Carbon classic: July’s Galibier Tribute reimagines a 1947 icon

You couldn’t accuse the July Galibier Tribute of being anything other than eye-catching, could you? In an age when we frequently hear accusations that loads of big-brand bikes are indistinguishable, lacking character and individual features… well, the Galibier Tribute stands out from the crowd.

This bike is actually based on a 78-year-old design, so it’s hardly original in that sense, but look a little more closely and you’ll see that it’s made from carbon fibre. That’s an intriguing combination of old and new.

Okay, so July Bicycles,then… It’s a one-person operation from Rhode Island, USA – that person being Ben Jurgensen. He makes custom carbon-fibre frames.

“The initial motivation was developing a process to create high-quality, custom frames with minimal tooling cost and maximum design flexibility,” says Ben.

“The Galibier Tribute was, in part, a way of developing and testing several new mould-making techniques to incorporate in future frame production. I also do prototyping and design work through July, but my day job is teaching sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design.”

This July Galibier Tribute is based on the Paris Galibier that was designed way back in 1947 by Harry Rensch of Stoke Newington, London. Like the vast majority of bikes of its era, it was steel.

“The original Galibier is an iconic frame, and a design I’ve always been curious to ride,” says Ben. “It’s definitely not a frame for everyone, and depending on the geometry/build, it ranges from elegant to awkward. I thought it would be an interesting challenge, both technically and aesthetically, to make a carbon version that felt modern in terms of appearance and ride quality.”

London’s Condor Cycles offers its own version of the Paris Galibier that’s made mostly from Columbus SLX steel. July Bicycles’ Galibier Tribute is a very similar silhouette, but with a distinctly modern twist.

“Combining internal lugs with tube-to-tube construction, the main sections are filament wound, while the seatstays and top tubes are moulded from unidirectional carbon and braided sleeve,” says Ben.

Top tubes? Plural? Yes, the original Paris Galibier was made with a twin top tube design – two slim tubes running alongside one another – and that’s a characteristic that July Bicycles has carried over.

The oversized down tube isn’t a down tube in the normal sense, it’s more of a central tube that starts at the bottom of the head tube in time-honoured fashion, but goes nowhere near the bottom bracket. It’s more of an east-to-west affair.

The seat tube isn’t conventional either, it’s a split design that extends above and below that central tube. The seatpost is integrated (rather than separate) with a topper holding the saddle in place.

Even putting the frame material to one side, there are plenty of modern touches. The July Galibier Tribute is equipped with flat mount disc brakes, for example, you get semi-internal cable routing and a T47 bottom bracket, and it’s UDH compatible.

> What is UDH and is it the future of all bikes?

There are no July decals or graphics anywhere apart from an understated logo on the No.6 Composites fork.

The bike shown here is built up with a Campagnolo Ekar groupset, Mavic Allroad SL Carbon wheels fitted with 38mm Vittoria Terreno Zero tubeless-ready tyres, and an Easton EC70 SL handlebar. The headset and stem are from Cane Creek, while the saddle is a carbon-railed Brooks C13. Accents like the handlebar plugs and guides at the cable ports are made from cork.

“I built the bike just in time for the Sea Otter Classic and haven’t put too many miles on it — but riding blindfolded, you’d never guess the frame was unconventional,” says Ben. “With more time in the saddle, I’ll have a better sense of the ride quality and whether any adjustments need to be made.

“The frame at Sea Otter is a rideable prototype – but the bike is available as a unique edition (one of one) made to the rider’s desired geometry, and with their component specifications. A complete build would probably land in the $12-15k range.”

Mainstream? Not at all. Interesting? Very much so.

Head over to the July Bicycles website for more details.

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