Apollo FS 26 Mountain bike reviews

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Apollo FS 26
★★★☆☆
3.1
59.0% of users recommend this
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  • Value For Money

Apollo FS 26 Summary

Apollo is the UK’s best-selling bike brand, stocked by Halfords which means 1 in 3 of the bikes in the UK are made by Apollo. Apollo Cycles also make Kids' bikes, Road bikes, and Mountain bikes which come with full dual suspension, and range in price from £100-250.


These are bikes which are at the cheaper end of the scale, so expect them to be heavy, especially with the dual suspension. Regular riders look down at the Apollo range for its cheaper components, but many thousands of second-hand owners have enjoyed these bikes for many years, often for only 10s of pounds.


Reviewers said of the Apollo FS 26 bike that it “had been great”, that the disk brakes were “powerful”, and that it is a “tough, smooth, well-made and beautiful bike.”


To note, the pedals on this Apollo 26-inch mountain bike are low to the ground.


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Latest Reviews

“Another Classic Apollo bike”

★★★★★

written by Swompy on 25/05/2023

I have just acquired one of these secondhand. I am fast becoming an avid collector of Apollo's - Halford's own brand. Keep in mind Halfords have been procuring bikes since 1930 so they must have been doing something right and have a reputation to uphold. T I'd delighted with this Apollo FS26. Being secondhand there was a bit of remedial work to be done so it is road -ready, but now it is a solid durable reliable workhorse to take its place alongside others in the Apollo family. Yes Apollo are not the lightest of bikes but being steel made you can be assured of a strong frame that's not going to breakup

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“Value for money”

★★★★☆

written by FumioNorway on 19/11/2020

It is a great value for money. The first thing I noticed about this bike is that the suspension is soft, compared to the other bikes I have ridden. The attempt of cycling it over a small flight of stairs was proved successful. the Apollo FS.26s is a tough, smooth, well-made, and beautiful bike.

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“12 years of reliable cycling”

★★★★☆

written by Sincerec124 on 02/07/2019

I have had this bike 12 years, over that time it has taken some abuse. I have replaced brake levers with Clarks metal short leavers so you can break with 1-2 fingers. Suspension is terrible, it is like a pogo stick although now the front forks don't really work that well anymore and the back coil had worn out and couldn't be replaced. I went to Halfords and they were really helpful and just took one off a cheap bike as generally the bike isn't supposed to last that long. I have had a new back wheel, three bottom brackets and new tyres but it refuses to die. I have done 30 miles in one go many times on this bike and often that is off road, very light trails but for a laugh I have taken it on red routes and definitely just falls to bits, so don't try! I also use this bike for short 1-2 mile trips to the shops and pull a childrens trailer with it. I must of spent £70-80 fixing it over 12 years on top of the £89 it cost new so I would call that good value. Some of these cheaper bikes are actually have fairly strong frames. I would get a cheap rigid and upgrade wheels, bottom bracket and brakes and you actually have a good work horse on the cheap.

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“Not good”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 21/12/2013

I ordered one of their bikes, and it is having the same problems. I return to the store to be fixed, and after a few days fixed, the bike still breaks! Same thing always, same problem. Honestly, dont waste you money buying it!

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“Dangerous, unreliable and money muncher ”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Jakeybrakey on 13/12/2013

Since having this bike, both wheels have buckled! Rear cog fell off of the wheel, which caused me to swerve into oncoming traffic! Brakes have failed when I have needed to stop and they need adjusting far too many times! Runners round the suspension folks don't stay in place very annoying! This bike may look the part but trust me it isn't! It's a death trap!

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“Not to bad”

★★★☆☆

written by Tuds82 on 12/01/2013

Not a bad bike but not the best. Bought mine years ago and just started riding properly for work. Like most people I have replaced a bit , bottom bracket , brakes grip shift etc but I know people that have spent 4 times as much on a bike and needed to replace things in a similar time frame. I do admit that the stuff I do replace I spend a little more on better quality parts. Think the gears slipping is a common problem with bad chains and cogs again I have now replaced these with good quality ones. Would recommend spend that little big more on a bike but as I use mine just for in and out of work it's ok cheap and cheerful

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“Bought an Apollo FS.26 in 2011 and it has been a great...”

★★★★☆

written by on 18/06/2012

I bought an Apollo FS.26s in a carboot sale in Spring 2011, for £41.My dad thought it is expensive, but I think it is a great value for money. The first thing I noticed about this bike is that the suspension is soft, compared to the other bikes I have ridden. The attempt of cycling it over a small flight of stairs was proved successful, and it absorbd large bumps well, but there is a minimum damage to one of the axles. The rider should take precaution of the suspension's limits. The 'Innova' tyres it came with provide excellent grip to both road and off-road. Extreme riding may wear them out faster than normal off-road tyres. The 'Shimano Tourney' gearbox, and the 'SRAM' twist grip, provide a smooth gear change. Also the 'Shimano' HG40 chain and the 7-speed freewheel provide a sharp response. However, the whole set must be properly maintained, ideally with an expert. There is a front disc brake, and a rear V-Type brake. The front is the 'Tektro' IO with a 160mm disc brake creates a powerful, but stable stopping power. The rear V-Type brake main components are made of metal. One of the most important points of the Apollo FS.26s is that the bike is well made. There is no feeling of any loose components or bike parts. The bike's framework is made of aluminium. It may be weaker than steel, but it would last longer. The bad points of the FS.26s is that the whole bike is heavy. It may be difficult to ride on a steep hill. The second point is that the pedals are low to the ground, and it may scrape the ground when the rider is turning. Overall, the Apollo FS.26s is a tough, smooth, well-made and beautiful bike.My final notification is that the bik must be properly maintained, to work at it's best.

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“Worst bike ever”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 08/06/2012

I bought this bike for my son and it has been nothing but trouble. In the time of ownership it has had 2 back wheels bearing failure not warping, complete front braking components, twist grips broken on 1-7, the main spindle in the rear wheel snapped in half, the brakes need constant adjustments, 2 new brake cables. Now some of these are to be expected but this bike is in the shed and has only had light use. I will never purchase any bike through Halfords ever again.

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Jakeybrakey's Comment

Written on: 13/12/2013

Sounds exactly like mine, my back cog fell off whilst riding in a cycle lane and pulled on the wheel causing me to swerve towards traffic! I have to constantly adjust the brakes, I'm now gonna have to take it back in as the crank has started banging so the bearings have gone in that now!

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“I have had bike/apollo fs26 for a 18 months now going...”

★★★★☆

written by on 01/04/2011

I have had bike/apollo fs26 for a 18 months now going to and from work, I purchased the bike from halfords,The good points are it's a tough bike on/off road,I have read the reviews of others I did have problem with the chain slipping off but that was due to my lack of knowledge applying oil on to the chain, so now I just simply use WD40(problem solved bike shop told me so),I also found changing gears tricky ,I found you've got to change gear at the correct speed and also turning the gear selector GENTLY!!(just as you would raising the clucth pedal on a car when changing gear),e.g going from 5th gear to 4th gear or 3rd to 2nd gear. Changing from 4-5-6th gear down you can change the gear selector rapidly. I have manged to fit a pannier rack on the front fork, the only bad points are the bike is heavy and seat is uncomfortable, so may upgrade front forks & seat soon.enjoy cycling everyone

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Guest's Comment

Written on: 23/06/2011

I find this bike to be good on and off road, but is a heavy bike, again when wet or sweating the twist grip gears are hard to change.does any one know how to raise the handle bars?

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“I got my Apollo second hand for £50 so I could try...”

★★★★☆

written by on 10/02/2011

I got my Apollo second hand for £50 so I could try commuter cycling without shelling out £100's. I've ridden it to and from work for the last 8 months through all weather, covering 50 miles a week on road and cycle path.

I've had a few problems (chain snapped, bottom bracket broke after about 1500 miles, re-tuned gears, replaced tyres it came with) but for the money this continues to be a great bike. Spent about £74 to keep it running but it's saving me over £100/month in petrol...and I'm never stuck in traffic!

It is what it is - a decent cheap bike, but I've found it a joy to ride. Especially since I changed the tyres for some Schwalbe Land Cruisers ;)

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“i got this bike to goto and from work on, after a...”

★★★☆☆

written by on 22/01/2011

i got this bike to goto and from work on, after a couple of days the gears nedded adjusting, as kept getting jammed and slipping.
i have had the bike 8 months and had 2 brake cables snap, bottom bracket bearing replaced, seat replaced front forks replaced ( was told they cant get my forks anymore so i ended up with sr suntour.)after 6 weeks the rear brakes worn out.
so all in all it is a pretty bad bike. it is very heaving like trying to cycle a block of flats uphill.

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“i know alot of people have put this bike down but i...”

★★★★☆

written by on 17/09/2010

i know alot of people have put this bike down but i think if you want a bike that lasts and extremely cheap get this i use it mostly for bike rides but some off road i have to say it copes well on both the suspension makes it extremely comfortable but it is very heavy i am getting a road bike soon but if you want off road and a strong bike this is the one for you :D

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“My best friend has one ,and i've got to say it has...”

★★★★☆

written by Reviewer 13 on 31/08/2010

My best friend has one ,and i've got to say it has made me want to get one badly!I think the fs26 is a great,awesome,strong bike and i'm saving up for one:] I always die to get a shot of his bike . I have to honest but i don't think there is anything i don't like about the fs26 Apollo mountain bike and i am dieing to get my hands on it!!!!!!!!!

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“I abandoned my FS26. Both pedals snapped, the brake...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by DracNoc on 07/08/2010

I abandoned my FS26. Both pedals snapped, the brake levers repeatedly jammed, and I could never manage to align the gears correctly.

The steering was soft at best, you certainly feel no feedback from the road and it suffered corrosion at levels I've never seen before on a bike.

Overall, the FS26 contains every bad element you would never want to see in a bike.

In the end, it was unceremoniously dumped at a municipal tip. I walked home.

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“i purchased this bike about a year ago as it was very...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Dingoes on 19/07/2010

i purchased this bike about a year ago as it was very cheap from halfords but i soon regreted it. the left pedel broke of in the first 30 days whcih i had them replace, but i also found the tyre treds where so knobbly that on roads the bike seemed to vibrate. also the bike drifted to the left if free wheeling. as others have mentioned the bike is very heavy. making it more hard work than it should be to cycle anymore than short distances. i no longer have this bike. spend a little more money and get somthing better.

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“I have owned my 'Apollo FS26s' for two years now and i...”

★★★★☆

written by on 13/06/2010

I have owned my 'Apollo FS26s' for two years now and i am still very pleased with it. I have not used it everyday but it has seen its fair share of road. I have recently changed the brake levers as the old ones were damaged in a fall and i have changed the pedals out of choice. Halfords were very good when i asked them how i should fix it and they talked me through it nicely. The bike does need work from time to time and i have spent just under £40 on it in two years, this is incredibly good value for money as i know people who have spent £200 in a few months on bike repairs. It is heavy but i don't mind it too much as i see it as an extra workout. Gears are temperamental and need to be used properly or else they will jump but proper use . I find bike maintenance fun so i do not mind tinkering with this bike. It is incredibly very fun to ride.

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“I bought this cycle from halfords the gears have been...”

★★☆☆☆

written by patrick the bold on 06/06/2010

I bought this cycle from halfords the gears have been the main problem because they can slip out of gear without warning.The cycle has been been put back to halfods several times to fix the problem but it is still occuring.The bike is strong and comfortable to ride but the gears are the main problem.I have only owned this bike for a few months.

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“Having read all the other reviews I was surprised no...”

★★★☆☆

written by on 01/06/2010

Having read all the other reviews I was surprised no one has mentioned the weight of this bike. It may have an aluminium frame but I suspect the tubing has been filled with lead!! The forks are steel as are the suspension arms. This makes the bike too heavy for any serious cycling on or off road. The brake calipers seized after 2 months, although Halfords did replace them. If you intend to do more than cycle to work and back I would suggest a lighter model. I have just purchased a Scott and its less than half the weight and is a similar price although I notice halfords are knocking the apollos out at a much reduced price now. Never worth the full price anyway.

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Markinn's Comment

Written on: 19/04/2020

So what is the weight actually?

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“igot this bike 3 year ago and it has been absoletley...”

★★★★★

written by scottygee on 28/05/2010

igot this bike 3 year ago and it has been absoletley fantastic ive only had to change the brake pads and one tyre(punctre).it was great value for money and ecellent suspension.

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“To start with i wrote a review for the Halfords...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 09/05/2010

To start with i wrote a review for the Halfords website giving it 1/5 stars and they did not publish it!

Had this bike for 3 months and nothing but problems: front fork begin to squeak and gears would slip out randomly when going up hill.

Also you are very limited with accessories that fit the bike.

Not to mention very poor customer service from Halfords with regards sorting the faults.In fact to directly quote the sales man in the Cribbs Causeway Bristol store:

'What. You cant expect such a cheap bike to be perfect?'

Hope this is of help in any decision making.

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Asked by Natashamccx on 26th April 2022 Report this content
Can a child seat be attached to this bike?

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Asked by Cyclistlucy291196 on 21st June 2015 Report this content
Can you raise the handle bats on this bike? Tried the screw on the top of the bars but doesn't work.

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