Incentive and Claim (The Philosophy)

What drives me to develop and handbuild bicycles in Germany these days? That is an entitled question which is not that easy to answer... On the other hand it is easy to answer: To build better bicycles!

That is the reason this page is titled Incentive and Claim. I am engineer and craftsman. I just want to build better frames and thereby better bicycles.

Everybody will believe that this is my incentive. But since I also claim to build better frames I have to give evidence. I would like to do this with explaining the three slogans which stand for GEBLA:

-Engineered to perform

-Designed to fit

-Handmade to order

Engineered to perform

A lot of my frames are suspended at the rear wheel. That is a distinctive challenge for the design. It is not just that the suspension has to be constructed in the best possible way to reduce chain induced bobbing while keeping the smoothness. Also all the putative trifles like the pivots and the often completely different load on the parts are not easy to comprehend and design.

Most brands/manufacturers solve this problem by doing nothing about it. Generally they do not produce their own frames, rather buy them from a few manufacturers and do not have the ability to do their own developments. At least if we talk about developments that are more complicated than deciding about the color and stickers. Sometimes this is very obvious when the same frame, slightly altered or not, is available from a multitude of brands. Even the big brands have development teams where you usually can count the number of engineers using one hand. The reason is simple and is founded in the high costs a good development produces. And to make it worse these high costs cannot be easily seen on the showroom floor. They have to be felt in the long run riding Your bicycle...

I develop and handbuild suspended Mountainbikeframes since 1992. I develop and handbuild suspended Roadframes since 1995. I wrote my thesis of diploma about the computer-simulation of bicycle suspension and simulated on a level that is not reached today by far the most of the bike developers, over 11 years later. Mid of the ´90s I developed and built my own rear shocks because there were no shocks which sufficed my claims. In some GEBLA frames is put more development work than in complete product ranges of some brands. If it makes sense to put so much time and work into a single frame? For sure not from the point of view of economics. But if you have the claim to build better frames I think it is just necessary.

Designed to fit

Every GEBLA frame is handmade to measure. There are no standard sizes.

For hardtail or rigid bikes it is very important to design a well thought out combination of body fit (relationship between saddle, handlebar and crankset) and the way the bike rides (geometry). The clients body measurements, the intended use and the riding style are used during the development. This is important because only a bicycle with optimal fit will perfectly translate energy and provide the joy of ride You expect.

It is a little bit more complex when it comes to full suspension bicycles because you also have to take the design of the suspension into account, it is part of the frame. I am not a friend of using the same chainstay lenght or even making the same rear end for every frame size.This has some benefit for the manufacturer only, not for the rider.

In consequence also the rear suspension is constructed exclusivly for each client. The characteristic curve, drivetrain interaction and all other aspects of the rear suspension will be designed in a way that they fit the geometry, the style of riding and the intended use. As a general rule that makes the rear dropouts, the chain- and seatstays and the rocker arm levers one of a kind existing only for this frame. Of course it would be economically advantageous to have the same dropouts, chainstays and rocker arm levers for every size and rider and only change the lenght of the seatstays. That is how nearly all production bikes are designed. But then I would have to ask myself if I really did everything possible to build a better frame. I do not think so...

Last but not least this chapter has to contain a few words about the rear shock. Also here it is a general rule that the rear shock is fine tuned for the frame and rider. It just makes no sense to use the same damping setup for everybody and every application. In the end the damping setup has to match the air pressure and riding style. This also is an important step on the way to the better frame.

It goes without saying that a better frame also includes an extraordinary Service. That is especially important for fully suspended bicycles.

Handmade to order

Every GEBLA frame is handmade to order. Exclusively by myself. I have no employees, no helpers and no apprentices. The reason is simple: For me that is the easiest way to assure that everything that is made lives up to my expectations. I do not make everything myself because the craft is so beautiful and full of tradition. My claim is precision and quality. I want to build the frame exaclty how I designed it so that the bicycle rides like intended.

Of course I use machines if it makes sense and raises the precision, for instance for mitering the tubes. And I buy some small parts like brazeons. Parts like dropouts or rocker arm levers are milled according to my drawings. But every little part touches my hands for some time and will be inspected and measured bevore I use it to build a frame, every little part.

In principle that is nothing new and just an approach in best artisan tradition. But unfortunately this approach has become seldom. That is not meant in a sniveling way. Basically it is good that also bicycles are made by industry, so everybody can afford a good bike. But on the other hand it became nearly impossible to aquire a bicycle that is not made by industry, that offers more than beeing a massproduced bike. Where it is obvious that this bicycle is a result from expertise, craftmanship and the time that it just needs. A bicycle that is a joy to have and ride, even when a lot of years will have passed. A bicycle that ages, not just gets old.