The Apollo Project

leaflite

We had an old apollo bike lying around in the back of the garage that was 7 or 8 years old. We thought we'd chuck it one day and buy a proper bike.

Anyway, we had a look at the frame and decided that since it was made from 7005 aluminium, and the rear shock was ok that the frame was half decent, and the parts were just heavy. So, weve stripped it down, ordered a deore groupset + wheels from merlin, and are now ready to answer this question:
How good can you make an apollo bike?

Pics to follow

njee20

Hardtail, maybe. But a FS will still be horrible I reckon!

submityournentries

this will definately be an interesting project. good luck, an look forward to the pictures

cat_with_no_tail

I can't imagine that the forks or shock will be much good. Are you planning on changing them too?

If not, I'd have to agree with njee20

Thewaylander

Hmmm scary idea, spending cash on an apollo...

El Capitano

I like the idea of this. As others have said, forks and shock would be top of the list of components to change.

Looking forward to seeing how this goes.

Dan Dare

You can't polish a turd. You can roll it in glitter though! Should be interesting to see the finished project and how it rides.

joshtp

this will be interesting.... an Apollo frame with bling kit...

Get it a Reba and a fox float and it might actually ride well....

toys19

Great idea. Looking forward to the results!

heez29

Dan Dare wrote:

You can't polish a turd. You can roll it in glitter though! Should be interesting to see the finished project and how it rides.

You can actually....


But definitely an interesting build, hopefully its a hardtail and you called the forks the shocks.

sherbert19

Haha, when i win the lottery, i have decided that i will buy a BSO and drop a few grand on it. Imagine a Trax with full XTR, fox etc.

As said above, looking forward to seeing the results.

EDIT: would an apollo frame take a decent fork? IIRC they have tiny headtubes.

joshtp

sherbert19 wrote:

Haha, when i win the lottery, i have decided that i will buy a BSO and drop a few grand on it. Imagine a Trax with full XTR, fox etc.

As said above, looking forward to seeing the results.

EDIT: would an apollo frame take a decent fork? IIRC they have tiny headtubes.

they take threaded steerer's... IIRC Zochi still make a fork with one...

leaflite

Ive stripped it down and the frame is actually a reasonable weight. It takes standard 1 1/8th forks.

Its a fs. I have some forks lying around that will be fitted untill we get the cash together to get some toras or second hand revs. The frame will take 140 mm forks, so this should be interesting. We think it might be a rebadged old carrera banshee frame The rear shock(A DNM) is ok, but a new rear shock is on the list, again when we get the money.

We have managed to source some actuall ford fiesta green paint, which the frame will be painted with this weekend.

Pics:
Frame:
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/8311/pb030261.jpg
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/7963/pb030262.jpg
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/1919/pb030263.jpg
Bits:
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/5161/pb030264.jpg
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/6638/pb030265.jpg


http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/8269/pb030266.jpg
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8227/pb030267.jpg
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3545/pb030268.jpg
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/6983/pb030270.jpg
More of the frame:
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/903/pb040271.jpg
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6346/pb040272.jpg

leaflite

Proposed Spec:

Frame: 18.5 inch Apollo Vendetta
Forks: SR Suntour XCR (Temp!)
Rear Shock: DNM DV-6 Burner (Temp!)

Front Mech: Shimano Deore
Chainwheel: Shimano Deore
BB: Shimano Deore
Rear Mech: Shimano Deore Shadow
Cassette: Shimano Deore
Chain: Shimano Deore

Wheels: Shimano MT 15
Disk Rotors: Shimano LX
Tyres: Michelin Mountain Dry 2 2.3 inch

Brakes:
Shimano Deore M595

bennett_346

for the love of god resize the pictures!

should be interesting

SDK2007

bennett_346 wrote:

for the love of god resize the pictures!

^ This, it's impossible to see the big picture

MountainMonster

Definitely resize, I was scrolling for millions of years just to see the frame, let alone look at the whole thing.

Anonymous

If you can;t resize, then at lest just link to them instead. I was looking forwards to reading this, but such enormous pictures make it kind of pointless.

Oh, and not everybody is on 100Mb/s fibre broadband :roll:

jklash1987

MountainMonster wrote:

Definitely resize, I was scrolling for millions of years just to see the frame, let alone look at the whole thing.

Couldn't just Right Click and View Image?

Anonymous

jklash1987 wrote:

MountainMonster wrote:

Definitely resize, I was scrolling for millions of years just to see the frame, let alone look at the whole thing.

Couldn't just Right Click and View Image?

Should be down to the OP no not mess it up, really.
Prevention is better than cure.

getonyourbike

yep definitely 'intersting'. I owned a apollo full sus before I got into and bought a proper bike. it was horrib;e, weighed a tonne and you just bounced up and down a lot. I stripped down the frame for fun and it weighed a tonne and the suspension platform wasn't great either.

PS. I'll take my hat off to you if this is good.

MountainMonster

jklash1987 wrote:

MountainMonster wrote:

Definitely resize, I was scrolling for millions of years just to see the frame, let alone look at the whole thing.

Couldn't just Right Click and View Image?

TBH I don't really feel like going through hassle to view an apollo project, let alone any project.

leaflite

SDK2007 wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

for the love of god resize the pictures!

^ This, it's impossible to see the big picture

Sorry! I hadnt reallised they would turn out so big :oops: . Ive changed them all to links

stuisnew

I don't want to come across as a bike snob but I can't see this is going to work very well!
A heavy frame, with (I'd imagine) no butting to the frame, leading to a dull ride which is not going to be that enjoyable.

Pogo-suspension.

Having said that i'll wait to be proven wrong!

Anonymous

Of course it won't turn out great, but it should be fun!

The Northern Monkey

Oh dear.

leaflite

stuisnew wrote:

A heavy frame, with (I'd imagine) no butting to the frame, leading to a dull ride which is not going to be that enjoyable.

Pogo-suspension.

The frame isnt too bad a weight-its probably similar to a steel hardtail such as a 456 when weighed without the rear shock.

The paint hasnt arrived yet, so the paintings going to have to wait until monday.

Andy

Now I've ridden one of those before and they are honestly not too bad. They were the first Apollo bike to ever cost over £300 (!).

It could easily be built into a decent bike.

leaflite

Andy wrote:

Now I've ridden one of those before and they are honestly not too bad. They were the first Apollo bike to ever cost over £300 (!).

It could easily be built into a decent bike.

Great! Do you know anything of the history of the frame-was it built by merida like the carrera bikes are?

Andy

Haha afraid not. I don't know a great lot about them really. It was my mate who had one. Will try find a picture of it.

leaflite

New Pics!
The frame is now painted, and will be laquered when it drys. Then the build can begin.

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8083/pb140276.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/8399/pb140274.jpg