Our Story
Our mission is to build a cycling culture free from unwritten rules and pressures to conform.
We found ourselves here after years of being told we didn't have the right bike, or wheels, or tires, or kit, or socks, or that our sunglasses weren't on the right way. An artifact of a culture of othering vs one that celebrates individual expression.
And, we figured that if we felt this way, then there's a good chance that there are countless people who have stopped before ever taking their first ride.
We want to be part of the solution and redefine what it means to be a cyclist.
We believe riding is not just exercise; it's an expression of who you are, how you ride, and who you want to be.
Our headquarters is located in Truckee, California where we concept, design, test, warehouse, assemble, and ship all of our bikes.
We manufacture our frames, forks, seatposts, and barstems across multiple factories in Taiwan and China.
Our frames and Allroad fork are our own design and each model is made to spec with our own molds and custom machined parts.
We employ a local quality control specialist in Asia and independently test our frames, forks, and seat posts in Southern California to CPSC 1512 and ISO 4210 standards for safety.
This strategy allows us to take advantage of the centers of expertise in bicycle manufacturing while offering a more affordable price point to our customers in the titanium category.
We do our best to work with US-based suppliers where we can. For example, we partner with a local Cerakote applicator just down the road in Nevada and source headsets from Wolf Tooth and bottle cages from King Cage.
Long term, our goal is to bring more of the manufacturing process in-house.
Zach Lambert
FOUNDER
Zach found cycling early, racing BMX as a kid in the 80s, riding mountain bikes in the 90s, and finding road cycling when he moved to LA in 2008. After years of battling cars on the streets of LA, he took his road bike onto the fire roads of SoCal and immediately fell in love.
He saw a need for a single bike that struck the perfect balance between road and gravel bikes, and was better suited for the average cycling enthusiast who didn't count every gram or measure every watt.
Thus, BlackHeart was born.
@zachenroute
Truckee, CA
Cody Chouinard
CREATIVE STRATEGIST
With roots in Vermont and years riding the LA fixie scene, Cody's community stretches from coast-to-coast and beyond. He honed his passion for cycling photography while working at Rapha and now as a partner at BlackHeart's sister shop, Luft Los Angeles, Cody has found inspiration and purpose in introducing as many people as possible to this wonderful sport we call cycling.
With a natural creative talent and a finger on the pulse of cultural shifts, Cody's role at BlackHeart has grown over the years where he now pushes the brand, product, and creative evolution forward.
@cody_chouinard
Venice, CA
Ambassadors
If you'd like to be a BlackHeart ambassador, email us at hello@blackheartbikeco.com and let us know how you are working to make cycling more welcoming and inclusive within you community.
Andrew Drummond
Andrew is the owner of Ski The Whites, an outdoor retailer in Jackson, NH, and is a leading voice in the exploration and promotion of the White Mountains – working to encourage running, riding, and backcountry skiing in the region.
@sr_drummond
Jackson, NH
Boo Johnson
Boo is a professional skateboarder and skate company owner, recognized for his style and positive attitude. We found cycling as way to stay fit and rehab from injuries, falling in love with the sport as a way to push his mind and body in ways he's unable in skating.
@boojohnson
Bakersfield, CA
Katharina Plangger
Katharina is an outdoor enthusiast who is passionate about nutrition and travel. From touring in the alps to running ultra relay races, she's hard to keep up with.
@katharinaannamaria
Innsbruck, Austria
Jess Meany
Jess has had a relationship with cycling over the past 15 years – taking her from daily commuter, road racing in New York, mountain biking in Santa Cruz, to being immersed in the unique cycling scene of LA. She focuses on balancing a small business, pushing her training & performance, and finding inspiration in fitness & aging. You can usually find her testing the legs with the LA community... if you can catch her.
@anonymous_agent
Los Angeles, CA
Lucy Mannal
Hailing from the UK, Lucy made her way to Los Angeles in 2021. With a storied history in the cycling industry, Lucy found burnout like many of us do. Follow along her journey as she explores her new city, gets her daily dose of west coast sunsets, and looks to fall in love this sport we call cycling.
@lucymannall
Venice, CA
Marquis Bowden
Born and raised in Los Angeles and currently residing in Boulder, CO, Marquis is chasing his dreams of becoming a professional marathoner. Very much new to cycling, he is grateful to be mentored by a strong community and has become an active part in welcoming new cyclist like him.
@humblequis
Boulder, CO
Max Joliffe
Max is a runner, surfer, ex-skater, Cali native and all around bad ass. When he’s not out on his latest adventure, you can find him chilling at the beach with his dog Lenny.
Randi Burley
Growing up in Windsor Hills, CA, Randi's intro to cycling came from working at the beloved Inglewood bike shop, City of Bicycles. Over the past decade she's kept coming back to cycling because of the amazing community and peace of mind riding provides. Through being a cyclist and an electrical engineer, it’s her goal to always beat the odds and inspire others like her to do the same.
@corenda
Los Angeles, CA