughly) the same pressure
Jan Heine2021-06-29T19:41:16-07:00To celebrate Bicycle Quarterly‘s 15th anniversary, we are looking at myths in cycling: things we used to believe, but which we’ve since found out not to be true. Today, we explain why your bike's weight distribution does not directly translate into your tire pressures. (more…)
Compass Antelope Hill 700C x 55 mm Tires
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00We are proud to introduce our biggest tire yet, the much-anticipated 700C x 55 mm Antelope Hill. The new tires have arrived with the latest shipment and are now in stock. Antelope Hill is the unofficial name of the last great climb of the iconic Oregon Outback, the 360-mile gravel race that...
Swift Campout photo contest sponsored by Compass Cycles
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00Calling for the most evocative, inspirational, and just plain amazing photos that show 'cyclotouring off the beaten path'! Share your adventures and win a $ 200 gift certificate and other prizes! Simply post a photo – or several! – on Instagram by June 30 and add the hashtag #swiftcompasscontest. Anybody can...
Yabitsu Pass in the Rain
Jan Heine2022-09-28T13:35:27-07:00During my recent trip to Japan, I found myself with a free day in Tokyo. With no time to plan, I decided to head to Yabitsu Pass. Yabitsu Pass is popular with cyclists, because it's close to the capital, and yet it traverses a mountain range that is far off the...
Myths Debunked: Stiffer Forks DON’T Steer Better
Jan Heine2023-01-23T09:56:22-08:00To celebrate Bicycle Quarterly's 15th anniversary, we are looking at myths in cycling: things we used to believe, but which we’ve since found out not to be true. This week, we have a 'double feature' that looks at fork blades. In the first post, we looked at...
Myths Debunked: Fork Blades DO Flex
Jan Heine2023-01-23T09:52:13-08:00When we first started talking about shock absorption and fork blades, it was commonly believed that fork blades didn't flex significantly. Experts told us: "All the flex in a fork is in the steerer tube, where the lever arm is longest." And yet, when we rode bikes with flexible fork...
Being Interviewed by the Quoc Pedaler
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00Recently, The Pedaler interviewed me for the blog of Quoc Pham's eponymous cycling shoe company. We chatted about the origins of allroad bikes, the inspiration of the mid-century randonneurs, and what makes Compass Cycles different from other companies. Click here to enjoy the full story.
How to Test Tire Performance
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00In the 15 years of Bicycle Quarterly, one of our discoveries has been that testing bicycle performance isn't easy, and that taking shortcuts often has led to erroneous conclusions. Carefully designed tests that replicate what happens when real cyclists ride on real roads have allowed Bicycle Quarterly to debunk several myths. Certainly,...
Compass and BQ in the News
Jan Heine2024-03-21T21:21:49-07:00During the last week, Bicycle Quarterly and Compass Cycles have been mentioned in several news stories. The popular web site www.bikepacking.com featured an article about converting a 700C bike to 650B. They wrote: "The benefits are fairly obvious. Wider tires offer more floatation, a more supple ride, and are all...
Derailleurs of the World: Huret
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:53-07:00In the history of derailleurs, Huret is an often-overlooked. The French company cannot lay claim to big innovations like Campagnolo (first parallelogram racing derailleur), Simplex (first spring-loaded upper pivot to compensate for front shifts) or SunTour (slant parallelogram). And yet Huret's derailleurs were innovative in their own ways. Hideki Sasaki has...
Working on the Old Road to Jikkoku Pass
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:54-07:00Last 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...
Handlebars: Wide vs. Narrow
Jan Heine2025-06-23T18:24:22-07:00One 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...
Which Berthoud Saddle is Best for Me?
Jan Heine2024-10-12T15:22:13-07:00Rene 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...
Myths Debunked: Modern Components are NOT Always Lighter
Jan Heine2021-06-29T19:25:54-07:00To 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...
Join the Swift Campout!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:13:54-07:00At 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...
Introducing Quintuple Rene Herse Cranks
Jan Heine2023-03-30T09:50:01-07:00Seattle, 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...
Tubesets for Our Bikes: Oversized
Jan Heine2021-09-26T11:40:43-07:00In 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...
Natsuko’s Cyclotouring Reunion in Hokkaido
Natsuko2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00I 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...
Live Interview on Path Less Pedaled
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00[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...
Myths Debunked: Tubeless Tires DON’T Roll Faster
Jan Heine2021-06-29T19:20:38-07:00When 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...
Road.cc Reviews the Compass Barlow Pass
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00"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...
Spring 2018 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00The 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...
Preview of BQ 63: Passhunting in Japan
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00[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...
SKF Bottom Brackets Back in Stock
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00Bottom 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...
Myths Debunked: Tread Patterns Do Matter, even on the Road
Jan Heine2023-12-23T01:18:57-08:00To 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...
North American Handmade Bicycle Show
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00Last 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 Back in Stock
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00Bicycle 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...
The North American Handmade Bicycle Show
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00If 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...
Myths Debunked: An Upright Riding Position ISN’T Always More Comfortable
Jan Heine2022-08-30T09:44:18-07:00"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…)
Midwinter Ride across the Tahuya Hills
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00In 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...
Global Cycling Networks Video on Frame Flex
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00[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...
One of the 5 Fastest Tires in the World
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00Recently, 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....
Myths Debunked: Stiffer Frames Are NOT Faster
Jan Heine2021-06-29T19:03:57-07:00To 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…)
Back in Stock and New Products
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00For 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,...
Myths Debunked: Fenders DON’T Slow You Down
Jan Heine2021-06-29T18:56:37-07:00To 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,...
Myths Debunked: Titanium is Lighter than Steel, but…
Jan Heine2026-01-24T21:54:52-08:00In 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, 1928 – 2018
Jan Heine2022-06-20T13:17:53-07:00Lyli 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...
Happy New Year!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:28-07:00All of us at Compass Cycles and Bicycle Quarterly wish you a Happy New Year and many great rides for 2018.
Happy Holidays!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00All of us at Compass Cycles and Bicycle Quarterly wish you Happy Holidays!
Around the Coastline of Britain – Interview with Andrew Mathias
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00The 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...
René Herse: The Beauty of Function
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00At 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...
New SON Generator Hubs!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00We 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...
BikeRadar Reviews the Compass Handlebars
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00At 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...
Winter 2017 Bicycle Quarterly
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00The 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...
New Water Bottles and Others 'Back in Stock'
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00Our 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...
Watch the Video: Ride into the Unknown
Jan Heine2023-02-03T11:07:02-08:00https://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...
Introducing Rene Herse Cantilever Brakes
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00The 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...
The Forgotten Pass
Jan Heine2022-08-25T13:58:01-07:00During 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...
Autumn Trip to the Japanese Mountains
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00During 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 11-speed Chainrings
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00Compass 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...
Tubesets for our Bikes: Mule
Jan Heine2021-09-26T11:41:56-07:00In 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!
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00We 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...
City Cycling in Kyoto, or How to Make a Fully Equipped Bike for $300
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00During 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,...
Tubesets for Our Bikes: Superlight
Jan Heine2021-09-26T11:41:19-07:00In 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...
Reader Feedback on the Autumn Issue
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00The 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...
Why René Herse Cranks Aren't Anodized
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00Sometimes, 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...
Wool Jerseys: Continue Riding Even as the Weather Cools
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00Now 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,...
The Best Drivers' Cars are 50 Years Old
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00Quite 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...
Tubeless-Compatible 650B x 42 mm
Jan Heine2021-04-23T14:14:29-07:00The 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...
