Empire

I've put about 1,500 miles on my Ari Empire Pro, and it’s exceeded my expectations. No other brand offers this level of quality at Ari’s prices. The SRAM Rival eTap groupset provides smooth, reliable shifting that has truly enhanced my rides. One standout feature is the 32c tires paired with DT Swiss wheels, which add noticeable comfort on rough roads and make the bike feel like it’s floating. The handling is excellent and ideal for riders who want a comfortable, mile-crushing experience. The relaxed geometry and 23-point setup meant it arrived 90% dialed in, so I was ready to start riding comfortably from the start. If you’re looking for a bike that lets you put in serious miles without feeling stiff or sore afterward, this is an ideal choice. Ari’s selection is impressive, and my Empire Pro has been a joy to ride—it makes me want to ride even more. It’s hands-down the best investment I’ve made in cycling, perfectly blending value, performance, and comfort.

I have the Empire Sport, and this bike is fantastic! I love everything about this bike, its comfortable for long days pedaling, its fast, and its smooth! I just completed a 70 mile ride on my empire sport, and legit felt ready to do 70 more! The only issue I had with this set up, was that when I brought it for a pre-event tuning, there were issues with the stock cables and how they were run... I opted to upgrade to the stainless steel cables (less than $100 with labor) and this bike got even better! I love it so much, I just ordered my wife one too so we can pedal together, and if they made one my son could ride, I'd buy that one too!

I had taken a few years off from riding after my daughter was born. You know the story, had a baby, career focused and lost track of my fitness. We moved to a state with no MTB trails, like zero. I had wanted a Rodie for some time, specifically Carbon. I have always been a Fezzari advocate so naturally I started researching here. I am now 1,028 miles ridden in the last 3 months. This thing is super comfortable. I have only ridden it up to 40 miles on a singular ride. However, I foresee my first 50 coming soon (still working on my fitness) anyway 1,000 miles in I’m confident to say that this was a wise purchase. If you are looking for a rodie, grab yourself one of these. Pro tip, don’t cheap out, get the higher drivetrain. I’m currently looking at upgrading, while I have had no problems with the Tiagra mechanically, I find myself wanting faster gearing. Other than my own cheap mentalities. This thing is fantastic! BUY ONE!

Received my bike few weeks ago & got back around to writing a review. First, buying experience was well detailed and precise. Every time I had a question, I usually got answer the same day. The 23 step fitting was a breeze & ARI nailed my bike setup perfectly. The bike arrived in two boxes. All I had to do was install the wheels, handlebars & seat post. Bike finish is flawless - I got the two-tone blue. I did take the chain off to clean-wax it - quick connect made that easy.

First ride was about 40 miles - it was very smooth. The Empire jumps off the line nicely, quite snappy for endurance bike, & I did not notice any flex in the frame when jumping hard on the pedals at a traffic light. No creaks or squeaks. I am very happy with my purchase & I think ARI as a company is doing a bang-up job with pricing, product, purchasing process, & service before & after the sale.

Finally making time to write a review, two years in. About me: principally a road rider; 5-10 hrs/week; love climbing and fast descents; mid-40s male; I've put at least 4000 miles on this bike. I've had the Empire for just about exactly two years now. Bottom line up front: This bike is fine, but not special; it lacks pep and does not feel snappy; it is a great value in terms of what you get but I would not buy it again if given the chance, for what I want. Pros: it really is an amazing value; the bike is well made and looks nice; the componentry/gruppo/wheels you get with this vs. comparable bikes is hard to beat. Cons: it just doesn't excel at anything and doesn't "feel" fast (I know, I know, but I'm just telling you how it feels); the Fezzari branding has not grown on me (thankfully in the all black, it's barely noticeable, and I see the co. has now rebranded); the SRAM Force AXS on my bike results in regularly dropping my chain, often at the worst moments, despite MULTIPLE trips to different mechanics to fix. This latter bit is extremely frustrating. On my last bike, I dropped my chain maybe 4 times in 4 years. On this bike? I'm nervous every ride and have had a chain drop issue from day one. I have a chain drop guard, and I guess I'll add it; but feel like I shouldn't have to. All in all, I definitely don't hate this bike and it is fit for purpose. I enjoy fun rides on it, it looks cool, and I can hang on the group rides. But the chain drop issues is annoying AF, and I regret falling for the "value proposition" vs. taking more time/maybe even spending a little more money to get something that I would truly love. This bike ain't that. And that bums me out.