The Empire is a unique machine, it looks like no other bike, and has been formed like no other mountain bike using casting techniques and technology developed for aerospace markets. The resulting product also rides like no other, the cast construction has been likened to riding a steel hardtail over an aluminium one; it takes that harshness out of the ground and deadens the trail.

Since we rode the first production frame the AP–1 has undergone a few detail changes, the tooling has constantly been revised to ensure that the components are better than ever. For 2010, improvements have been made to the chain device, drop out and mainframe to create increased usability, reliability and strength of the design.

£2,695 (Avid shock)£2,995 (Cane Creek with Ti Spring) Complete Build: £5,495
Empire Cycles 0161 705 2280
www.empire-cycles.com