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Apollo MK VI Road Bike

Old 09-21-12, 12:38 PM
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Turbo231
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Apollo MK VI Road Bike

Hello All,

I volunteered at a local rummage sale recently, they tend to sell quite a few bikes. One I came across is this Apollo MK VI. Since I'm in the market for a road bike and it fits, I brought it home to clean up and ride. I know a bit of Apollo from the forums here, but haven't seen much on the MK VI and not sure when my bike was built...an era would be nice. Pictures:



Head badge...the miscoloring is actually just some sort of heavy grease someone used to oil the headset I'm thinking. It does wipe off.


It's a steel bike but has AL wheels...and presta valves I'll have to figure out. It appears to have been from Edmonton...did check the serial number and it is clean.


Lots of Dura-Ace on this bike from Shamano...except for the shifters, which looks something customish.


Are these after-market? Shamano drivetrain with Sunpro shifters seems weird...Raleigh end knobs...from something else?


Shamano Crane derailer and 5 gears...two up front, also shamano.


Dura-Ace cranks and headset.



Its on 27 x 1 1/4 Norco tires with tubes with presta valves. Has Nitto Universiade 105 handle bars.

The frame serial number is on the bottom of the bottom bracket (seems most are on the seat tube?) and is M6K24 and 3 more digits.

Any info on this bike? Made in Japan and shipped in by Deeley as it has the little winged sticker on the seatpost. Would love the year. And yes...it is a Canadian unit, here in Alberta. Thank you for any information...have also posted on "The ultimate Apollo thread".
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Old 09-21-12, 01:06 PM
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That's the top of the line 1977 model, manufactured in Japan by Mikki. Many Apollo were made by Kuwahara, hence the difference in serial number format and location. As you state the bar end shifters are almost certainly aftermarket for the original Shimano Dura-Ace down tube shifters, as Shimano introduced their Dura-Ace bar end shifters for the 1977 model year. Additionally, the hubs have been relaced with 27" clincher rims replacing the orignal 700C tubular rims. This is evident from the high position of the brake pads in the calipers and was a common modification as many owners found tubulars too falt prone. That's a very nice acquisition, especially for a rummage sale!
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Old 09-21-12, 01:51 PM
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Thank you! That is very handy to know, I appreciate your knowledge.
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Old 09-21-12, 02:35 PM
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Very lucky! I've wanted a high end Apollo for a while , it seems to be a pretty common marquee in western Canada.
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Old 09-21-12, 03:59 PM
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It seems to me that fork is slightly bent, hope i am wrong....
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Old 09-21-12, 05:16 PM
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And how much was it?
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Old 09-21-12, 08:47 PM
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I purchased this bike and 3 others for $40. They wanted $25 but it was for a charity so I offered $40. I didn't know the road bike was worth much as it wasn't a name I knew off the top of my head, there was a nice Raleigh 3 speed ladies bike that was in great shape (hub is a S-A AW with a 1984 mark) which is what I was really buying, and a much poorer Norco single speed ladies and a Free Spirit ladies 3 speed which I'll restore eventually given time. I'll probably sell the other 3, but I've been wanting a road bike, I think this is the one for me, it's even my favorite color.

I volunteer there so we have first picks before the public. Last year the best bike there was a very used Huffy 3 speed ladies bike, I still have that one, my tall daughter likes to ride it.
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Old 09-21-12, 11:21 PM
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You did great while seriously rough cosemeticaly this is a great bike worth fixing up and keeping. The first generation Dura ACE stuff is worth a couple of times what you paid for the bike or more. Even in it's rough shape I could see the right buyer paying $150-200 as is fixed up all nice an pretty ready to ride $300-400 for this bike wouldn't be out of reason. Just clean it up and get everything working if it's your size you may just decide you want to keep it.
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Old 09-21-12, 11:29 PM
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Great find, the edmonton bike license dates to 1978 while the bike is a 77 and was probably sold at Western Cycle if it was a local sale.

Have seen a few of these in restored shape and they are rather beautiful, the da parts are great and the crane was used before the da group was a complete groupo.
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Old 09-22-12, 06:16 AM
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Actually, the Dura-Ace rear derailleur was available by the time this particular bicycle was manufactured. There are a few reasons why Deeley may not have spec'd it. First of all, it wasn't in black, second, it cost more and finally, they may have had leftover Crane stock.
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Old 09-28-12, 09:02 AM
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Does anyone one know an MRSP on this bike when it was new? It is currently 3rd in line for me to service and clean, I am for sure keeping this one.
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Old 09-28-12, 01:44 PM
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Originally Posted by T-Mar
Actually, the Dura-Ace rear derailleur was available by the time this particular bicycle was manufactured. There are a few reasons why Deeley may not have spec'd it. First of all, it wasn't in black, second, it cost more and finally, they may have had leftover Crane stock.
It is good to see you back.

Dura Ace became a complete group in 1977 and I can see a number of reasons why this bike was spec'd with the Crane instead of the new Dura Ace rear d... it would have saved a little $ to use an excess component and the Crane had earned a solid reputation as a finely made, high performance derailleur. Being that it was also available in black to match the rest of the black DA groupo is a plus on the aesthetic level.

If I was a buyer back in '77 I would not have seen the Crane as being a lesser derailleur... it had been a part of the DA group since '73 and the DA group was essentially built around the Crane series.

These bikes look fabulous when they are cleaned up... there is one here in Portland that looks like it is brand new.
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Old 09-28-12, 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Turbo231
Does anyone one know an MRSP on this bike when it was new? It is currently 3rd in line for me to service and clean, I am for sure keeping this one.
T-Mar probably knows the msrp... there is very little he does not know about Apollos.

Needless to say, this was not an inexpensive bicycle in it's day and if you tear it down you are going to be surprised by the lack of weight in the frame and fork.
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Old 09-28-12, 03:37 PM
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I almost forgot another reason to spec Crane over Dura-Ace, the 4T extra capacity. Looks like this model used all that extra capacity, based on the large cog size.

As for price, I was no longer selling Apollo by this time. However, based on comparably spec'd models of the era, it was almost certainly in the vicinity of $500 to $600.
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Old 06-29-14, 09:33 AM
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Hey, it seems like you guys are experts on old Apollos so I thought I would ask you a few questions if you don't mind. I was given a 77 MK VI with all original components. Shimano Dura Ace drive train with Campgnolo Record hubs with aluminum tubular rims. The components are in incredible shape, the chain basically has no wear. I'm a bike mechanic and have been servicing all the moving parts, I rebuilt the free wheel and hubs. BB etc, recovered the seat and put some new tubulars on. It's running well but the paint is faded, there are some scratches and there is a bit of pitting on the chrome stays and fork. I'm wondering if it's worth spending a couple hundred bucks to restore the frame. I'm already in 200$ in for the tires and seat, so
If I can fully restore the bike for under 500$ is it worth it? Should I try to match the original colour or can I change the colour with out losing its value? What would resale be like down the road if I decide to pick up another project? Any insight you have would be much appreciated! Thanks!
PS: I'm not sure how to do it on the forum, but if you would like to see some pictures let me know and I'll figure it out.
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Old 06-29-14, 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Turbo231
Thank you! That is very handy to know, I appreciate your knowledge.
We all appreciate t-mar's knowledge on this site.
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Old 07-22-14, 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Basement69
Hey, it seems like you guys are experts on old Apollos so I thought I would ask you a few questions if you don't mind. I was given a 77 MK VI with all original components. Shimano Dura Ace drive train with Campgnolo Record hubs with aluminum tubular rims. The components are in incredible shape, the chain basically has no wear. I'm a bike mechanic and have been servicing all the moving parts, I rebuilt the free wheel and hubs. BB etc, recovered the seat and put some new tubulars on. It's running well but the paint is faded, there are some scratches and there is a bit of pitting on the chrome stays and fork. I'm wondering if it's worth spending a couple hundred bucks to restore the frame. I'm already in 200$ in for the tires and seat, so
If I can fully restore the bike for under 500$ is it worth it? Should I try to match the original colour or can I change the colour with out losing its value? What would resale be like down the road if I decide to pick up another project? Any insight you have would be much appreciated! Thanks!
PS: I'm not sure how to do it on the forum, but if you would like to see some pictures let me know and I'll figure it out.
I have the 1977 model bike Fred Deeley sold me after the season finished. The dealer cost was $475 and the bike was outfitted with the complete Shimano Dura Ace Black while the Mk 6 sibling the Mk 5 was the same frame in light purple with the SunTour collection. Working at a bike shop at the time I had the Mk 4,5, and 6 from that year. I still have Mk 6 and just rode it this morning.
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Old 07-23-15, 10:02 PM
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I feel lucky to have found the same bike! Its not my size so ive decided to sell but it was a great project and really does ride great. I cant believe how light mine is at only 23lbs for such a big frame.

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Old 09-07-18, 02:18 AM
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Old 09-07-18, 02:19 AM
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Sadly, the one I found has faded quite a bit.
Love the Hi Flange Dura Ace hubs though.
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Old 07-08-19, 03:48 PM
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Snap! I also have an orange mkVI in near showroom condition. Mine has Shimano Dura Ace drive train with the crane creak rear derailleur, which I was told was due to Shimano still paying Crane for license.

Mine also has the Shimano AX center pull breaks similar to Delta Brakes and is near mint condition. Honestly its like this bike has been through a time portal! Here take a look.

I have seen two others in Vancouver but those were in poor shape. Mine still has the Cap bicycle store sticker on it.
D
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Old 07-09-19, 12:54 PM
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Originally Posted by englishbydesign
Snap! I also have an orange mkVI in near showroom condition. Mine has Shimano Dura Ace drive train with the crane creak rear derailleur, which I was told was due to Shimano still paying Crane for license.

Mine also has the Shimano AX center pull breaks similar to Delta Brakes and is near mint condition. Honestly its like this bike has been through a time portal! Here take a look.

I have seen two others in Vancouver but those were in poor shape. Mine still has the Cap bicycle store sticker on it.
D
Welcome to the forums. The standard rear derailleur on this bicycle was a Shimano Crane, which was the top Shimano derailleur up until 1977. It is in no way related to or licensed from the USA based component company (which is Cane Creek, not Crane Creek), as the Shimano Crane derailleur existed before the establishment Cane Creek. The Shimano AX Parapul brakeset is a replacement for the original Dura-Ace side-pull brakeset. The AX series Parapul brake design came out for the 1981 model year and yours is one of the entry level versions, below Dura-Ace AX and 600AX.
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