Late 40s / Early 50s René Herse tip find

[Jonny69]

Some bits I’ve been reading, that I stumbled across via this Velo Orange article from 2007: https://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2007/01/maxi-car-hubs.html?m=1

This René Herse Concourse has quite similar bits to mine: https://www.ebykr.com/tech-specs-1951-rene-herse/

Some bits on the Maxi Car hubs. Some history and shots of the various models: https://www.ebykr.com/maxi-car-history-image-gallery/

And a cool story. I want to be more Sid! https://www.ebykr.com/maxi-car-old-roller/

I do like the way most pieces about René Herse, Singer etc are written like a Rouleur article!

 

[Woz]

The notorious @Guinessisgoodforyou thread was a big eye opener for me. We've been so drip and breast fed bamboozled that it is / was the racing sphere and trickle down technology that led to the bikes we know today. Reality is it is not entirely true when you delve in the thread.

The Randonneur movement that essentially could still sort of exist in war time, did lead to lone builders building up and giving us early designs to brake efficiently, change wide ratio 4 x 2 gearing, start with wittled down designs to keep weight down etc. There is no doubt historically and factually while the TdF was held by weird self sufficient regulations etc. and no racing at all, it was the Randonneur movement that became a spear head. Material advances making a big difference of course.

I only learned a while back the definition of "Criterium" which you see on the those early Mavic rims. Criterium is defined as an event with no equivalent in a World Championship competition - hence things like Col (Mountain passes) challenges, Audax, etc. I'm not at all saying serious touring was competitive, but for sure amongst serious bike constructers there was a serious crowd willing to purchase their goods; and post war peace time this would have exploded in popularity in new found freedoms after occupation.

Roughly, what ...... from early 1950s to say early 1980s the material and know how just got refined with very little major change till about mid-80s, with perhaps the clipless pedal from Look and early carbon tubes from TVT etc. On a consumer goods level, essentially the same thing went to 2000 more-or-less.

 

[Imwit]

Loving this thread, your work on the build and the stories around it.

I think that Jan Heine of Rene Herse Cycles has the build books from the original business. If so, he should be able to tell you when it was built with the details you now have.

 

[dirttorpedo]

The notorious @Guinessisgoodforyou thread was a big eye opener for me. We've been so drip and breast fed bamboozled that it is / was the racing sphere and trickle down technology that led to the bikes we know today. Reality is it is not entirely true when you delve in the thread.

The Randonneur movement that essentially could still sort of exist in war time, did lead to lone builders building up and giving us early designs to brake efficiently, change wide ratio 4 x 2 gearing, start with wittled down designs to keep weight down etc. There is no doubt historically and factually while the TdF was held by weird self sufficient regulations etc. and no racing at all, it was the Randonneur movement that became a spear head. Material advances making a big difference of course.

I only learned a while back the definition of "Criterium" which you see on the those early Mavic rims. Criterium is defined as an event with no equivalent in a World Championship competition - hence things like Col (Mountain passes) challenges, Audax, etc. I'm not at all saying serious touring was competitive, but for sure amongst serious bike constructers there was a serious crowd willing to purchase their goods; and post war peace time this would have exploded in popularity in new found freedoms after occupation.

Roughly, what ...... from early 1950s to say early 1980s the material and know how just got refined with very little major change till about mid-80s, with perhaps the clipless pedal from Look and early carbon tubes from TVT etc. On a consumer goods level, essentially the same thing went to 2000 more-or-less.

The more I learn about French post war cycling culture, the more I find it frustrating that French technological leadership in cyclotouring and non-competitive cycling is rarely recognized these days. If the Japanese had decided to adopt French bicycle standards rather than British we'd probably be looking askance at old British bikes and having similar discussions about the challenges of restoring old Hetchins.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Loving this thread, your work on the build and the stories around it.

I think that Jan Heine of Rene Herse Cycles has the build books from the original business. If so, he should be able to tell you when it was built with the details you now have.

That would be cool.