Blackheart: Blow up the mold
Blackheart titanium bikes stand out beautifully in today's cycling market. According to its founder, Californian Zach Lambert, this is because they are high-performance machines that highlight the unique character of their owners. Interview with a manufacturer who marches to the beat of his own drum.
There was a time when titanium reigned supreme. It was the ultimate noble material, a symbol of luxury and resilience. More flexible than aluminum. Lighter than steel. Before carbon and other thermoplastics took over the cycling world, legendary companies such as Litespeed, Merlin, Seven, Moots, and many others were making dreams come true for cyclists.
Already, those who owned a bike made of this matte gray metal were in the same league as those who, no matter what they did, were always in search of superior quality and a unique experience.
Change sides
A few events and an observation led Zach Lambert, founder of Blackheart, to leave the beaten path of carbon fiber bikes.
"First, my riding style changed. I used to go to rides in Los Angeles, where I lived, and regularly witnessed spectacular crashes where people injured themselves and destroyed their expensive bikes. Many were equipped like pros, but could barely keep up and didn't have the technical skills to join such high-performance groups. That prompted me to change my practice and ride more and more alone, turning to the dirt roads in the surrounding area."
A black heart
As time goes by, Zach finds himself questioning how bikes are promoted. "Big companies make you feel like if you buy this or that bike, it's going to change who you are, that the bike will define you. I fell out of love with that mentality, and that's where the name of my company comes from."
The spirit of his brand is that a bike is an accessory that doesn't define who you are, but serves as an amplifier for your personality. "For me, a unique bike like Blackheart says that you're a nonconformist, that you like beautiful and special things that are out of the ordinary, but that you're also a person before you're a cyclist. Someone with interests, tastes, and a career."
At first, Zach worked as a carpenter on construction sites during the day and operated Blackheart from a warehouse. "Almost everyone I let try out a demo ended up buying one."
His range has expanded, he has left his job in construction, and now offers pure road bikes, an all-road model, and a gravel bike. Most are available in aluminum and titanium. They are designed in the United States, welded in Asia, and assembled in California, in the Tahoe region where Zach now lives.
Other performance
To those who continue to perpetuate the negative reputation of titanium as a material that is too flexible, Zach has this unanswerable response: any material can be used to make bad bikes. "Some carbon bikes are unnecessarily stiff, some steel bikes are soft, but if they are built to meet the demand of customers who want a frame that has snap, is lightweight, and is also comfortable, titanium bikes perform very well."
Who are Blackheart's people, he is asked?
"Blackheart owners don't fit into the narrow categories defined by marketing. It's a bike for those who want to own something beautiful and durable that reflects their personality, amplifies who they are, and doesn't pigeonhole them into a group."
Zach's titanium machines are symbols of individuality, freedom, and choice. "If you ride a Blackheart, what it says about you is that you're more interested in enjoying the world aboard a machine that's an accessory that matches your unique personal style and performs beautifully. This bike won't make you a better person. It will help you enjoy the outside world by being completely yourself."