Just how bad are ‘Apollo’ bikes from Halfords?

I’ve been tasked with finding a bike for my niece. She’s about 5ft 8 and 14 years old.

My sister has only got a £200 budget and normally that would be fine because you could get something decent secondhand. But no so at the moment.

Was hoping Decathlon might have something but nothing really hits the mark.

Needs to be something with straight bars and a lower top tube as my niece has slight balance issues due to a minor disability.

Any thoughts? The Apollo bikes are in budget but guessing they will be horribly heavy and plasticky components etc

The Apollo bikes are in budget but guessing they will be horribly heavy and plasticky components etc

You guess correctly. Anything you spend on one buying it, will have to be spent again in pretty short order fixing stuff that was never fit for purpose, especially if she uses it a lot.
Might not be so much of an issue if it’s only going to be used occasionally

It’ll get used quite a bit – but has the added challenge of being in Portsmouth. Which means it’ll rust up quickly…

Ok, I’ll go against the prevailing opinion here.

If it’s a fully rigid bike it’ll be perfectly serviceable. Yes, it’ll offend your stw sensibilities (mine too) but it’ll do the job. Give it a thorough PDI yourself (you’ll be their bike mechanic from now on anyway…. Just like when you sort a friend or families PC, you become free tech support for life) Unless the 14 yo is into “real” off road riding it’ll be just fine.

On top of that, you have limited choice, it was even on the beeb yesterday…. Bikes are THE thing this Christmas. Get one whilst you can, Apollo or not!

Anything you spend on one buying it, will have to be spent again in pretty short order fixing stuff that was never fit for purpose, especially if she uses it a lot.
Might not be so much of an issue if it’s only going to be used occasionally

Thats just bullshit. I had an appollo at uni as my leave anywhere bike.

Was it heavy? Oh yes. Especially the “suspension fork”

Was it cheap? Definitely.

Did it fall apart all the time? Did it ****. Yes you had to adjust the breaks and the cup and cone bearings in the wheels where rough as from the get go.

But it worked and stopped just fine*. It performed all the major functions of “a bike”. I didn’t have to replace anything on it other than tyres.

* Once set up.

bought Mrs P an Apollo Elyse step-through comfort/town bike and it was stable, reliable, rolled well, had enough alloy parts to not worry about rust (with careful maintenance of the few steel bits) and most of all she loved it and felt confident riding it on back roads and light trails/paths.

I wouldn’t say all Apollo bikes/models are equal, and I wouldn’t have bought it without checking it over twice. I was actually surprised at how much new bike it was for the money (about £160 in a sale IIRC)

Keep an eye on Facebook marketplace, but you do have to be quick
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/184522783343819/

As a kid I had an orange Apollo Kaos (got it for my 9th birthday)
It lived outside its whole life, and apart from repairing punctures never had and maintainance
Had it for 3 years and it was only replaced after i crashed into a parked car and broke it

If going cheap avoid suspension and disc brakes. This is where most of the weight comes from.

If she uses it a lot hope she grows quickly so she needs a new bigger bike sooner rather than later.

The biggest problem with cheap bikes is when you need to service them.  A new wheel, tyre and brakes can be 33% of the original purchase price. Parents are always shocked when they get the bill 🤣

Did it fall apart all the time? Did it ****. Yes you had to adjust the breaks and the cup and cone bearings in the wheels where rough as from the get go.

All the ones I had to fix, while working at Halfords, did. Stuff didn’t always need replacing, but the labour costs of repairing soon add up. Not an issue if the owners are competent mechanics, but not everyone is, obvs

My sister bought an Apollo Elypse a few years ago, it was an absolute tank, but if got her about on short sub 5 mile trips including commutes by train. However, it became uneconomical to repair after ~3 years, after having a hard life including being stored outdoors.

She replaced it with a ~£300 Carrera Crossfire 2 back around Feb this year, which isn’t much lighter, but the components are slightly better. I’m still baffled how it got me up Fforddlas and Hillside (that hits ~33%) in Prestatyn back in July, after my road bike freehub failed part way through a family visit.

I’m still baffled how it got me up Fforddlas and Hillside

Hahaa! I got lost there on a family visit trying to guess a way to Meliden/Dyserth. Was coming back from Landdulas via Prestatyn on a singlespeed MTB (P7). Ended up in a weird/nice little park up Hillside IIRC. I’d love to say that I winched it all the way 😎

Now if I’d had Mrs P’s 21spd Apollo…

Poopscoop and joshvegas +1, it’ll be fine.

It’ll be ok, but a PITA to setup the brakes etc.

If things are still as they were in my student-job days of building these things, the quality of Raleigh bikes were streets ahead of the other brands at that price-point.

It might also be worth looking at your local shops own-brand. Edinburgh Bike co-op ones used to be pretty good.

If they are anything like they used to be, they are so heavy they will noticeably alter day length across the globe due to their mass.

i found this
https://winstanleysbikes.co.uk/ridgeback-serenity-26-inch-2020-girls-bike

Would a carera hardtail work? One sold earlier today on a local Facebook group for £175. Cable brakes but perfectly capable.

A mate had an Apollo Creed when I was at school. Awesome name. Bike was a bit pants.

Another ex-Halfords ‘mechanic’ here! The trick is to avoid the bikes that have suspension, especially at the rear. Go and have a look at them in person by yourself if you can and it’s easy to spot the models that are actually solid, if a little heavy, bikes for the money. At £200 I’d avoid any disc brake models and go for ones with metal V’s or if it does have discs get one with the Tektro brakes, they are not terrible once set up correctly.

Although saying all that it looks like the only real choice (online at least) is the Apollo Jewel which has a properly crap suspension fork!

It’ll probably be fine.

I had an Apollo Equito when I was a uni.  A mate I was at uni with worked at a Halfords and got me a deal.

I used it to commute to my first work placement every day,  then to uni most days,  then took it to Bavaria for 6 months and cycled all over the body place on it.

In my final year it got nicked from the bike shed,  which I was gutted about.  The only thing that went wrong in the whole time i had it was a branch bent the rear mech while in a Bavarian forest.

But I suppose it was a simple bike – 21 speed I think with canti brakes and rigid forks.

Go for the simplest thing possible and it’ll probably be fine.

In my experience it is often worth replacing the brakes with entry-level Shimano v-brakes or similar. Usually simpler to adjust and more reliable braking.

When I was a kid I had all manner of shit bikes. Would I take them to a trail centre, probably not. Did they last for years without any kind of mechanical tinkering ever..yep. I severely doubt a rigid Apollo bike is any worse than a raleigh grifter from 1980, and those bad boys were indistructable.

I’d personally avoid anything remotely resembling suspension however, and prob worth giving it a once over before it’s ridden, if my exp of halfords bike to work purchases are anything to go by.

I had a Raleigh Grifter and bent the forks on my second kerb hop…..still devastated.

I also had one at uni in Sheffield, way back when in 2005. It was one of the really fugly full sus bike shaped object ones that had a mechanical disc brake on the front and v brakes on the back. Cost £129 brand new in one of their sales.

It was a great means of transport but as others have said, needed constant fettling and weighed an absolute ton. I think they would do for kids / teenagers who just need something to ride to the shops / mate’s house but I would argue that Halford’s Carrera range is the absolute minimum entry point for something that one could consider a worthwhile investment.

It’ll get used quite a bit – but has the added challenge of being in Portsmouth. Which means it’ll rust up get stolen quickly…

Google suggests there are three community / charity bike projects near Portsmouth. See what they have?

As your in Pompey id take a trip to Portsmouth Cycle Exchange and see what they have 2nd hand for £200

They have been selling 2nd and new bikes in Portsmouth for over 40 years and its where most students go for their bikes when they first start Uni

whats she going to use the bike for, if its just pootling around paths then maybe this would do the trick:

step through frame, but that sounds like it might be a good thing.

Ladies Bike | in Portsmouth, Hampshire | Gumtree

Thanks guys – some useful tips there. I’d do the secondhand option if I could see a bit more of the bikes but a bit tricky with those charity schemes as it’s more of a ‘what’s there on the day’ and I don’t think my sister is very confident (and I live in tier 3 Kent so can’t help…)

My nephew had a hardtail MTB Apollo, can’t remember the model, we gradually upgraded it with bits from my parts bin.
The aluminium frame was actually pretty good, quite lightweight and had really tough paint, the worst parts were the “suspension” forks and the super heavy solid steel cranks & bb, basically everything apart from the frame and rims was made of steel and it weighed around 40lbs which for a kid’s bike is not much fun.
For the price they’re ok but for £200 you’d be better off getting a BMX or rigid single speed.

She’s lucky to have your knowledge on bikes to call on. If you want to help I’d use it to procure a quality second hand bike.

As mentioned, Facebook and gumtree are good options.

Kids bike price = Apollo.

A kid can abuse an Apollo or a Santa Cruz in the same amount.

Likely to be just stolen = Apollo

Chucked in the bike shed at school = Apollo

Chucked in the shed at home = Apollo

I had Apollo bikes for my kids, and for the price and use good value.

No major dramas to the 3 that we had.

True, they need a bit of careful setting up before using, but hey ho, use your bike mech skills.

Dont get one with suspension front or rear, change the ‘chunky’ tyres for something more suitable on tarmac.

Get some grease down the seat tube, and the steerer stem for future preventative maintenance.

Good to go.

Apollo Cosmo looks OK, no suspension. In budget.

also check out Guildford bike workshop; https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/bikeprojectsurrey

If it helps out I live there and could pick up for them and arrange to meet somewhere; it’s about 40 mins to Portsmouth depending whereabouts they are so could eg meet someone at Liphook services?

Thanks @theotherjonv – that’s extremely kind of you. Had a look on there and can’t see anything quite right. Given most people have actually been a bit more positive about Apollo bikes I think i light give one a go. The Apollo Theia looks pretty good. Despite saying it has front suspension(?) it doesn’t appear to and it’s under £15kg. Which, whilst a bit hefty, is lighter than my wife’s town bike. Also seems to come with mudguards which will be a bonus

Forks: Rigid steel fork with Apollo suspension forks for durability and comfort

This is how the forks are described on the spec…Confusing?!

Weight is the big issue for kids, especially if they aren’t particularly athletic. My niece had a BSO at the same time as my kids had Isla bikes. She used their bikes whenever she got the chance…

That Theia weighs the same as a full size Orange 5 for example.

Confusing?!

No, sales pitch. Designed to fool the unknowing.

Weight is the big issue for kids,

It really isn’t. Not for a bike for just pootling around on. This bike isn’t intended to be used for whatever we use bikes for.

We overthink what a bike is when recommending budget options. I’m as guilty as anyone else btw (daughter has a barely used 25lb hardtail)

Hi Chris. I have my son’s DMR (think it’s a Trailstar) that is hanging up in the garage, unused for several years. It’s a 14” frame (i think) with a Rockshox fork and V Brakes rather than discs. Does that sound of interest at all? I can send pictures and you’re welcome to come and look at it. Let me know and I’ll DM you. Not sure what it’s worth but not looking for much.

(EDIT: I’m in Maidstone)

Thanks @tenfoot – that’s kind of you but think it may be a bit small for her. But if it’s easy enough for you to send some pics it’s worth taking a look. I’m guessing it’s quite light compared to the Halfords jobbies