When I interviewed Roger Baumann for the René Herse book, he told me: "In Paris, there was this club of older riders, the Audax-Club Parisien. [...] They did great rides in the mountains [...] They were a leading light in the sport. They created many events: Paris-Brest-Paris, Flèche Vélocio..." When...
A number of readers have asked about randonneuring, and more specifically, about which bike is best to get started with randonneuring. I recommend that you gradually ease into long-distance riding, and also incrementally change your equipment as you gain more experience. You don't need to buy brand-new equipment before riding...
When somebody says nice things about your work, it's always a good feeling. When that person is a mentor who has been a great influence, it's even more meaningful. So when Grant Petersen reviewed our new book so positively and insightfully, it really made my day. It is great...
Few taillights available today complement the aesthetics of a classic randonneur bike, where you want to see finely detailed components, typically in metal. Most modern lights are chunky black plastic, but one succeeds in being more understated: Busch & Müller's Seculite Plus (above). So Compass Bicycles decided to sell...
In the past few weeks, we have received many e-mails from readers of our new René Herse book. All messages were positive. Many readers wrote that the book greatly exceeded their expectations. I appreciate the feedback, and I am delighted that our readers are so happy. After all, few people...
In the last issue of Bicycle Quarterly, we compared the performance of a 17-pound titanium racing bike and of a 26-pound steel randonneur bike. We were surprised when both bikes climbed at the same speed in a set of controlled experiments. Others shared our surprise, but added: "That cannot be...
Just one week of riding without a mudflap, and look at my bike! It's a mess! I ride my Urban Bike year-round in rainy Seattle, but thanks to its generous fenders, it rarely gets dirty. I clean it only once a year, because it doesn't need it more often. Then, last...
Now that it's February, our winter rest is over. We are starting to build a base for the coming cycling season. That means riding long distances at a moderate pace. It can be hard to get going for these rides. It's easy to be discouraged by the cold weather. On...
Our new book René Herse • The Bikes • The Builder • The Riders will be available with French text in addition to the English version. Therefore, this update is in French. Notre souscription pour l'édition française du livre René Herse a connu un beau succès puisque nous avons reçu...
At this time of year, we plan our rides for the summer. There are so many places we want to explore! We pore over roads and look at event calendars. And we think about changes to our bikes. Some of the changes are intended to make our bikes better...
This year's North American Handmade Bicycle Show will take place in Denver, CO, on the weekend of February 22-24. NAHBS is a great place to see many builders showing their craft. The event is a showcase of the vibrant custom framebuilding scene in North America. As you admire the gleaming...
The Bicycle Quarterly charity drive was a success. We were able to raise almost $ 1500 for three charities. Checks are going out this morning to Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children and the Union of Concerned Scientists. Thank you to all who contributed!
Many people see my bike and think "Retro!" In some cases, this is seen as cool. Others are dismissive, like the famous builder who once compared riders like me to civil war re-enactors, who dress up and play civil war in their spare time. It is true that I enjoy...
We are grateful that we can ride beautiful bicycles, both for enjoyment and for transportation. We discuss things like performance, handing and the advantages of aluminum fenders. Much of the world is much less fortunate. Even in the United States, there are many people whose most basic needs aren't met....
We often extol the virtues of aluminum fenders over plastic ones: They keep rider and bike drier and cleaner, they last longer, they don't make noise on rough roads, and they are lighter. (I also think they look better.) Metal fenders' major disadvantage is that they require a bike designed...
Our new book René Herse • The Bikes • The Builder • The Riders will be available with French text in addition to the English version. Therefore, this update is in French. Notre nouveau livre René Herse • Les Vélos • Le Constructeur • Les Pilotes probablement sera disponible en édition...
When it is cold and foggy outside, or when the rain is beating down, I like to remember the days when it was summer. My mind wanders back to long hours of daylight, sunshine and memorable rides. Like last October, when Mark and I headed out for an all-day...
When we designed the new René Herse cranks, our goal was to create a crank that was as reliable and safe as any on the market. After all, we ride these cranks ourselves. We are especially proud that these cranks pass the stringent EN standards for racing bikes (EN...
Winter is a great time for riding around here. We have a choice between cold and sunny or not-so-cold and rainy. If we can, we pick the sunshine, but that often means starting our rides when it is just below freezing. Riding into a glorious winter morning is wonderful, if...
While I was in Paris and presented the first copy of the René Herse book to Lyli Herse, the container with the bulk of the books continued its voyage to Seattle. We finally received the shipment last Monday! We immediately started packing and mailing books to readers who pre-ordered the...
Last Friday, we met at Lyli Herse's house outside of Paris for cake and cider to celebrate two birthdays: René Herse was born on this day in 1908, and Gilbert Bulté, one of Herse's riders, celebrated his 92nd birthday! "Monsieur Gilbert" (on the right) remains in excellent health, and it...
I recently visited relatives in Germany. They live in Bavaria, in the corner between Austria and the Czech Republic. The "Bavarian Forest" is a lovely landscape that offers some of the best cycling anywhere. The name is deceptive, because most of the "forest" is an agricultural landscape that has...
Replacing a square taper bottom brackets can seem a bit daunting. What threading do I need? How long should the spindle be? Which taper? It's really quite simple, and here is how to figure it out. Threading The bottom bracket screws into your frame. If your frame was made in the...
Some people wonder whether special bikes can be too precious to ride. They ask me about my bikes: "Aren't you afraid that it will get scratched?" or "What if you crash it?" or "What if it gets stolen while you lock it up on the street?" Those things do happen....
May the new year bring you wonderful rides and great memories!
It's hard for me to believe, but it has already been three years since Ernest Csuka passed away. I wrote in his obituary in Bicycle Quarterly: "He was the last of a generation of great constructeurs." Indeed, Ernest Csuka had experienced most of the post-war history of the French...
I enjoy the annual rhythm of the seasons. It encourages me to change my cycling and exercise, like a farmer rotating crops and leaving some fields fallow for a while. The early months of the year remind me of preparing the soil and sowing that year's crop. This means base...
Question from a potential customer: "If I purchase a Rene Herse crankset with its non-standard bolt-circle diameter, what guarantee do I have that Compass Bicycles will continue production of the chainrings for 5, 10 or 15 years?" Compass Bicycles makes products that we expect to last for decades. We have...
When you read this blog or Bicycle Quarterly, you may get the impression that all our rides go over hundreds of miles and involve at least three mountain passes on gravel roads. The reality is more prosaic. We live in a major urban region, and we have busy jobs and...
When "Schmidt's Originaler Nabendynamo" (SON) was introduced more than a decade ago, the choice was easy: There was only one model. Today, Schmidt offers three models of their revolutionary generator hubs. Here is what distinguishes them: SON Delux: Weight: 386 g. Lightest generator hub available today. Least resistance of all generator hubs. Narrow flanges. Aluminum...
Our new book René Herse • The Bikes • The Builder • The Riders will be available with French text in addition to the English version. Therefore, this announcement is in French. Notre nouveau livre René Herse • Les Vélos • Le Constructeur • Les Pilotes sera disponible avec texte français....
The good news is that the René Herse books are on the way to Seattle. We received a few advance copies, including the Limited Edition with its beautiful slipcase (above). The book turned out even nicer than we expected. The bad news is that the boat won't reach Seattle before...
Some customers of our René Herse cranks have noticed that their brand-new cranks show traces of having been mounted on a bottom bracket. Did they receive used cranks by accident? No, the cranks are brand-new. As part of our quality control, we mount each crank, with the chainrings the customer...
The Winter 2012 edition of Bicycle Quarterly magazine has returned from the printer and will be in the mail shortly. In this issue, we focus on titanium racing bikes and modern shifting systems. A titanium bike shoot-out in Bicycle Quarterly? We look at the best modern bicycles to establish...
On Monday, Seattle experienced a huge rainstorm as the rainy season arrived in earnest. By noon, more than 2 inches of rain had fallen in my neighborhood, and the wind gusts reminded me of Hurricane Sandy, which I experienced in Philadelphia. (I was lucky and not on the shore,...
I moved from Texas to Seattle 20 years ago and continued to ride and train year-round. At first, I refused to use fenders. I did not want to spoil the beautiful lines of my racing bike. After one miserably wet winter, I gave in. Like most of my teammates,...
Printing a book is a long and exciting process. During the last few months, almost every week, we have received a courier package with yet another step in the process for approval. First the plotter printouts, then the digital color proofs, paper and cover samples, and finally, the actual...
"You ride the bike you have, not the bike you might want or wish to have at a later time," said a famous secretary of defense. (More or less. He was talking about armies, not bikes, but both are tools toward achieving an end.) That statement paraphrases my thoughts about...
Today, I am reminded of my grandfather in Germany. Not of his cycling exploits during the 1930s, when he rode hundreds of kilometers with his friends on weekends. Instead, I am thinking of him voting. When my grand-father was in his 80s and confined to his house by severe arthritis,...
When we received another shipment of Rene Herse cranks recently, we built up and filled our pre-orders first. Some are shown above. All the cranks shown have different setups, except two. (Can you spot the two identical ones?) There are a dozen different chainring combinations in the photo above, yet...
Berthoud handlebar bags are among the few things in this world that are so well-designed and have proven themselves for so long that they have become unimprovable. These bags first were introduced by Sologne in the 1950s, and they have been made almost unchanged ever since. Handlebar bags have...
We are excited to go to the Philadelphia Bike Expo next weekend. Unlike the typical consumer shows that are held in many places (including Seattle), the Philly Show's focus is similar to what we do at Bicycle Quarterly: Artisans, Activists, Alternatives. We look forward to meeting many old friends among...
Our new book! Instead of telling you about René Herse, I'd like to tell you how this book came about. While I was visiting René Herse's daughter Lyli many years ago, we talked about restoring the tandem that placed first in the 1956 Paris-Brest-Paris. Lyli thought that she might...
A sharp-eyed reader spotted our book The Golden Age of Handbuilt Bicycles in this photo on the BBC Travel web site as part of a feature about art in Paris. It is very nice to see our book featured in the place where these bikes first were developed and...
We just received a new shipment of René Herse cranks. In addition to the double and triple cranks, this production run includes the single-speed cranks (shown above). We also have all chainring sizes in stock (except 50 teeth, which are due to arrive in Seattle in a few days). The...
Last week, I posted about the first day of the Seattle International Randonneurs' Autumn 600 km brevet. When we sent our riders on their way in the early hours of this second morning of the ride, we did not know whether we'd see them again further down the road. Ryan...
For 2013, we are proud to introduce the Classic Bicycles calendar featuring studio photos of thirteen classic bicycles. The “cover model” is a 1965 Cinelli Supercorsa, built up by the legendary Spence Wolf of the Cupertino Bike Shop. Other racing bikes include Eddy Merckx’ winning machine, Francesco Moser’s hour record...
During our pre-riding the planned route for the Seattle International Randonneur's "Mountain 600 km Brevet," we realized that it was not safe to have riders descend from Windy Ridge at night. It would be too cold, and the road has big cracks that already had seen a rider crash...
The Autumn 2012 issue of Bicycle Quarterly will be mailed next week. This issue celebrates 10 years of the magazine. That's right: Ten years ago, the first issue of what was then Vintage Bicycle Quarterly was mailed. It's been a long journey from a magazine that focused mostly on...
Yesterday morning, I got a phone call: "Gerolf here. I am in Seattle." Gerolf Meyer is one of the people behind the German magazine Fahrstil, for which I had written a few articles in the past. I knew that he was riding from Vancouver to San Francisco, and that...
There are two common yet different approaches to testing products: You can compare design specifics. For example, you test hybrid bikes with disc brakes. Or in the car world, mid-size SUVs. You figure out which company makes the best one in that category. You can look at the intended use and...
Last weekend, Ryan and I were fortunate to have glorious weather for our "pre-ride" of the Seattle International Randonneurs 600 km brevet. A "pre-ride" is done by the ride organizers to make sure the route sheet is accurate, instead of relying solely on sometimes-erroneous maps and outdated satellite images:...
More than three years after their introduction in North America, the SKF bottom brackets have lived up to their promise as the most reliable bottom bracket on the market. Many have been ridden for tens of thousands of miles in all kinds of weather. Each bottom bracket carries a...
With the recent news that Lance Armstrong effectively admitted to a large-scale doping conspiracy on his teams, the issue of doping has been front and center in the cycling news. A few readers have asked whether doping exists in randonneuring, too. The short answer is yes – doping exists in...
Today's papers report of a new government safety initiative: Cars talking to each other, for example, to warn the driver that cars ahead are stopped at a red light, or that another car is about to ignore a stop sign and blow through the intersection. A pilot project in...
One of the greatest influences that led to Bicycle Quarterly and Compass Bicycles has been Mike Kone (center above, discussing a historic photo with Robert Limouzi (right), who rode on the René Herse team in the 1960s, and the author (left)). I have known Mike for almost 20 years...
Suspension losses often are overlooked, but they are an important factor in tire performance. When we first tested the performance of tires in a roll-down test, we found that very high pressures offer almost no improvements of performance. This contradicted the testing done in laboratory settings on steel drums,...
The cycling community sometimes seems to fall into two camps: Those who emulate racing, and those who don't care the least about racing and performance. On the one side, you have the mainstream bike industry, who finds it easy to sell racing bikes to anybody interested in cycling for recreation...
The Bicycle Quarterly web site provides a number of useful resources. Most popular is the Color Photo Supplement. It shows color photos of the classic bikes that have been featured in Bicycle Quarterly over the years. Most of the bikes we feature are unrestored originals, so they are not...
Designing scientific experiments requires a lot of thought, if you want to arrive at useful results. Most studies of bicycles fall into two categories, which I'll call observation-based and measurement-based. Observation-based studies starts with an observation. In our case, we ride a lot of bikes. Then it goes like this: We...
LEDs have revolutionized generator-powered bicycle lighting. They are bright, use less power, tend to last (almost) forever, and easily can be combined with a standlight. However, many riders prefer the elegant shapes of classic taillights. Combining LEDs with classic taillights offers the best of both worlds. Our LED insert...
When you choose a builder for your bike, consider their experience with the type of bike you plan to order. Above is one of the first "compact" cars made in the United States during the early 1970s. Seeing that smaller European cars were becoming more popular, Detroit's car makers decided...
Compass Bicycles now carries the Hutchinson "Confrérie des 650" tire. The Confrérie des 650 was created by French riders who loved their 650B bikes. They were concerned that the wheel size might become extinct, leaving them without rims and tires for their bikes. So they formed the Confrérie and...
When I started riding seriously while I was in college in Germany, it became apparent that my Peugeot 10-speed no longer was sufficient. Not only did it lack performance, but it required repairs almost daily. So I soon started shopping for a new bike. Like most new cyclists, I was...
Last weekend, I rode in the Cascade 1200 km brevet. I like to make one ride every year my "main goal" - a ride for which I train, around which I plan my calendar, a ride that is special. This year, my "big" ride was the Cascade 1200 km brevet....
If there is one single topic that summarizes Bicycle Quarterly, it is the search for the best solutions. The Summer 2012 issue focuses on the "ultimate" bicycles. Note the plural form: There seem to be as many "ultimate" bikes as there are individual riders, so we examined a few...
The first production run of the new René Herse cranks has sold out. Reports from users have been very positive. The cranks work well with current 10-speed drivetrains, as well as classic setups with 5-9 cogs in the rear. The second production run is under way. In a month or...
A few days ago Shimano presented their new Dura-Ace group. Many reports focused on Shimano finally matching Campagnolo with 11-speed rear cassettes. To me, other features are more significant: The group reintroduces a lot of classic technology. Look at the brakes and the pivot location: The new Dura-Ace brakes are...
Yesterday's mail brought a nice surprise: the May issue of the Japanese magazine Cyclotourist, with an article I wrote about the history of randonneuring and of randonneur bicycles in France. Unfortunately, I don't read Japanese, but from what I can tell, they did a very nice job with the 6-page...
What size handlebar bag is best for you and your bike? Basically, the bag should fill the space between the front rack and the stem. To optimize the bike's handling, the bag should be as low as possible, and well-supported on a rack just above the front wheel/fender. At...
Sometimes we get a call or an e-mail from a frustrated customer: "I have a brand-new set of your tires, and both wobble when I mount them on my rims." In most cases, it is not the tires' fault. Usually the problem stems from the difficulty of mounting tires...
Even though Daniel Rebour retired almost 40 years ago, his drawings remain recognizable to many cyclists today. Rebour's drawings distilled the essence of components and bicycles better than photographs ever can. He managed to make even the most mundane bicycle appealing, and his drawings greatly added to the allure...
A common objection to some of Bicycle Quarterly's findings is: "If xyz is so good, why don't the racers use it?" Whether it's wide tires at lower pressures or front-end geometries, some of what we find to work best is not currently used by professional racers. Don't professional teams...
At Compass Bicycles, we tend to be a bit obsessive when it comes to our bicycles. "Good enough" usually is not good enough when we're out on our bikes, and we apply the same exacting thoroughness to the components we sell. Take the Honjo fenders as an example: When you...
At Compass Bicycles, we are not obsessive gram counters, but none of us want to carry extra weight on our bikes. A few grams here and there add up quickly to a couple of pounds, and that can make a difference not only in how the bike performs, but...
Wind resistance is one of the most important resistances a cyclist has to overcome (together with the rolling resistance of the tires). Most wind tunnel testing has been done for time trial equipment, but aerodynamics are important for real-world riders as well. Without any data, many people assumed that fenders...
TheBicycle Quarterly yard sale was a success. Not only did it clear out our workshop and storage areas, but it also raised a little over $ 3,500 (which we rounded up to $3,600) for charity, in part thanks to people's generous bid on ebay. We will make donations of $...
When the owner of a bicycle magazine also runs a company that develops and sells bicycle components, the words "conflict of interest" inevitably come up. Does Bicycle Quarterly only like products that Compass Bicycles sells, and disparages those of other companies? Is the magazine blind to the flaws of...
Should one grease the tapers of bottom bracket spindles before installing the cranks? Few topics spur as much controversy among bike mechanics as this question. In the old days, Campagnolo not only recommended mounting the cranks dry, they even suggested degreasing the tapers. The concern was that grease might facilitate...
Last weekend was the 24-hour Flèche team ride, traditionally held over the Easter weekend. The Flèche was officially inaugurated in 1947, but its origins go back further to the early 20th century when Vélocio gathered cyclotourists every spring in Provence. Riders from all over France rode their bikes to these...
We are pleased to announce our redesigned the Compass Bicycles web site. The opening page is an interactive bike map, where you can select that components interest you (you'll have to try the actual web page, since the links do not work on the screen shot above). The new...
Spring is here at last, and so this weekend we took the fenders off our car. While we were at it, we also removed the lights. We don't use the car much in the rain or after dark, and we like the extra performance and uncluttered appearance of a...
I learned about the history of Paris-Brest-Paris from the late Bernard Déon's excellent book Paris-Brest et Retour (unfortunately out of print). Déon was a great storyteller, and I found his report from the epic 1956 particularly gripping. The main protagonist of that dramatic edition of PBP was a young...
Before I explain how to connect your light to a SON generator hub, I'd like to summarize the advantages of quality generator-powered lights. They simply allow you to ride more safely and enjoyably: Light when you need it, at the turn of a switch. No worries about batteries running out. Asymmetric beam...
Cyclists come in all sizes, as illustrated on the cover of the Spring 2012 Bicycle Quarterly. In this issue, we look at riders that are outside the range of our usual testers. How will a low-trail bike handle for a novice rider? Is “planing” something that all cyclists can...
650B wheels have been in the news lately. 650B appears to be the "next big thing" for mountain bikes. The popular 700C mountain bikes ("29er") don't offer the nimble handling you need in technical terrain – the same result we found for wide 700C tires on the road. For...
When talking to older cyclists and builders, you sometimes hear that old frames lose their stiffness. This apparently manifests itself in reduced performance – the "snap" is gone from the acceleration when you step on the pedals. On the upside, the bike is said to become more comfortable as...
Customers who pre-ordered their René Herse cranks before February 1 should receive a box in the next few days. Inside... ...is the new René Herse crank. It is delivered with our custom crank bolts and pedal washers. We are ramping up production slowly to ensure the cranks are made to...
I am the fortunate custodian of a lovely 1962 Alex Singer that is in almost-new condition. It has all the features that make an Alex Singer special, and really represents Alex Singer's ideal of the perfect bike: lightweight, elegant and performing. Years ago, Ernest Csuka sent the bicycle my way....
We now have braze-on pivots for centerpull brakes in stock. Small parts like these are easily overlooked. They aren't exciting, and there is little profit in them. But when you need them, you appreciate them. Centerpull brakes have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. With brazed-on pivots, they...
In today's world, it is crucial for companies to listen to their customers. Give customers what they want, and you'll be successful, the reasoning goes. Combine that with the economies of scale of mass production, and most manufacturers chase the same "average" audience. As a result, more and more...
Before the Internet became the most important medium for communication, fans of classic bikes communicated by phone, or in person at the occasional "Classic Bike Show" organized somewhere. Through word-of-mouth, I learned that Gabe Konrad in Michigan was publishing a little "zine" about classic bikes called Aeoleus Butterfly. I...
Looking at the weather forecast, we realized that the next day had the potential to be a perfect day. So we meet at seven. When the sun rises above Lake Washington, we already are well on our way out of town. After a stop in Snohomish at a café to...
Few bicycle headlights are actually waterproof. The Planet Bike headlight in our test wicked water past the headlight lens, and the standlight function stopped working. Busch & Müller's lights are open at the bottom, so moisture can drain out. This means that you should not mount them in an...
The new Bicycle Quarterly Press web site is up and running. We have a new design, simpler navigation, and clearer organization. The site better explains what Bicycle Quarterly is all about: Inspirational rides (above) and technical articles that explain how bikes work... ... as well as exciting articles about cycling...
I have ridden fixed-gears and single-speed bicycles, but for my own bikes, I am wedded to multiple gears. Part of that is my love of the mountains with their long and steep climbs, and part of it is my allegiance to Vélocio, who fought tooth and nail to get...
Since we have published a post about "The Dangers of Narrow Tires," it is only fair that we look at the other side of the coin. What are the disadvantages (or even dangers?) of wider tires? I can think of a few: - Weight: A wider tire and a wider...
When I started researching the history of René Herse more than a decade ago, I never thought I would end up buying the company! During my research, I talked to riders on Herse's team and people who had known René Herse himself. I rode surviving examples of his bikes, and...
For me, November and most of December are rest months. That doesn't mean that I don't ride my bike – I use my bike for daily transportation – but there isn't any "training" on the bike. I worked on my core fitness and went for a few short runs....
As Seattle is receiving a dusting of snow, I received this wonderful photo of Bicycle Quarterly contributor Tim Bird ("A Day Out in the Yorkshire Dales").
© 2021 Rene Herse Cycles | Privacy and Terms 
