Franco Ricci Mingani used to travel the world with a sample case, trying to sell heavy stones with beautiful patterns. The Italian from Emilia Romagna used to be a tile salesman. Today, Mingani is the head of the tuning company FRM and specialises in lightweight racing bikes, mountain bikes and add-on parts. The catalyst for his transformation from tile salesman to bicycle salesman was a business trip to the USA at the end of the 1980s. There he saw daredevil types riding off-road on strange-looking bikes with thick studded tyres. It was the boom time for mountain bikes. Mingani quit his sales job, became an entrepreneur, founded his own company and built mountain bikes, hubs and seat posts with friends, later also racing bikes.
Today, FRM is one of the few manufacturers in the world that can build a complete racing bike, apart from the derailleur group, tyres and spokes. FRM is also one of the few carbon suppliers from Italy that builds its own frames locally from carbon tubes that it has previously wound itself. Far better-known brands such as Pinarello have long had their production facilities in the Far East.
The TOUR testers were therefore keen to see what the test bike from FRM had to offer: All that was known about the "Blackhole HC" was the bike's very light overall weight of exactly six kilograms, with the carbon frame alone being advertised as weighing less than 900 grams. Regarding the construction of the frame, FRM reported that double-walled tubes with a honeycomb-like structure in between were used. Hence the abbreviation "HC" in the name, derived from the English "honeycomb". According to the manufacturer, this design is intended to give the frame particular rigidity. In addition to five standard sizes, each frame is available as a customised version at no extra charge.
One special feature is the use of two seat clamps on the bike. While one clamps the seat post shaft in the seat tube as usual with the unusual shaft dimension of 34.9 millimetres, number two serves as a clamp to fix the stem-handlebar unit to the steerer tube so that it cannot twist. Incidentally, the stem and handlebars initially consist of two individual parts, which are covered with a carbon bag in a specific position according to customer requirements and thus inseparably connected. The Italians also go their own way when it comes to clamping the seat post with the one-piece laminated saddle shell: two metal clamps clamp two metal half-shells, which in turn hold the integrated carbon saddle frame. The aluminium-carbon hubs of the FRM high-profile wheels, in which tiny ball bearings rotate, look very delicate. To spice things up visually, the Italians have anodised all the metal parts on the "Black Hole" in either blue or gold, creating a clear contrast to all the carbon components.
The FRM was equipped with the top "Red" groupset from SRAM - but only partially: The rear derailleur, sprocket set, front derailleur, chain and shift brake levers are from SRAM; the crankset, bottom bracket and brakes bear the FRM logo. We tested whether and how the individual components would harmonise with each other on our standard test ride. The brakes and the shifting characteristics of the front chainrings left a lasting impression. Once the bike, including the 80-kilo pilot, had accelerated and we tried to brake with a firm grip, the little brake arms visibly squirmed, but it hardly slowed down. We were forced to take the first bend on the descent at a new top speed and, to be on the safe side, set earlier braking points for the following bends.
We tested the interaction of the SRAM derailleur and chain with the FRM chainrings in the compact version with 34/50 teeth on the climbs. The chain was noticeably reluctant to climb from the small to the large chainring when shifting under load. This is mainly due to the lack of shifting aids, as is common with standard chainrings from Campa, Shimano and SRAM.
Overall, the "Black Hole" did not appear to be one hundred per cent wobble-proof during the ride. After hitting the head tube at 50 km/h, the frame only stabilised again after three or four swings. This is also confirmed by the low stiffness values from the test laboratory. For frame and fork, these are well below average, which means that FRM has missed its development target. Otherwise, however, the FRM impressed with its neutral handling and its lightness on the climbs is a positive feature. However, the frame weighed in at more than one kilogramme - instead of the promised "less than 900 grams".
When riding through potholes, a cracking noise could always be heard from the clamping area of the saddle. This is due to the clamping force of the saddle clamp being too low.
Conclusion: The "Black Hole HC" is characterised by individuality and lightness. However, FRM has not achieved its development goal in terms of weight and riding safety. Collectors and fans of Italian bicycle design as well as light mountain bikers will enjoy this bike. Athletic riders, sprinters or price-conscious cyclists are better off looking for something else.
PLUS: Lightweight; independent design
MINUS: Low driving stability, braking and shifting function below average
*Test wheel frame size greased;
**Projected dimension from centre of bottom bracket to upper edge of head tube/saddle head tube rise at 75 cm seat height (centre of saddle frame-upper edge of headset cover);
***Adjusted weight for frame size 57 and fork steerer length 225 mm;
**** The score includes further individual scores that we have not included for reasons of space.
Photos: Markus Greber
