Project Bike #1 - Apollo Equipe

[zzpza]

I got this bike off Free Cycle as it was about to be skipped. And yes, it's that Apollo (as in Halfrauds).

The bottom bracket wasn't sealed, neither was the headset. Although the brakes were single pivot, they were allen bolt style and not nut. The weird handlebar mount shifters, crankset, front and rear mechs were all Suntour. There were no wheels and the chain was rusted solid. The handlebars looked like they were alloy, but on removing the bar tape, I found out they were steel with a tiny alloy sleeve for the section that doesn't get covered by the tape. This is what it looked like.

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'Alloy' bars

Head Badge
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Halfords Sticker
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I stripped the frame the same day I got it and started to phone powdercoaters. Once I found one that was the right price, off it went.

This is what it looked like when it came back. (Just checking the brakes fitted).

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Then the parts started to go on. Saddle, seat post and headset.

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Wheels, stem, handle bars, brakes and brake cables were next.

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There had been a bit of 'over spray' on the thread of the BB, so I had to use some Nitromors and a pointy screrwdriver to clean the thread out. A brass wire brush helped here too. Then the sealed BB and NOS Campy front mech went on. (I also bought a work stand too! No more sore back. )

Then a Shimano rear mech that I had and a 2nd hand Campy Veloce triple I picked up off eBay were added. Closely followed by gear cables and cable ends.

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The some final tweeking and the computer was installed.

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All done. I went out on a test ride to my usual photo place - a ruined church.

Enjoy... (Bigger pix)

I'm pretty pleased with the result.

Next project - Raleigh Sensor...

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[Steve Austin]

You've done well there!!

Looks very nice indeed

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Looks fantastic, a recycled bicycle !

 

[Toshiba Boy]

That's a great job, both the bike and the set of photos, showing the ugly duckling to swan transformation

 

[MacB]

very nice, if I may ask, where and how much for the powdercoating?

 

[zzpza]

thank you all for the kind words. the frame and fork were dipped (to remove stickers, paint and any rust) then phosphated (anti-rust coating) and finally powdercoated for the grand total of £35. the company that did the work are called chingfords in slough. www.chingfords.co.uk

i went out for the first proper ride on the bike today. i'd forgotten what it felt like to ride steel. very nice and smooth, with a little spring. i normally ride an aluminium frame with carbon forks and rear triangle. the ride quality on this was every bit as good.

excluding the wheelset (which i already had) i worked out that the bike cost £120. i already has a lot of the parts, those i didn't came off eBay, usually as 2nd hand. here's the parts list...

Campagnolo Xenon Hubs
Campagnolo Veloce Cassette
Campagnolo Veloce Triple Crankset
Campagnolo Xenon Ergo Levers
Campagnolo Front Mech
Campagnolo Veloce Cableset
ITM Stem
Deda Drop Bars
Mavic Bar Tape
Mavic Computer
Mavic CXP22 Rims
Vittoria Roma Tyres
Shimano 105 Headset
Shimano Sora Brakeset
Shimano Rear Mech
Shimano SPDs
Shimano Chain
Selle Italia XO Saddle

 

[MacB]

ta ZZ, have just e-maile Chingfords to get a quote....Al

 

[Adrian_K]

that is _really_ impressive. I thought power coating was alot more expensive than that.

 

[just jim]

Very nice indeed - makes me think differently about Apollo bicycles.

 

[Aperitif]

Brilliant effort with a great result. Well done! 10/10

 

[zzpza]

that is _really_ impressive. I thought power coating was alot more expensive than that.

the first place i phoned wanted £200 to do the same work. it pays to shop around. i phoned about five places in the end.

Very nice indeed - makes me think differently about Apollo bicycles.

the frame was actually the best part of the original bike by a long way. even though it was from the 80's, it had a 135mm OLN and allen brake mounts. the similar vintage raleigh sensor that i got at the same time has the older style nut brake mounts and the older style 120mm OLN. now the apollo is built up, it is surprisingly light - about 8kg on my scales. not bad for any bike, let alone a hi-ten steel one.

Brilliant effort with a great result. Well done! 10/10

thanks!

 

[Tel]

8kg! You sure??? My Ultegra 531c is 10kg...

Anyway that was a fine transformation, and you certainly have a good eye for aesthetics.

If you haven't binned them already you could try selling those "weird handlebar mount shifters" on Ebay. They were only cheap at the time, about £25 I think, but were favoured (at the time) by many tourers over the bar end shifters as they were located at the brake lever so no need to move your hands to change gear, a very crude STI system really (Suntour were always behind). Anyway I think they're fairly rare which could be a good or a bad thing but if you get a lot for them then I'll sell the set I've got kicking about

So whats the plan for the sensor? I notice yours is missing the built in computer that it was aptly named for, shame I doubt there are many that still have that...

 

[palinurus]

Neat!

 

[zzpza]

8kg! You sure??? My Ultegra 531c is 10kg...

yep. my scales read 8.3kg. i was surprised as well. admittedly they are bathroom scales, but with my claud butler vicenza (8.1kg - alu and carbon frame, carbon fork) they feel about the same to me. but the apollo has no bottle cage, bottles or saddle bag. the claud butler does. it may be that it's not hi-ten. that was my guess due to it being an apollo. but the quality, design and features of the frame are significantly more advanced that i would have expected, so it's possible it may be something more exotic.

Anyway that was a fine transformation, and you certainly have a good eye for aesthetics.

thank you

If you haven't binned them already you could try selling those "weird handlebar mount shifters" on Ebay.

they went into the spares box. i might see how well they scrub up, thanks.

So whats the plan for the sensor? I notice yours is missing the built in computer that it was aptly named for, shame I doubt there are many that still have that...

i'm thinking of a winter / wet weather fixie with full guards. i'm going to give the stem and bars a go with a polishing mop.

i'll post another thread once i've finished it.

Neat!

 

[Tel]

they went into the spares box. i might see how well they scrub up, thanks.

Well if you do list 'em make sure they're listed Worldwide, there's a set here selling in the States http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUNTOUR-7-SPEED-ACCUSHIFT-ROAD-BIKE-SHIFTERS-NEW_W0QQitemZ110374043854QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCycling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item110374043854&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Suntour-Comma...14&_trkparms=72:1688|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318