The icon. Our baby. The AP-1 is where it all starts. Nothing else is made like it. Nothing else rides like it. Uncompromised is the word. The AP-1 was designed from the ground up to get thrown down.
Designed to perform at the very highest levels of competitive Downhill racing. Strong, super stiff, adjustable, stealthy. Phenomenal levels of grip. Unbelievable levels of manoeuvrability.
Our signature one-piece main frame is a beautiful thing to behold. The sand-cast aluminium swing arm is unmatched in its accuracy. For 2014 we’ve revamped the custom graphics to give this cutting edge rig a suitably up to date visual flare. We’ve introduced a motocross aesthetic vibe to the decals to echo some of the motocross inspired engineering designs at the heart of the AP-1.
The 219mm travel is handled by an idler-enabled single pivot. Not fashionable maybe. We don’t do fashions. We don’t change our designs with every year model. We spent a whole lotta time making the AP-1’s suspension behave the way that it behaves. It performs brilliantly. The proof is out there on the hills.
The single pivot design is utterly capable and reliable. Our carefully located pivot point delivers excellent high speed bump performance, constant wheelbase stability and a spot-on liner-to-rising rate for exceptional feel and response. The AP-1 is one of the fastest accelerating Downhill bikes currently available. It just is. The truly progressive suspension damping (ratio 1:2.8) needs to be experienced to be believed. There’s nothing else that comes close.
Working in tandem with the main pivot is a chain torque idler. This automatically adjusts for the chain line regardless of chainring size or gear selection at the cassette.
Full-compliment needle bearings are used in the main pivot as, unlike most other bike bearings out there, they’re designed to take high loads during rotational movement. You won’t be replacing creaky bearings every few months on the AP-1.
To get all techno for a moment, the AP-1 has a sprung/unsprung mass ratio of 70/30. This is exceptionally high for a bike of this type. Minimising unsprung mass does wonders for a downhill bike’s grip and suspension characteristics. It’s not an easy thing to do. But we have done it.
There are literally hundreds of design and engineering details that we could bang on about with the AP-1. They are important. But they aren’t as interesting as just getting on board the AP-1 and getting wild.
We sweat the details. You just enjoy the ride.
AP-1 Build Specification*
| Component |
Type / Manufacturer / Supplier |
|
|
| Frame |
Empire Cycles AP-1 |
|
Integrated Chain Device |
|
Needle Roller Bearings, Inner Rings and Seals |
|
12mm Rear Axle |
|
Dropout |
|
Brake Mount |
| Suspension |
|
| Forks |
Rock Shox Boxxer R2C2 |
| Shock |
Rock Shox Vivid 5.1 |
|
Crane Creek Double Barrel |
| Drive Train |
|
| Crank |
Descendant 38T 170mm |
| Rear Mech |
X9 Short Cage Carbon Grey |
| Cassette |
Sram PG 1050 11-26 |
| Chain |
Sram PC 1051 114 Link |
| Shifter Rear |
X9 |
|
|
| Controls |
|
| Grips |
Sram Lock On |
| Bars |
Renthal M101 |
| Seat |
SDG Bel Air Cro-Mo Rail |
| Seat Post |
Hope Eternity |
| Stem |
Hope Direct Mount |
| Headset |
Hope Zero Stack Black 1.5" |
| Headset Spacers |
Hope Black |
|
|
| Wheels / Tyres |
|
| Front Wheel |
Hope ProII Evo Black 6 Bolt, 32 Hole, 22mm Axel, Mavic 721 |
| Rear Wheel |
Hope ProII Evo Black 6 Bolt, 135mm, 32 Hole, 12mm Axel, Mavic 721 |
| Tyres |
Continental Kaiser |
|
|
| Brakes |
|
| Front Brake |
Hope V4 with custom Laser Etching |
| Back Brake |
Hope V4 with custom Laser Etching |
* This build specification is subject to change
Empire Cycles AP1
Many people balk at the thought of a cast bicycle frame - it brings back memories of the dreaded Kirk Precision cast magnesium monsters of the early 90's. But not all casting is bad. People forget - or simply haven't noticed - that casting has been around on bikes for some time - just look at the lowers on suspension forks. Most of them use high-pressure cast magnesium, happily hiding under paintwork and stickers.. Read More
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Empire Prototype
Look in most manufacturers brochures and you'll find a plethora of bent and hydroformed tubes in increasingly odd shapes. While others go in search of the most extravagent shape to make a piece of alloy pipe, Empire has abandoned tubes all together. Utilising technology that's been holding the like's of Honda's motocross bikes together, Empire is breaking (or rather making) the mould in their workshop in Lancashire. Read More
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Dirt 76 : Empire AP-1 Review
Craig Robertson and Chris Williams are two men on a mission, one of bringing proven technology from the motorbike and car world into mountain biking. There was an important word in that last sentence, it was 'proven'. Now for some reason there seems to have been a whole load of people on forums and the like saying that trying to cast a bike is pointless, it's just going to snap. The thing is though that they're talking out of their arses, if done correctly there's no reason why a cast part can't be as good, if not better, than any part produced using other production methods. Read More
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Mountain Bike Action : The Empire Cycles AP-1R
Since we test about a half-dozen bikes a month, we can become a little jaded about opening a new bike box. That was not the case, however, when a box arrived at the MBA headquarters from the UK. Inside was a downhill bike that looked part battleship anchor and part engine block. It was, of course, Empire Cycles' AP-1R.
We kid about the unique appearance of the Empire AP-1R, but its one-of-a-kind design was certainly a part of the approach from its inception. Read More
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For parts and accessories associated with the AP-1 please click here
