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BlackHeart Bike Company launches w/ handmade titanium allroad frameset

blackheart bike co founder with road and gravel bicycles
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BlackHeart Bike Company is a new builder based in Venice Beach, CA. They’re launching with a single titanium allroad frameset, built for folks who ride 50/50 on/off-road. With short chainstays and ample tire clearance, it’s designed for anything from spirited group rides to light XC.

BlackHeart Bike Company titanium allroad bike

The ‘Allroad’ category doesn’t seem to have any clear definitions, but most can agree that it falls somewhere between road and gravel bikes. Standards can vary, and most don’t use suspension forks, but the goalposts are always shifting (with many Allroad bikes having more tire clearance than gravel and CX bikes from just a few years ago).

Why did BlackHeart come about?

“BlackHeart Bike Company was born out of a feeling of disillusionment with the mainstream cycling industry. We got tired of being told that our bike was never light, fast, or stiff enough. That if we really wanted to ride we needed to spend more money.

We spent two years prototyping a frameset bike that looks beautiful, feel like an extension of your body, and can handle almost any adventure.”

The 3Al-2.5V frame uses double butted tubes and a tapered head tube. The proprietary carbon fork features internal cable routing and straight legs.

A variety of ports allow for internal cable routing.

BlackHeart opts for a PF30 bottom bracket shell, and maximum chainring sizes of 50/35, or a 44-tooth single ring. They also offer free installation of BBinfinite bottom brackets when purchased with a frame.

Flat mount brakes and a replaceable derailleur hanger round out the rear end.

Seven sizes are offered. Despite the relatively short 422mm chainstays, the bike allows up to 700 x 37mm or 650b x 47mm tires.

BlackHeart offers a bare frame for $2,300, or a frame, fork, and seatpost for $2,750. Frames include a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects for the original owner.

BlackHeartBikeCo.com

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16 Comments
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Dolan Halbrook
Dolan Halbrook
4 years ago

It looks like a nice, clean, reasonably priced ti offering that nobody in the Pacific Northwest would touch with a 10 foot pole because it lacks fender mounts, like so many framesets designed in dry places. Sigh.

Zach Lambert
4 years ago
Reply to  Dolan Halbrook

Hi Dolan, we wanted to keep the frame as clean as possible so opted out of adding fender and rack mounts. We love Ass Savers when the going gets wet and muddy. See you up in the PNW! Zach, BHBC

JBikes
JBikes
4 years ago

I don’t understand the BBinifinite use on a metal frame. If they are concerned about shell wear over a long period, a press-in liner with BB30 dimension would be ideal. Otherwise, just go with BB30 if press-fit is desired.

The BBinfinite solution is specific to poor tolerances on CF frames and is really extraneous on a metal frame where everything can be machine and faced to a high tolerance

Sean
Sean
4 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

Judging by the price and the hard parts on the bike, it’s made in a factory somewhere in the east where it will most likely suffer from the same QC challenges that poorly toleranced CF frames have. Just because it’s a metal frame doesn’t remove the likelihood of bore tolerance issues. Good on them for providing the BB.

Velo Kitty
Velo Kitty
4 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

I agree… I see no need to introduce extraneous cups into the system. BlackHeart should have gone with a 86.5 mm shell width x 42 mm… basically BB386EVO without the cups for improved bearing stance and chainstay clearance. And then they should have included some NTN, NSK, or FAG bearings. (I think BBInfinite uses Enduro bearings… which are pretty crappy as far as bearings go.)

Where is this frameset made? Taiwan?

Zach Lambert
4 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

Hi JBikes, Sean, and Velo Kitty, I was introduced to BBinfinite a few years ago when I was having issues with a BB in a CF frame. BBinfinite’s system worked so well I started using it in all of my personal frames. Although not everyone likes PF30 BBs, when paired with a BBinfinite BB it makes for a hassle-free solution that is compatible with every crankset on the market. We manufacture in Taiwan and the quality is on point, that’s why we don’t hesitate to provide a lifetime warranty against manufacture defects. Thanks for your comments! Zach, BHBC

Tim
Tim
4 years ago

Twenty-plus years ago, I loved titanium for its smooth ride, durability, and (for the time) low weight. I admit that even now I have nostalgia for ti frames, think they look amazing and still want one. But carbon frames now are so light and strong for so much less money than ti that I see little technical rationale for building with this material. Ti frames can still be light, but only with extensive manipulation, which drives the price up.
I wonder what this frame weighs- I doubt it’s as light as carbon.

Zach Lambert
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim

Hi Tim, we understand your love for Ti. We’ve got a place in our (black) heart for all things classic, retro, and nostalgic, so we knew we wanted to build our frame out of metal. We also wanted something super durable that would last, so Ti became our material of choice. Our frames are definitely heavier than CF, but we’re ok with that. My size 60 built up with Sram Red eTap and carbon road hoops is ~19lbs. Thanks for your comment! Zach, BHBC

Marc Smith
Marc Smith
4 years ago

Lattigo with the rapha kids !

David Lewis
David Lewis
4 years ago

I’m not sure I understand why you badged the bike with Venice when it is clearly made in Asia. Help me understand.

Zach Lambert
4 years ago
Reply to  David Lewis

Hi David, Yes, you’re right. We’re clear we manufacture in Taiwan, but also love representing Venice. It’s a simple homage to the place we call home. – Zach, BHBC

2pacfan187
4 years ago
Reply to  Zach Lambert

You should take BR to task for not making that clear in this press release.

dr_lha
dr_lha
4 years ago

You lost me at PF30. BBInfinite is supposed to be a solution for the problems with press fit. A better solution: Don’t use press fit in the first place. No reason why anyone should be using anything other than BSA on a metal frame, which works for everything these days. If you must be different, go T47.

Zach Lambert
4 years ago
Reply to  dr_lha

Thanks for you comment! As standards and BB options evolve we’ll do our best to offer customers the best and simplest solution. – Zach, BHBC

wes
wes
3 years ago
Reply to  dr_lha

I think PF bottom brackets are just fine. They tend to get blamed for every creak in the bike when it typically turns out to me a pedal spindle, chainring, seatpost, seat rails, etc… The actual PF interface doesn’t normally creak. But for some reason the industry thinks it does.

AJ
AJ
4 years ago

hey.
ask BBInfinite to make titanium one piece press fit bottom bracket.

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