Empire MX6 Evo - Review

So having had this for a short while and it using the exact same build as my Orange Five I thought it would be about time to do a review. For this frame I decided to opt for the Large size opposed to the Medium of my five, this is due to them coming up a bit short and me being 6ft bang on, the thing with the Empire is that no matter what size you choose the tt height / seat height will be the same, only the top tube changes in length between sizes.


So why did I choose this bike you may ask? Well having previously owned a large stable of bikes – 15 in 2 years it’s no secret that I chop and change a bit, however the Five was probably the bike that I have ever kept the longest. I really enjoyed the versatility of it (once I had swapped the shock out to a burly CCDB coil) you could trail ride it one week and DH the next. However it did have its limitations on the DH and I found myself (on more than one occasion) having to ensure that each line etc I hit was absolutely spot on in regards to margins for error and it also had a bit of flex in the rear that even though you learn to adapt to (and some like) it wasn’t perfect for me. I also found myself catching pedals in places that was a bit weird, like I shouldn’t of been – I swear most my pins from my Hope pedals are lodged in to the blade at Afan – this may have been down to the 175mm crank arms or rider error but it certainly happened, quite a bit.


So then it was that time of the year when nights are dark \and you get the winter blues and up came this baby in large, I work in a machine shop and foundry so the thought of another handmade in Blighty single pivot using technologies that I work in each day could not of appealed to me more. It turned up and yes I have to say I was impressed - I remember seeing the AP1 dh bike some time ago and stood in awe of it, this gave me the same feeling. So we built her up using all bits from the five (I have to point out the black metaflake paint is stunning to see in with the naked eye) these are:-
Rockshox Pike 150mm
XTR brakes
SRAM XX1 groupset
Reverb post with Fizik ti gobi rails
Hope Pro 2 EVO hubs on Arch ex rims
Nobby nic front with Hans Dampf rear
Renthal carbon bars with Renthal stem
Hope pedals
Nukeproof headset – the only part purchased new from the five build


When built I called my mate who was finishing the build (I had to duck out) and asked how she looked, his words were (fu**ing) fast, I turned up jumped on it and straight away I felt I gelled with it. Just a little longer in the top tube and a little longer in the wheelbase than the five it also looked surprisingly burly and that head stock!! Put it this way I recon it would survive a nuclear bomb.
So then came the maiden voyage (after setting the shocks etc) over the local trails with the obligatory table top. I thought steady haven’t rode it before and boom it was like hitting a NOS button the bike just launched and then tore into the berms following like a short travel DH bike, it felt awesome and I had only been on it five mins, since then it has been a love love relationship with the frame. The Empire is stiff, super stiff in the rear and it feels like its got more confidence / stiffness in the frame than the fork! This never happened when I had the fork on my five so I have upped the pressure a bit and things are much better now, I am not filing for divorce on the Pike yet and queuing up a BOS. The other thing that I notice on the Empire is how controlled it is in regards to rider error it carries much more speed than the five and when you get a few things wrong it just plows on and you hold on like wringing the neck on a wild horse – grinning all the way but without hitting pedals, this hasn’t happened once!! In the air it is super composed, it likes the air a lot and entices you to style it up / have fun as it is really poppy and playful and on the ground it grips very well indeed thanks to the Monarch and that stiff rear end. I haven’t bottomed it yet but use all the travel in DH / FR mode just how you should.
Climbing, yep it does that just like my five did. It will get you there – not like a 100mm xc hardtail but you will get there soon enough especially with the awesome Monarch shock which locks out for road duties etc


All in after having it a few months I couldn’t be happier and she will be up Forest Of Dean racing the Mini DH next week 25/01/15

Take it easy SR

As always happy to take questions so comment below!