Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
I believe that's a 90s style referred to as a power fork. I also like the finely tapered blades.
Vintage French randonneuer's and porteurs.
- Thread starter Guinessisgoodforyou
- Start date
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
A grandfathers Rene Herse with documentation. In what looks to be restored condition.
https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t28385-le-rene-herse-de-mon-grand-pere
https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t28385-le-rene-herse-de-mon-grand-pere
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
1978 RH in a very sad state, I'm not sure I'd want to rechrome this. Translation below.
https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t15793-rene-herse-1978
Here's what I found this weekend. A 1978 Rene Herse Randonneuse, as the serial number and date on the derailleur levers attest.
It's in very poor condition. Probably stored outside, the beautiful chrome frame has taken quite a beating. Reminds me of my FED.
Despite all that, it's almost identical to the 1979 Harrow catalogue, apart from the dual control levers and maybe the callipers.
So we have the beautiful Herse stem with its shifter and the magnificent triple crankset that still turns without a flicker of play.
I've got some nice wheels with maxicar hubs on super champion rims.
In fact, I could almost ride like this. Everything is still well adjusted and even the brakes bite very well.
I'd never seen a Harrow up close and I'm beginning to understand why it's so popular. It's admirable in its ingenuity and build quality. The internal electrical wiring is crazy, you can hardly see ANYTHING sticking out.
So I still have two questions
1) Which extractor is used to remove the Herse crankset? I've read here and there that the screws are self-extracting but I haven't tried it yet.
2) What do I do at the resto? Do I clean it as well as possible or have it rechromed? A friend of mine knows a letter painter who could redo the lettering for me, but I'm worried about losing the authenticity of the original. On the other hand, there's a lot of damage, especially to the fundamentals.
My heart is in the balance. I'm going to try and remove as much of the rust as I can and then I'll decide.
https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t15793-rene-herse-1978
Here's what I found this weekend. A 1978 Rene Herse Randonneuse, as the serial number and date on the derailleur levers attest.
It's in very poor condition. Probably stored outside, the beautiful chrome frame has taken quite a beating. Reminds me of my FED.
Despite all that, it's almost identical to the 1979 Harrow catalogue, apart from the dual control levers and maybe the callipers.
So we have the beautiful Herse stem with its shifter and the magnificent triple crankset that still turns without a flicker of play.
I've got some nice wheels with maxicar hubs on super champion rims.
In fact, I could almost ride like this. Everything is still well adjusted and even the brakes bite very well.
I'd never seen a Harrow up close and I'm beginning to understand why it's so popular. It's admirable in its ingenuity and build quality. The internal electrical wiring is crazy, you can hardly see ANYTHING sticking out.
So I still have two questions
1) Which extractor is used to remove the Herse crankset? I've read here and there that the screws are self-extracting but I haven't tried it yet.
2) What do I do at the resto? Do I clean it as well as possible or have it rechromed? A friend of mine knows a letter painter who could redo the lettering for me, but I'm worried about losing the authenticity of the original. On the other hand, there's a lot of damage, especially to the fundamentals.
My heart is in the balance. I'm going to try and remove as much of the rust as I can and then I'll decide.
bikeworkshop
Old School Grand Master
I wonder who that 'someone' would be?
Would say @Jonny69 - live experience that we rarely (never) witness. In my mind our in-house vintage RH expert now:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/late-40s-early-50s-rené-herse-tip-find.471568/
Of course help from the usual suspects. But still. His find. His project. His work. His end result. It is now a rider and a sure winner.
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Jonny69
Senior Retro Guru
Lol Woz! Joking aside, I wonder what happened to that one? The thread is from 5 years ago. Interesting seeing the changes that happened to RH bikes over a 30 year period. Mine is an early one, that is a late one and most RHs you see are somewhere in the middle. The cranks are quite different - it’s hard to tell from the pics but they almost look a bit thicker and have a different cast-in René Herse logo; suicide levers; mudguards are far less flamboyant; and I’m guessing those Huret mechs can’t be original?
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Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
The rear mech looks like a Duopar titanium and the front is a Challenger or Jubilee. So yes correct period.
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Jonny69
Senior Retro Guru
Aha, didn't know about that rear mech as it looks like a cheaper plastic one at a passing glance. I looked it up and my life has been enriched by reading this:
https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/suntour_derailleurs_-_frank_berto_and_the_curse_of_duopar.html
Great article!
vcballbat
Senior Retro Guru
It's a Huret Success rear mech, frame built with a braze on especially for the front mech...
https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/huret_success_2460_1st_style_derailleur.html
