'Not just another semi-slick': a first ride on Rene Herse's first-ever part-knob, part-slick gravel tyre

With pro racer input and patent-pending innovations, Rene Herse unveils a 'best of both worlds,' fast yet grippy gravel tyre

Profile of the Rene Herse Corkscrew Climb gravel tyre
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)

After three years of research and development, René Herse, known for its high-performance bicycle tyres and components, has launched its first semi-slick tyre model.

Semi-slick designs are commonplace in gravel cycling, and René Herse readily acknowledges its late arrival to the category, stating: “we have a lot of respect for pioneers who came before us. We also have a healthy degree of scepticism when faced with groupthink and innovations that don’t make sense. That’s why, until now, there hasn’t been a semi-slick gravel tyre in the René Herse program. Simply put, the established way to make semi-slicks resulted in tyres that were neither particularly fast, nor did they grip particularly well.”

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Anne-Marije Rook
North American Editor

Cycling Weekly's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.

Originally from the Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon, she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a journalist for two decades, including 12 years in cycling.

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