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Apollo FS.26 SE ?

02walkerj02walkerj Posts: 80
edited December 2007 in MTB buying advice
Apollo FS.26 SE Mens 20" Full Suspension Mountain Bike,
heres the link:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... ryrn_82395


Please tell me what you think.


I'll really appreciate any help.
«134

Posts

  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    You really want to know...

    ..It's a piece of censored ... heavy, undamped suspension, censored components (the list goes on...)

    You'd be better off with a hardtail like a GT Avalanche, or Mongoose Tyax.

    or this

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yrn_103670
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • AmosAmos Posts: 438
    What Andy said.

    For your budget a hardtail would definetly be a better option.
  • redveeredvee Posts: 11,921
    I see people riding cheap full sus all the time and they bob on the bike rather than ride the thing, the suspension moves as they pedal. At this price range stick to HT.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • 02walkerj02walkerj Posts: 80
    That do you think about the Apollo XC.26S ?
    Heres the link:

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yrn_106173

    It doesn't look heavy... ?
  • dav1dav1 Posts: 1,298
    the fork will be terrible, the frame will lack the weight saving and strengthening features of better bikes such as tube butting. The components are not very good either and will weigh quite a lot

    Your best bet is to avoid anything by Apollo. If you are buying at halfords look into carrera, GT (as suggested in an earlier post).

    You need to think about your budget and take a look at this thread which has many suggestions http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12540401

    If this is your 1st bike i would not recommend buying online personally as a shop can be very useful with the servicing, warranty claims and advise whilst you find your feet technically with the bike.

    Also look around local bike shops, people who deal in makes like giant, specialized and trek to look at their offerings.

    for £200 you can get a bike suitable for taking off the road, at £300 things start getting much better if you can stretch your budget higher.

    hope this helps.
    Giant TCR advanced 2 (Summer/race)
    Merlin single malt fixie (Commuter/winter/training)
    Trek superfly 7 (Summer XC)
    Giant Yukon singlespeed conversion (winter MTB/Ice/snow)

    Carrera virtuoso - RIP
  • The BIG GTThe BIG GT Posts: 655
    02walkerj wrote:
    That do you think about the Apollo XC.26S ?
    Heres the link:

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yrn_106173

    It doesn't look heavy... ?

    Hmmm......

    Something under the bridge, perhaps?
    :roll:
    .
    .
    .
    Now living happily at http://www.uk-mtb.com !!
  • Andy BAndy B Posts: 8,115
    edited October 2007
    Just buy this bike, you will not go wrong with it, you will be very hard pressed to get better for the money.
    Andy_B wrote:
    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yrn_103670
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • The Big CheeseThe Big Cheese Posts: 10,309 Forum Tart 2010
    The Vulcan did very well in it's class if I remember correctly - great bike for the money! :)
  • Father FaffFather Faff Posts: 1,176
    If you MUST have a full-suspension bike then the cheapest you should contemplate is probably this:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... 3-07-20096

    But really at that price you would be better with a hardtail as the guys above have said.
    Commencal Meta 5.5.1
    Scott CR1
  • dav1dav1 Posts: 1,298
    you are also better with a hardtail to learn basic skills and be a batter rider. You need to know the basics before going full sus really
    Giant TCR advanced 2 (Summer/race)
    Merlin single malt fixie (Commuter/winter/training)
    Trek superfly 7 (Summer XC)
    Giant Yukon singlespeed conversion (winter MTB/Ice/snow)

    Carrera virtuoso - RIP
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 28,799
    The BIG GT wrote:
    02walkerj wrote:
    That do you think about the Apollo XC.26S ?
    Heres the link:

    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yrn_106173

    It doesn't look heavy... ?

    Hmmm......

    Something under the bridge, perhaps?
    :roll:
    .
    .
    .
    Agreed
  • alfabluealfablue Posts: 8,497
    Just forget Apollo! They are in no way serious bikes!
  • Mat The HatMat The Hat Posts: 4
    I have now brought two Apollo bikes from Halfords, the first one seized on me after 4 weeks whilst cycling to work causing myself injury to private parts! The second i slightly upgraded to the FS 26 SE as i lost faith in the previous one. On my return home with this bike my wife just laughed, this bike is a monster bike and extremely heavy, even worse than the last one. I had this bike for just 1 week and the breaks failed causing more injury. Firstly i would advise- DON'T BUY FROM HALFORDS (now i'm stuck with them & all i got out of it was a£20 voucher!!!), secondly- DON'T BUY APOLLO. I've now upgraded further to a Carrera Subway 2, I'll let you know how it goes! Mean while does anyone else have a review on this bike.
  • chrisjsmithchrisjsmith Posts: 280
    I agree. My apollo FS 26 fell to bits after 2 months (brakes as well).

    Halfords staff were stoned when I bought it as well which is why I took it home to be assembled.
  • Steve_b77Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    Can't go wrong with an Avalanche 3.0 or a Aggressor XC3.0 from Halfords.

    On the aggressor you get a Rockshox Dart 1 fork, shimano alvio gears, disc brakes and a really good frame
  • Mat The HatMat The Hat Posts: 4
    We may have gone to the same store then as i said the same. I let them do the main assembely but did have to re fix all brake mechanism and they left the front wheel loose !!! God job i checked it. I hope your Apollo serves you better than mine did for a pile of censored .
  • chrisjsmithchrisjsmith Posts: 280
    Mine has tried to kill me a couple of times.
  • Father FaffFather Faff Posts: 1,176
    My trusty Apollo (borrowed) served me well in France......

    www.flickr.com/photos/fatherfaff
    Commencal Meta 5.5.1
    Scott CR1
  • ProwlusProwlus Posts: 539
    As I said in an earlier thread, the new apollos are nothing but s**t . The older designs though were pretty rugged and I managed to upgrade it extensivly

    http://prowlus.deviantart.com/art/Upgra ... t-33703373 :oops:



    before transfering its parts to a hellcat

    http://prowlus.deviantart.com/art/bike- ... t-35056142 :o


    and finally selling everything for this

    http://prowlus.deviantart.com/art/New-B ... e-52554643 :lol:
    Specialized Camber

    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/10715065/

    Fuji Sportif Disc 1.5

    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/11000596/
  • Steve_FSteve_F Posts: 682
    A friend of mine had one which he used on-road and it more or less stood up to it. I took him once round the Glentress red and the bike was finished, brakes packed in, suspension not feeling right, frame looking a bit funny.

    It will work okay on the road and up and down canal paths but don't expect it to last off road. Although as previously mentioned there are far better hardtails for on road/towpath/light off road use.

    Have a look at the second hand market.
    Current steed is a '07 Carrera Banshee X
    + cheap road/commuting bike
  • Drfabulous0Drfabulous0 Posts: 1,539
    The problem here is that those Apollo bikes are ideal for the parent who wants to pootle about the park with the kids or a child who will wreck any bike within 6 months, but they are not a mountain bike, or suitable for commuting, and the only reason they make full sus ones is to appeal to kids who's parents don't think it's worth spending money on a proper bike, in short they are designed by marketting folkd rather than engineers and cyclists.

    As for Halfords themselves you should treat each branch as you would any other bike shop, some are good because they have good staff, others are rubbish because they don't, if they aren't honest about the abilities of a £109.99 bike with full suspension look elsewhere.
    <center><font><b>My Scott</b></font></center>
    <center><font><b>My Kinesis</b></font></center>
  • chrisjsmithchrisjsmith Posts: 280
    I only bought mine because it was the cheapest one they had. I didn't expect it to be any good ;)
  • Father FaffFather Faff Posts: 1,176
    Quite frankly I think Apollo gives mountain biking a bad name.
    Commencal Meta 5.5.1
    Scott CR1
  • 02walkerj02walkerj Posts: 80
    And before I trusted the T.V. advert ... with its "qualified", "experts", and so on.

    The only reason i am looking for a bike at halfords, is because i don't know of any other large bike stores, does anyone else know of any in the West Midlands?
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Some Halfords have good staff. Doesnt mean the Apollos are any good.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Father FaffFather Faff Posts: 1,176
    If you want a half decent MTB from Halfords get a Carrera Vulcan - on sale at Halfords at £225. If you can stretch to it the Carrera Kraken is on sale at £299 and is even better. The Carrera range are okay.
    Commencal Meta 5.5.1
    Scott CR1
  • pdrolopdrolo Posts: 127
    Evans are doing the mongoose tyax elite for £229 - I brought this bike back in july and its been great - you really have to look beyond halfords - although the vulcan gets goods reviews rrp about £270 - unless its reduced the mongoose is beter VFM
    Roadie with an MTB

    www.cyclestuff.org.uk
  • Father FaffFather Faff Posts: 1,176
    THe Vulcan is £225 at Halfords at the moment. The original poster said the only store near him he knew was Halfords. He has asked if there are any other shops in the West Midlands area but no one has responded. There must be some decent LBSs down there?
    Commencal Meta 5.5.1
    Scott CR1
  • Father FaffFather Faff Posts: 1,176
    edited November 2007
    Here's a short review of the Vulcan....

    http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/categ ... n-07-27707
    Commencal Meta 5.5.1
    Scott CR1
  • pdrolopdrolo Posts: 127
    West Midlands - where I live theyre are loads of bikes shops - halesowen cycles and Fred williams in wolverhampton are two I use - mainly for road bike stuff thoiugh.

    Have a look at decathlon - at Merry hill - they have a full suspension MTB for £300 - and it has got good reviews - for £300 - I would say it comes down to

    Mongoose Tyax Elite
    Carrera Vulcan
    GT Avalanche
    Rockrider (Decathlon)
    Roadie with an MTB

    www.cyclestuff.org.uk
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