Rene Herse stem for $660!!
 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rene-Herse-...EAAOSwAE***360

Did anyone catch this on eBay. Wow. That is one special stem.

15? or more years ago there was someone who was recreating them, not cheap either. even with CNC programming, they are all sorts of work to create.
This one only surprises me as the handlebar clamp bolts are missing, (they are of themselves unique) and the steerer cap is awol.

Also, this is a longer stem, also not seen often, the French bars often have a longer forward "throw" so a long stem is not used as often to achieve a good fit on the bike.

Did anyone see it beautiful? To me, it is so ugly. But why so expensive?

Pic assist
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/i6EAA...60/s-l1600.jpg

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SJYAA...67/s-l1600.jpg

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KGUAA...7C/s-l1600.jpg

Definitely a cool old stem, the fore runner of many I'm sure.

Wow, was that a BIN or the end price of a bidding war?

Amazing, especially considering the condition and that parts are missing, I wonder how high it would have went had the seller polished it up a bit.

Were these stems milled or cast? It sort of looks like a casting to me. :foo: Not sure though.

Maybe the buyer was someone whom bought a very expensive Rene Herse, figured out the frame was too small and needed a longer stem. So, the $660 was a drop in the bucket vs. the initial purchase.

I just spent 40 clams to get a NOS seatpost binder bolt, so that almost seems reasonable! Yikes.

My understanding is that they were each hand-milled, one at a time.

It sold at that price, so.... Could the free shipping be a big part of the cost?:)

Oh, many thanks for your good explanation which is very informative & valuable for my limited knowledge. That's why I joined the BF where I can learn a lot.

Then again, you have a real Herse...

If you're not into the whole French constructeur aesthetic, I can see where the stem isn't as gracile as most ordinary stems.

This is one of my favorite Herse bikes I've run acrosss: https://vintagebicycle.wordpress.com...3-randonneuse/

If you do like the whole constructeur thing- search for images of Rene Herse, Alex Singer, Toei, Routens, JP Routens. I think it's amazing stuff.

I think the nice thing about BF (and especially C&V) is that lots of people have their own opinions of what is cool- it's all under the same umbrella of "C&V", but high-wheelers, turn of the century bikes, roadsters, constructeur, French, Italian and English racing bikes, touring bikes- everyone has their niche- and most people appreciate that people have their niche, and most people even appreciate people's stuff or their interests- even if it doesn't interest them.

Wow, many thanks for lots of valuable info for enhancing my poor knowledge on French bikes! I will spare times to study for my next vintage bike.

Your Herse 1953 randonneuse is quite cool which is also my size & I dream to have a similar one in the future. However, with my low budget, it would be really a challenge & an impossible task!

It's a little disappointing that it went for so much since that is going to encourage other people to strip down their bikes. They are so much better as a unified whole. That's what makes constructeur bikes unique.

That's not my bike! Just one I saw pictures on the internet!

I hope you enjoy reading about and looking at pictures of those beautiful old bikes as much as I do!

Sure. I do.

Not only reading or looking at pics of others' beautiful vintage steel bikes, I always take a sit looking at my vintage steel bike fleet or maintaining one of those every evening after work. That's daily pleasure for C&V enthusiasts.

Yes, it is already happening to many other marques...more parts available less complete bikes.
Ben

creates an aftermarket, I suppose

Isn't a Herse somewhat unique?

In other words- the lure of a complete (or mostly complete) Herse is in it's completeness is worth more- rather than parts that were custom fitted to a particular bike?

I see old Lefol and other old French things on the French eBay with "Herse/Singer" tags- but I more guess they came from some other bike- whether another lesser known constructeur or just a bike manufacturer that used those parts.

With Compass/"Rene Herse" making new production of old Herse designs- how does that change things?

Part of me thinks that old bike stuff is kind of rooted in Boomer collection ideals- Are those old Herse bikes become less of "bikes" rather than "museum pieces" and/or an ideal than an actual grail? So where a person who was 18 in 1970 may have lusted for (and conceivably could have ordered) a Herse- by 2010 has the money to acquire one- for someone who's 18 now, is the lure of a Herse is more of a trophy than a rideable bike?

Just throwing that out there...

In all the "grail" threads, I sometimes mention I'd love to find a Herse- but I don't want to find a Herse- I would want to ride it, I'd want to change it around- I'd want to **** with it- and if I had a Herse, I shouldn't do that.

Milled from a solid chunk of aluminum. Written up in Bicycle Quarterly Autumn 2006 (vol 5 no 1)

Kind of a perpetual motion machine isn't it? (lubricated with money)
Collector "A" parts out the bike. Collectors "B", "C", and "D" buy the parts to complete their bikes.
Collector "E" buys the frameset and has a hell of a time finding the correct parts for it.
Finally the parts prices get so high that Collectors "B", "C", and "D" part out their bikes, selling the parts to Collector "E" who finally gets to re-assemble the bike that Collector "A" parted out all those years ago!
Brent

TGB,
Yes, the Herse is unique, my comments concern the disassembly of many "old" bikes that have "more" value when stripped thus the plethora of used "vintage " Campagnolo or " original" Dura Ace".I can recall purchasing complete bikes for a few hundred dollars ( not that long ago) but now see asking prices for Record cranks at 100 to 150 derailleurs 50 to 100 and so on remove the stem and brakes and you get the picture...look at the adds in the for sale section on the Forum for confirmation/proof of stripping.

I am not against it, to each there own, I buy a frame for 100-200 and need to put several hundred back into parts getting it serviceable... that has always been the way almost all markets seem to go, if there is demand, create more of it....I find it ironic that there are a number of flippers here that do not know the market and want advice on the sale and often are told there is more value in the parts...pick it up for cheap sell it for more excluding their time...If it takes me a few hours to strip and many hours to pack, I have to ask if it is worth it to me to go that route...when I buy parts I am happy to pay for time etc.

I am guilty of buying the parts I need but do remember in the not too distant past I could and have bought complete bikes for that 150 to 250 mark...only an observation nota condemnation...bikes are a hobby to me not a lifestyle...people need to do what they can to validate their ability to purchases an if parting out a bike is part of it so be it.

Make no mistake if it is a hobby and there is joy in stripping and selling great if its a business and money is the motive that is great too...
IMHO it has not much to do with uniqueness.
JM2C's, Ben :thumb:

Very good comments. I fully agreed with you!