Reviews:
"René Herse is an
educational, attitude-changing, enlightening,
fascinating, detailed testament to the man who
contributed more useful beauty to bicycles than
anybody else."
—Grant
Petersen, Rivendell Bicycle Works
"I can hardly put it down.
This book is so much more than I
expected."
—Constance Winters
Lovely Bicycle
"An action-packed journey through some
of the golden years of cycling."
—Peter Weigle, constructeur
"If you are a fan of René Herse
Bicycles you will have to have this book. If you
are not yet a fan, this book will make you
one."
—Bob
Freeman
Davidson
Bicycles
"The world is roughly divided into those
who are obsessed with René Herse and those who
don't yet know who he is. Make the leap from one
group to the other with this fabulous, definite
history of the famous constructeur and his
bicycles."
—Treadlie Magazine, Australia
From the book:
"Many avid cyclists bought beautiful
bikes. They rather deprived themselves of other
things, so they could afford one of these bikes.
And those who knew the most about bikes often
went to René Herse."
—Paulette
Callet
René Herse
rider, 1940s.
"Of all the bikes I have owned, my
René Herse was the best. It was the pinnacle
of quality."
—Roger
Baumann
René Herse
rider, 1950s.
"I raced for nine years as a top-level
amateur. I was sponsored by Gémininiani-Gitane,
but I continued to race my Herse. From time to
time, I took the Gitane to please the sponsors,
but there was simply no comparison. I really
liked that Herse."
—Jean-Marie
Comte
René Herse
rider, 1960s.
"Lily at full speed, that is simply
marvellous. It’s like Coppi, Fausto before all
his misfortunes. Once Lyli has crossed the line,
the prize obtained, she becomes a little girl
with a sad look, who does not make any noise, so
quiet that one has to look for her and does not
always find her."
—Poet Henri de
la Tombelle
about Lyli
Herse.
"We did great tours in the Alsace. We
had a lot of fun, both on and off the
bike"
—Lucien
Détée, customer
at
Cycles
René Herse since 1945.
René Herse
The Bikes • The
Builder • The Riders
By Jan Heine
Foreword by Lyli Herse
René Herse created some of the most sought-after bicycles ever made. Explore the fascinating and incredibly rich history behind this famous constructeur in this definitive, 424-page book. Follow Rene Herse starting with his early work on prototype aircraft. Join him at the 1938 Technical Trials, where his bike created a sensation: Fully equipped with wide tires, fenders, lights and a rack, it weighed just 7.94 kg (17.5 lb), lighter than any similar bike today. Witness the difficult years during World War II and learn how cyclists used their bikes both to forage the country for food, but also to spend time with friends and to help each other. Watch amazing performances in the Poly de Chanteloup hillclimb race and Paris-Brest-Paris, as well as famous professional racers who ride on René Herse’s frames to victories in national and world championships. Visit the workshop and learn how American customers helped to keep the lights on during the difficult period of the 1960s.
Recollections from Herse’s daughter, his employees and especially riders who rode on his team paint a vivid portrait of a gentle, hard-working man who loved cycling and bicycles. More than 400 photos, most taken by professional photographers, bring the story to life. Complementing this history are studio photographs of 20 René Herse bicycles, from one of the first machines made in 1941 to one of the last bikes built in the 1980s: randonneur bikes, tandems, racing and track bikes, as well as touring, camping and city bikes. Each bike is shown in profile and with detail photographs that illustrate why these bikes are so special.
The owners and riders of
René Herse’s bikes were a relatively classless
group that included the well-off as well as young
workers who saved all their money to afford their
dream bikes. Many of these riders had one thing
in common: Their lives revolved around cycling.
They rode hard in competitions, but also explored
new landscapes and cultures on their tours. Most
ofall, they forged lasting friendships along the
way and lived their lives fully doing what they
liked best: cycling in the company of good
friends. This book is as much about these riders
as it is about the bikes they rode. May they
serve as an inspiration to future generations of
cyclists!
Also available in
French.
The Author:
Jan Heine
is editor of Bicycle Quarterly
, a magazine about the history, culture and
technology of cycling. He also has written The Golden Age of
Handbuilt Bicycles.
Publisher: Bicycle Quarterly Press
Year: 2012
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 424 pages
Dimensions: 9.5" x 12"
Now available!
Price: $86
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Limited Edition Price: $185
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