Apollophiles - The Apollo Appreciation Thread

[Paddles]

nyuk nyuk nyuk ............. i make no apologies for not dieting

[aroes]

Picked up a near mint Apollo I frame from axeman74 on the marketplace thread for $50 a while back

Going to start the build soon. Plan is to have it ready by the time I start uni (sememster 2) so I can use it as my commuter/daily/lock up and leave bike

I'll be sure to post the pics and details in this thread!

[Rormungous]

My 1980 Apollo III 27" single speed:

and my 1980 Apollo IV 27" 12 speed

A brace of Apollo's finest working class tar burners for 1980. I've gotta figure out how to post photos without cutting the end off.

What you have there Mister Paddles is the makings of one Apollo VII

[singlespeedscott]

One day I hope to find the elusive Apollo V with Suntour Superbe parts

[randyandy4]

bump

probably my favourite thread here. it could only come 2nd to a raleigh thread, which i dont think exists...

currently there are 4 apollos in the house, id be happy to see that go up to 5 if i ever stumble upon an apollo iv

got a saddle on my apollo iii, i like the aero levers, theyre gonna stay, they're suntour sprints, the shifter cables already run under the tape so the brake lever cables may as well do the same,



heres my mates apollo mixte, made in japan, not done yet



and a nice pink ladies apollo frame, theres a similar frame in yellow around too

[hazmat5765]

randyandy4, nice collection but that mixte is very nice, great blue colour.
Rob.

[Paddles]

Hey Scott, there was a complete Apollo V on evilbay a number of weeks back for around the $100 mark in Sydney at an auction house. Lucky I dont live in Sydney or I would have been tempted. There's still IV's out there occasionally too.

[hartleymartin]

bump

probably my favourite thread here. it could only come 2nd to a raleigh thread, which i dont think exists...

currently there are 4 apollos in the house, id be happy to see that go up to 5 if i ever stumble upon an apollo iv

got a saddle on my apollo iii, i like the aero levers, theyre gonna stay, they're suntour sprints, the shifter cables already run under the tape so the brake lever cables may as well do the same,

If anyone has a front rack just like this one that they would like to get rid of (or could be persuaded to get rid of), I'm looking for one for my Raleigh Royal.

[drubie]

I have an Apollo III sitting in the back of my Jeep at the moment, not sure what to do with it. Stickers say it's Tange "high tensile" single butted, although it feels relatively light. forged dropouts, Suntour Vx parts mixture with date codes that suggest 1980.

Wheels are araya rims on "sunshine" hubs with matching sunshine QRs. There is some damage to the seat tube where a previous idiot has tried to remove the stuck SR seatpost but I think it's fixable. Frame needs paint though and is probably a touch small for me.

Are the other Apollo III frames hi-ten? I was under the (mistaken) impression they were something a little better.

edit: Frame is made in Japan, but has "shimano" on the cable guides.

[thomashouseman]

I have an Apollo III sitting in the back of my Jeep at the moment, not sure what to do with it. Stickers say it's Tange "high tensile" single butted, although it feels relatively light. forged dropouts, Suntour Vx parts mixture with date codes that suggest 1980.

Wheels are araya rims on "sunshine" hubs with matching sunshine QRs. There is some damage to the seat tube where a previous idiot has tried to remove the stuck SR seatpost but I think it's fixable. Frame needs paint though and is probably a touch small for me.

Are the other Apollo III frames hi-ten? I was under the (mistaken) impression they were something a little better.

edit: Frame is made in Japan, but has "shimano" on the cable guides.

Feel free to drop if off at my parents place at Wauchope if you don't want it

[Paddles]

interesting drubie, i thought the III was chrome moly. the 1980 III came out with shimano components so maybe your one had a bit of an upgrade at some stage. the wheels are definitely not standard for 1980 either.

[drubie]

interesting drubie, i thought the III was chrome moly. the 1980 III came out with shimano components so maybe your one had a bit of an upgrade at some stage. the wheels are definitely not standard for 1980 either.

When I was staring at it before I picked it up, my guess was late 1970s - I always remember the Apollo bikes with Shimano. This one is Suntour 100% other than the hubs and the crank (Sugino rings, can't find the manufacturer on the crank and won't look until I can retrieve the bike in safety )

Perhaps the rear derailleur (with the WI code) was fitted later, but the shifters are clamp-on downtube Suntour, front derailleur is suntour etc. The wheels match which kinda leads me to believe they are original (and it sort of matches the flavour of a late seventies Japanese bike as per Sheldon Brown).

Makes a nice companion for the all-japanese Europa I have (which I think is about 1983 suntour arx). Kinda interested to ride it now, just have to organise a seat fix really. Will try to get some photos for this thread before I do anything too drastic, although I do plan to use the Kashimax saddle from the Europa since I fitted a rather more comfortable turbo '80 to that bike (i am sorry retro fans, the kashi is just too hard!)

[Lark2004]

I thought my III was Cr-Mo, at least in the main triangle. It weighed about the same as my Repco Superlight. No where near as heavy as the Gaspipe bike one of sons has

[Paddles]

either way drubie, it's still one very cool bike and well worth having a ride of it

[drubie]

either way drubie, it's still one very cool bike and well worth having a ride of it

I am failing hard on the seat post - some numpty punched it down right into the seat tube and it is *wedged*. I can't turn it, I have tried hot/cold/penetrene and nothing. It's currently soaking in alkaline salts trying to dissolve what's left of the post but the seat tube is cracked and I fear the frame is toast even if I get the post out.

[drubie]

I'd like to swear right now, but I won't.

I have cracked the seat tube even worse trying to get the post out. Frame is now, in my estimation, toast.

I've been handed a Malvern Star Superstar frame/fork that somebody had professionally (but, not greatly) painted. I'm seriously thinking about transferring all the good bits to the MS and building up something like the bike Cranky Jim has in the gallery (albeit with cotton tape and a cheaper seat). I know the MS frame isn't as nice as the Apollo but it seems like a perfect marriage to me.

[Cruiserman]

My 1980 Apollo III 27" single speed:





and my 1980 Apollo IV 27" 12 speed





A brace of Apollo's finest working class tar burners for 1980. I've gotta figure out how to post photos without cutting the end off.

Nice Naish aswell goes with the period, Robby was untouchable through the 80's.

[singlespeedscott]

Hey Scott, there was a complete Apollo V on evilbay a number of weeks back for around the $100 mark in Sydney at an auction house. Lucky I dont live in Sydney or I would have been tempted. There's still IV's out there occasionally too.

I live in Brisbane so I wouldn't of even known. I have had to many hassles trying to ship complete bikes inter state to have bid on it any way. There was a V advertised in the weekend shopper here a couple of weeks ago but the guy wanted $300. He must of sold it because it wasn't re- advertised. As for a IV, I have more than enough Shimano 600 Arabesque equipped bikes hanging in the shed as it is .

[talstails]

Hi, I'm just wondering which year would a black Apollo Jaguar racer be please? Secondly is the frame any good please?

The serial is A9C50 (covered up by cable guide) then 65 if that helps.

Thanks.

[munga]

jaguar = cheap stuff. basic high school bike.

[thejester]

Almost done, some bits still to add, but its rideable.
Apollo Eclipse

[ptsjpb]

Hi,

I had an Apollo from the early 80's. I think it was an Apollo III which I had set up for touring. It was gold in colour, had Shimano Altus gears and down-tube shifters. Unfortunately it got wrecked when my son used it for a paper round. I now want to set up a new bike for light touring, but would like to know the length of the chainstay on the Apollo. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone who has one of these is able to measure it for me.

[ldrcycles]

A mate gave me an early 90s Concorde with full 400EX exage a while back, only rode it once because it was way too small for me but OH it was the smoothest road bike in the world! Would love to find another one in my size just to feel that sweet ride again.

I said that in February last year, and what do you know!! A bloke from work has given me a 1994 Concorde with full 400EX and lovely Alessi concave black rims on shimano hubs IN MY SIZE (58cm), in return for fixing up his wife's early 90s Shogun Metro flatbar. It's in reasonable nick atm, just needs a good going over, i'll pop up some pics when it's all ready. Interestingly, the first Concorde i had (still have the frame) has a 'small' sticker on the front of the headtube, and is i think a 55cm, this one has a 'medium' sticker. Were people taller in the 90s or something? Seems very odd sizing to me.

Oh and last year sometime, i think around August maybe, i picked up a pastel pink Kuwahara made Apollo mixte from the tip, my gf loved it but by the time she saw it i had already sold it to a bloke who was going to restore it for his gf, i'll just have to find another one day .

[munga]

hmm been looking for one of those rims.
i also have a concorde (medium sticker), so the one rim i have must have been on that bike.

[stnfldr]

Dont know alot about apollos, but this would be a pretty decent one I think. Does anybody know the model?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-APOL ... 41617a45c0


Pretty nice, If it was in Sydney, I'd be tempted to get it myself.

Ben