Rene Herse timeline and facts. Translation below.
Here is some information on the magnificent René Herse cycles:
1930: René Herse works for the aircraft manufacturer Bréguet
1936: René Herse makes bicycle parts in dural. But not yet a complete René Herse bicycle.
1937 : Rene Herse and Mrs. Herse participate in the Criterium de l'Auto (Grand prix Duralumin) on a Hurtu tandem.
1938 : Rene Herse participates in the Criterium Cyclotouriste de l'Auto on a Narcisse bike weighing 7.940 kg! Rene Herse
contributes in a decisive way to the design of this bike, in particular the special parts in dural.
1940 : First René Herse bike
1946: René Herse presents a René Herse tandem weighing 12,300 kg at the Duralumin competition.
1946 : René Herse shows his René Herse bikes in his shop, rather than at the Cycle Show.
1946: René Herse bikes take part in the Critérium de la Polymultipliée, and the Four Days of the Road.
1947: At the machine competition: a René Herse bicycle weighing 7 kg.
1947: René Herse bikes take part in the Cyclotourism night.
1947 : Lyli Herse (on René Herse bike...) wins the Poly Niçoise
1948 : Lyli Herse (mixed René Herse tandem) wins the race record in Chanteloup
1948 : The first three places in the Paris-Brest-Paris race are taken by René Herse bikes
1948 : Daniel Rebour and Mme etablish the record for a mixed tandem on a René Herse bicycle in Paris-Brest-
Paris
1948 : René Herse presents bicycles at the Exposition des Machines
1949 : Lyli Herse wins Chanteloup on a René Herse tandem
1950 : René Herse is present at Easter in Provence
1951 : René Herse wins the "manufacturers' classification" at Chanteloup
1951 : Lyli Herse wins the Poly Lyonnaise on a René Herse tandem (mixed tandem)
1953 : René Herse presents his bikes at the Salon du Cycle
1956 : René Herse bikes win the team classification of the Polymultipliée.
1958: A René Herse tandem is 1st in the Poly Lyonnaise
1958 : Appearance of the Chanteloup tandem in the René Herse bike range
1959 : René Herse publishes a catalogue with a "completely new look".
1959 : René Herse exhibits at the Salon du Cycle.
1961 : René Herse exhibits his René Herse bicycles at the Chanteloup open air show
1966 : Macaudière wins Paris-Brest-Paris on a René Herse bike
1976 : Death of René Herse. His daughter Lyli and Jean Dejean continue to build René Herse bikes.
What makes René Herse bikes so interesting? First of all, we can point out the use of specific René Herse aluminium parts
René Herse aluminium parts, such as René Herse brakes, René Herse cranks, René Herse stems, René Herse bolts and nuts
René Herse screws and bolts. The use of only top-of-the-range parts. And then there is
the quality of the finish of the fittings by the René Herse craftsman, the beauty of the paintwork and the chromes.... And what is subjective
of the subjective: the harmony that emanates from a René Herse bicycle, whether you look at it or ride it.....
Beyond the René Herse cycles, there are so many other small custom bike builders about whom little is known,
like Emeriau, Dardenne, Ducheron, Dujardin, Erpelding, Cave, CNC, Desvages, Rouby Lombardy, Boizot, Lefort,
Rémy, René André, Syphax, etc....