Apollophiles - The Apollo Appreciation Thread

[gordowilso]

That should read "Woolys Wheels" (I think). Bought a jersey there in 1989 before a Gong ride.

[sunho]

Nah I think it was serviced there by the previous owner..

It's weird, was talking to a vintage bike expert and he looked at it and said without a doubt, apollo kuwahara. I guess I'll never know....

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

[sunho]

The only other "clue" that i have is the headsets all say Tange Industries Ltd..

[rangersac]

Found this one today in a second hand furniture shop of all places (they also had a IV but wouldn't let it go ). It's an '81 Kuwahara build that's in pretty reasonable nick, paint not too badly scratched and decals mostly intact. So I grabbed it, deciding that instead of just looking and wishing it's about time I started getting dirty!



It has an interesting grab bag of components on it which indicate it had an upgrade/ rebuild somewhere along the line. Front wheel is Araya laced to a Sunshine hub, whilst rear is a Ukai rim laced to a Suzue hub. Rear mech is a Suntour LePree whilst front is a Shimano unit seemingly free of anything that identifies it. Suntour Power lever friction shifters, cranks are Sugino, whilst at least the bottom of the three chainrings (triple obviously fitted later as well) is a 28t biopace ring. I'm not too sure about the top two as I can't find anything identifiable. Brakes are diacompe, as are the levers which have the quick release flip out sections.







I got it with the idea of doing a modernisation on a retro frame job, partly because I think it would make a nice fast commuter/ light tourer, and also because I'd like the learning experience. However before I start ripping bits off, I thought I'd ask the question of those way more in the know than me whether it's worth preserving any of the components?

Thanks in advance

[ldrcycles]

Wow that rear derailleur is a seriously cool find! I've seen a few of those Shimano FDs, i think they were just what they would call 'non-series' nowadays, just a cheap generic thing that would go with anything rather than being specific to a groupset.

Disraeli gears is pretty critical of the 3 pulley wheel SunTour stuff so maybe that would be better to replace with say a VX GT or an Honor. If it was me i would keep the SunTour friction shifters, i have them on one of my bikes along with Cyclone derailleurs and it works extraordinarily well, it's a pleasure to use.

[sunho]

I think it is a numbered apollo. I have Suntour Symmetric shifters on a 1983 Apollo IV. We need a serial no. Bottom of seat tube (non-drive side) or on bottom bracket shell.

Lol sorry provided the wrong number... I must be going mad...
M2J43041

[rangersac]

Disraeli gears is pretty critical of the 3 pulley wheel SunTour stuff

Heheh, it seems Disraeli objects to the aesthetic rather than the functionality! Whilst it's an over engineered solution to the problem I have to say that it certainly does the job well, and you could wrap a stupid amount of chain with it! I also think the overall look is really cool in a retro mechanical sort of way. The two jockey wheel cage at the bottom looks rather elegant to my eyes.

[gordowilso]

The only other "clue" that i have is the headsets all say Tange Industries Ltd..

Sunho the headsets on both my Kuwahara Apollos (1979 Apollo III Serial No. 79 07 33620 and 1980 Apollo III Serial No. 80 11 64122) are marked "Kuwahara Cycle".

[sunho]

The only other "clue" that i have is the headsets all say Tange Industries Ltd..

Sunho the headsets on both my Kuwahara Apollos (1979 Apollo III Serial No. 79 07 33620 and 1980 Apollo III Serial No. 80 11 64122) are marked "Kuwahara Cycle".

i checked all my headset pieces again and note: Tange - Falcon

Looks like it's probably a falcon or something.. interesting.
Anyway thanks for the info, looks like i posted in the wrong thread lol...

[gordowilso]

The only other "clue" that i have is the headsets all say Tange Industries Ltd..

Sunho the headsets on both my Kuwahara Apollos (1979 Apollo III Serial No. 79 07 33620 and 1980 Apollo III Serial No. 80 11 64122) are marked "Kuwahara Cycle".

i checked all my headset pieces again and note: Tange - Falcon

Looks like it's probably a falcon or something.. interesting.
Anyway thanks for the info, looks like i posted in the wrong thread lol...

Sunho I have a Tange Falcon headset on my 1983 NON-Kuwahara Apollo IV Serial No. AKF 15433 A.
Please have one more look at that serial no. I am hoping for one less numeral in the serial no. I think you may have a Centurion.

[jools]

I just checked the headset on my IV and it reads 'Best Fitting Headset - Nikyo Parts Co' - were all the IV's built by Kuwahara?

[gordowilso]

I just checked the headset on my IV and it reads 'Best Fitting Headset - Nikyo Parts Co' - were all the IV's built by Kuwahara?

Jools no. I have a NON-Kuwahara 1983 Apollo IV Serial No. AKF 16328 A. The serial no. is on the bottom bracket shell. The frame is Champion No. 5 Seamless P.G. Tubes (Tange Industries Ltd). It was sold by Ashfield Cycles.
It is a very light frame. I intend to rebuild it with modern stuff.

I also have a NON-Kuwahara 1983 Apollo III Serial No. AKF 15433 A. This bike is as heavy as all get out (Tange Hi-Tensile).

I have for some time now been attempting to identify the manufacturer of these AKF serial numbered frames. Could you please provide the serial no. of your IV. If it is a Kuwahara it will be on the non-drive side of the seat tube (just above the bb) and will read XX YY ZZZZZ. Ta.

[grantw]

. I think you may have a Centurion.

That's what I was thinking, I have a centurion frame which is very similar.

and @rangersac, that's a sweet III, I had a friend who had set his up very similarly, he did a lot of touring on it and I often wished I had trippled mine. Give it a new saddle and take the pie plate off but leave the rest alone.

[sunho]

Quite sad that I don't have a kuwahara frame...

Well, it still is a nice frame and lightweight!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

[gordowilso]

Quite sad that I don't have a kuwahara frame...

Well, it still is a nice frame and lightweight!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Sunho if it is a Centurion (and I need you to check the serial no. again) the tubing may be Tange Champion No.1 or Tange Champion No.2. If so you have quality frame. Even Tange Infinity or Tange Champion No.5 would be ok. My 83 Apollo IV frame is No.5 and it is as light as.

[jools]

Gordo, I've had a look for the serial number and it is very faint but I'm pretty sure the numbers are 81 - 03 - 58410 - does that give you any clues?

[gordowilso]

Gordo, I've had a look for the serial number and it is very faint but I'm pretty sure the numbers are 81 - 03 - 58410 - does that give you any clues?

Yep. Kuwahara frame No. 58410 manufactured in March 1981. The Kuwahara serial no. formats are pretty straightforward. Thanks Jools.

[jools]

That's good to know! Does the 58 in the 58410 refer to frame size or is that just coincidence?

[gordowilso]

That's good to know! Does the 58 in the 58410 refer to frame size or is that just coincidence?

Good question but no I think coincidence. My 1979 Apollo III is frame no. 33620 and my 1980 Apollo III frame no. is 64122.

[TedDancin]

Hey Team Apollo, I've decided the IV I picked up a few weeks ago is too small for me, so I'm going to put it up for sale in the Marketplace forum. If any regulars from here are interested to buy or trade, I'll give you first preference, would like to see it go to a good home.

[sunho]

Gordo,

Picked up an Apollo III the other day on fleabay...
The serial number on the left side of the seat tube says 78 -04- XXXXX

Did Apollo III's come out in 1978? seems a little odd.
Kuwahara headset
Shimano 600 arabesque cranks,
Shimano Tourney Centrepull brakes.
Altus shifters

so bloody heavy ii'm sure it's more hiten than anything.

[gordowilso]

Sunho

Yep that is a Kuwahara Apollo. I have a 1979 Kuwahara Apollo III. At an earlier stage the Apollos were badged "Mk I" "Mk II" "Mk III" "Mk IV".

[sunho]

The thing is built like a tank,
ill photo it up once i get it all scrubbed down.
the previous owned tidied it up quite well

[sunho]

1978 Apollo III
78-4-XXXXX

[singlespeedscott]

One of the nicest Apollo's I've seen. Did it come with the Brooks or did you add it as part of the clean up?