New Empire For The Masses

New Empire For The Masses

Empire bikes, northern bike makers of the amazing cast AP-1 downhill bike has just announced a new trail bike version. Rather than being fully sand-cast, like the DH bike, this one will be machined from billet aluminium.

Expect to see complete bikes and frames for sale in the summer. We like the look of it – though can imagine that you won’t want to ride it without knee pads… and we’re going to be very interested to see what it weighs. Anyway… on with the official release!

Artist's impression. It won't be quite as see-through in production.

Empire Cycles is proud to announce the birth of the MX-6.  This is a six-inch travel, all-mountain, British manufactured product.

It boasts both a machined from solid billet 6082T6 aluminium front end and swing arm, and an aircraft grade cast aluminium seat tower.  The DNA of the award-winning AP-1 downhill frame (Red Dot Design Award 2010) can easily be appreciated and all Empire supporters can rest assured that the knowledge and expertise have been passed onto the new arrival.

The entire frame is CNC machined, apart from the seat mast, which is cast, like the original AP-1

The MX-6 is aimed at the growing enduro market: “basically, the intention is that you can kick the living daylights out of it, up hill and down dale, all day”, says Chris Williams (Empire Cycles owner).  Chris adds, “I’ve learned an incredible amount from the AP-1 and wanted to produce a product for the all-day warrior”.

Cue Forth Bridge quips from the haters...

The MX-6 uses the known and loved Empire three-piece structure along with the tried and tested swing arm bearing arrangement and seat tower.  As with its big brother, the MX-6 is also without welds.  Other features include the latest 2 x 10 drive train from SRAM, Rock Shox suspension, and Avid brakes.  Prices will start from around the £4000 mark for a fully built bike and there will be frame-only and exclusive Hope upgrade options.  Look out for the MX-6 as a prototype at events through the spring and see it on sale in the summer.

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Chipps Chippendale

Singletrackworld's Editor At Large

With 23 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)

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64 thoughts on “New Empire For The Masses

  1. Can’t wait to see how it rides, which surely is what counts? Just been speaking to Mrs Empire at Moelfre, (she is a lot prettier than their bikes)…and the whole project sounds great. Bring it on.

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