So any idea of the rough year of manufacture so I can do some research? Edit: ^ that looks like a pretty good match - can’t post fast enough!

It’s missing the rear cantis but apart from that it’s pretty much complete. Ok, so may have had a rear rack. The Brooks obviously wouldn’t have been original.

I’m 90% sure it’s the right size for me.
 
So any idea of the rough year of manufacture so I can do some research? Edit: ^ that looks like a pretty good match - can’t post fast enough!

It’s missing the rear cantis but apart from that it’s pretty much complete. Ok, so may have had a rear rack. The Brooks obviously wouldn’t have been original.

I’m 90% sure it’s the right size for me.

The illustration is from late 40s, the picture 51.

Rims are 650b right. These started to fall out of favour by about 1960.

If you don't know much about RH, Jan Heine (a Geman living in Seattle with some French Heritage) now owns the bike and writes Bicycle Quarterly. He was very close to Rene's daughter Lyli (who inherited the business from her dad and then later passed it to Jan) and has done a lot to document RH and contemporaries.

He can be a bit hyperbolic, but he knows a lot about his subject. Lots of information on his website for free.
 
I think the Jan Heine bit was all I knew about René Herse. Thanks for the additional information 👍

650b looks doable. Looks like Michelin World Tour still come in that size. I guess the next step is to get the stem and seat post drowning in WD40 and Plus Gas. The headset and cranks turn smoothly, freewheel freewheels as it should do and even the pedals don’t have too much play. It looks pretty ratty but I think everything here is usable.
 
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