Rene HERSE Cycles tech info.
- Thread starter Retrorockit
- Start date
It is sad. I think a few things get my goat up, and in honesty being diplomatic as I am / try to be, the OP is of course a product of his time and conditioning.
It's this wonderous shit on the back of Europe hard work, research with very limited means bar rider feedback, basic engineering, slow trial and error, and trying to carve out a humble business and do what's best in life in a post war period that got bought for namesake just to re-invent the wheel at a difficult moment (again) in Europe. It harsh, but it was sold to whoever wanted it and offered a suitable settlement.
I give a lot to Jan Hein, and fair enough to him too for taking business risks, pursuing them, etc. - but no. A big no. Re-inventing the wheel?
He may have bought trade rights, etc. and have developed a following, but the history can not and have not been bought, and it really comes across bad egg for anyone - including the OP - to try and ram this "dusted off" stuff down our throats like it was revolution.
Even on the French premium vintage site, there is mention the original catalogues are re-produced by "kind permission". I can only imagine what the French would do if there was no "kind permission" to help document historical fact in terms of their own industrial evolution.
It's this wonderous shit on the back of Europe hard work, research with very limited means bar rider feedback, basic engineering, slow trial and error, and trying to carve out a humble business and do what's best in life in a post war period that got bought for namesake just to re-invent the wheel at a difficult moment (again) in Europe. It harsh, but it was sold to whoever wanted it and offered a suitable settlement.
I give a lot to Jan Hein, and fair enough to him too for taking business risks, pursuing them, etc. - but no. A big no. Re-inventing the wheel?
He may have bought trade rights, etc. and have developed a following, but the history can not and have not been bought, and it really comes across bad egg for anyone - including the OP - to try and ram this "dusted off" stuff down our throats like it was revolution.
Even on the French premium vintage site, there is mention the original catalogues are re-produced by "kind permission". I can only imagine what the French would do if there was no "kind permission" to help document historical fact in terms of their own industrial evolution.
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Rene herse wasn't alone when it came to building these special and beautiful Randonneur, campeurs or porteurs. There was a huge industry of which RH was only a small part.
Rene Herse finished when the man stopped building IMO.
Rene Herse finished when the man stopped building IMO.
Spot on.
Actually thinking about it a bit deeper, and tyring to visualise the period, and with the knowledge I learnt today.
If I wanted to do comfort, fast, and long, on 650B demi ballon tyres - it would have been an AL Barra the weapon of choice.
Just a guess. But as your thread proves, RH was amongst many and many others are well capable. and available. RH also did some
a / some track bikes too. Old nugget perhaps? A good frame builder who can glue metal is a good builder, if the price is right for
the customer?
I've read some stuff on the French vintage website which is none too complimentary about Jan Heine and his 'replica'. Even in interviews he rarely mentions or gives any acknowledgement to Rene Herse, without whom his business would be sod all. Gravel bikes have probably slaughtered his market, hence the focus on 'tyres'. There have been many restarts to older, venerated brands (remember the Taiwan built and painted Holdsworth Professionals?) but none of them have stacked up, nor lasted very long.
Raleigh's attempts at a 'new' Team Pro were pretty awful. I liken it to Samurai swords - sure you can make a sword that #looks like a 15th c. Samurai, maybe even handles in a similar fashion, but you still never be able to capture the essence of the man who made it, nor the hundreds of years of skill of the men who went before him, to get to that point of absolute finesse.
Same with Rene Herse (US), it's a pale shadow. I could say some things about the history of how he acquired the brand (I'm not going to bother it's well established), and how bags and bags of spare parts went for pennies (the original brake straddles are still being sold online for 90 quid apiece), but I guess that's 'commerce'. So, no to modern remakes, and no to silly overpriced, over here fat tyres.
Raleigh's attempts at a 'new' Team Pro were pretty awful. I liken it to Samurai swords - sure you can make a sword that #looks like a 15th c. Samurai, maybe even handles in a similar fashion, but you still never be able to capture the essence of the man who made it, nor the hundreds of years of skill of the men who went before him, to get to that point of absolute finesse.
Same with Rene Herse (US), it's a pale shadow. I could say some things about the history of how he acquired the brand (I'm not going to bother it's well established), and how bags and bags of spare parts went for pennies (the original brake straddles are still being sold online for 90 quid apiece), but I guess that's 'commerce'. So, no to modern remakes, and no to silly overpriced, over here fat tyres.
grantoury
Kona Fan
Supple tyres have been around for ages; Veloflex, Challenge, Clement. Grand Bois from Japan have been making wider 700x30 and 650x48 tyres for years. The Japanese were into French bicycle manufacturing history before anyone else.
They should have stuck with Compass, at least it is an original name.
They should have stuck with Compass, at least it is an original name.
Totally agree. If they had stuck with Compass at least they would have a bit of dignity left. As is they just look like freeloading 'bought your brand cheap ' schiesters!
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