Empire

I’ve put about 300 miles on my new Empire Elite and I couldn’t be happier. The set up is perfect for hilly New Hampshire. And the light carbon components are a blessing going up those hills. All this with electronic shifting and a power meter for a super low price. I don’t know why anyone would pay more. This bike is a joy to ride.

I recently received my Empire Sport. I ordered this to mix up my ultra marathon training. I am 6'1" and have stayed away from cycling due to never being able to get comfortable on a bike. There was always neck pain or lower back pain on any bike that I tried. I wanted a decent bike, but for training and not racing, I did not want or feel that I needed to spend money on a very high end bike. After my first ride, I am very impressed. This bike is comfortable, and I even extended my first "test" ride because it felt so good. It feels like way more than an entry level bike. It is nice. Way better than a "decent" bike. It feels fast and smooth. All components work well. This is by far a much nicer bike than anything I have ever ridden. It has me considering signing up for a race or two...

Bought this in June 2024. Overall bike is great. Frame fits and rides nicely along with most of the components. But the wheels have been a complete disaster. Otherwise a five star review. Got them in tubeless mode. After first or second ride, went to the garage for another ride and the tire was flat. Tried to pump them up, but air immediately leaked out. Seems the air was leaking from the tape area around the spokes. Pulled the tire off and all the spoke holes were cupped in full of dried sealant. So much for going tubeless. Decided put tubes in since I wanted to ride. Spent 2 hours trying to reseat the tires and could not get them on. Finally gave up and took the wheels to LBS to get them on. Mechanic with gorilla hands was able to get the first tire on, but then had to use a Kool tire lever to get the second on. Not a simple job. Bought my own Kool tire levers to have on hand for the next time. Next time came much quicker than expected. Not sure cause of flat, but went to change tire and actually broke the first Kool lever trying to get the tire back on. Luckily I bought two. Was able to get it on finally. Got another flat two weeks ago. Stopped to fix it and saw that a spoke had broken also. Had to call my wife to come get me. Luckily just a few miles from home. And this is just a summary of the problems I have had with them.
Basically tires and wheels should not be this much trouble and changing tires should be a rather simple chore. I have now been stranded on two rides now and needed to call for a ride due to these wheels. Just put in my order for a pair of Hunt wheels to replace them and the Alex rims are going in the trash.

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!