07/18/2026
The antithesis of a Tour de France bike? Jan’s Rene Herse for the Oregon Cascades Volcanic Arc 400 features analog shifting instead of electronic derailleurs. Rim brakes instead of discs. A steel frame with round tubes instead of wind-tunnel-shaped carbon. And then there’s the wheel size: At a time when the industry is pushing ‚bigger is better,‘ Jan unapologetically runs 26“ wheels.
A nostalgic choice? Not at all. It’s simply an alternative approach to building the fastest bike for ultra-long, unsupported, mixed-surface rides. Whether it’s setting FKTs (Fastest Known Times) on bike packing routes or competing in Unbound XL, the bike has shown that thinking outside the box can work really well.
Today in the RH Journal, Jan explains the thinking behind this unconventional bike—and how it performed on the (gravel) road. (Link in bio.)