(Below is nice overview of why Rene Herse bicycles have 
acquired such a following among knowledgeable cyclists:)

"Here are just a few personal reasons I love these bikes:

1) Quality of paintwork, lining, chrome... The paint has a deep lustre, colour combinations of 
frame colour/lining are generally beautiful, never garish, the RH hand lettering is so much 
nicer than decals on other bikes.

2) Quality of workmanship on the frame... The filing down of the lug points, the clean flowing 
lines of the lugs and all the braze-ons on the best bikes are simply remarkable.

3) Proprietary parts. What other maker had his own cranks and chain rings? Herse cantilever 
brakes are better in terms of beauty and efficiency than any other constructeur cantilevers, 
Charrel excepted (in actual fact few other makers made their own brakes : Barra, Narcisse, 
Singer, Marcadier are others).
But Herse also made proprietary stems, front changer, modified bottom brackets, modified 
Cyclo RD, modified large flange hubs, RH dynamo and derailleur levers, modified front light 
mount, internal light wiring system, mudguard reinforcements, carriers, front bag decaleur 
etc etc. 
Non-proprietary parts were the best and most expensive, if of course the buyer could afford 
them.

4) Ride quality. The palmares of RH in PBP Chanteloup etc and concours in unbelievable. 
Their reputation for speed, sturdiness, and comfort was never contested. The bikes are both 
beautiful and highly practical.

5) Variety of models : the bikes are all so different. In a French touring collection it would 
be nice to have a Charrel or two, 4/5 Singers, 2/3 Daudons etc, but 20/30/40 Herses would be 
quite possible if rather unreasonable (unless you were a museum), without having any repeats 
or similar models. Tandems, triplets, racers, touring bikes, folding bikes, concours bikes, 
track bikes, early models, 50s, chrome, paint,  etc, it just goes on and on.

6) Something the Japanese call "wa", something to do with general harmony, of the lines when 
looking at the bike from a distance, then of the details. Difficult to explain, but Herse lovers 
will understand what I mean."

                                             Alexander March
                                                  Bordeaux, France 

Rene HERSE "Gentleman " bike as featured
 in a 1980 New Cycling magazine.

This immaculate touring road bike example
is owned by Wataru Hasegawa

1956 touring on display at 2000 VeloSwap

Tandem on display at 2000 VeloSwap

 Demontable bike on display
 in University Bike Shop, Boulder, CO

Jet black bicycle at auction on eBay.
Click image for photo gallery 

Full chrome Demontable (take apart) Herse
 (photos courtesy of CyclArt)

Touring bike with Herse crank set, brakes & stem...

             
  
              

Rene Herse Pista, 1969.  
Current owner; Philippe, France

      

The NEW Rene Herse crank set
Compass Bicycles Ltd. has brought back the classic 3-arm cranks. Info HERE