Apollo Transport folding e-bike overview

[@danielleinlondon6834]

I was expecting more. A demonstration of folding the bike and removing the battery for me is the basic in a ebike review.

[@DavidPaulNewtonScott]

Speak as you find I bought an apollo pace bike about 6 months ago it has been great. Saved me a fortune by getting rid of my car so I am going to but one of these.

[@BillyWu]

Great. I'm a big fan of bikes of all forms as a mode of transport

[@b_p_93]

Hi @BillyWu is there a way to unlock maximum power on this bike?

[@slbfiel8203]

Can I use this bike pedal free? As in I don't have to petal to move around

[@BillyWu]

Unfortunately not in the UK, where these ebikes are generally limited to peddle assist and 250 W max

[@danielleinlondon6834]

I came from Halfords and the attendant said that the 20 miles are if you use the assistance without pedalling on a flat surface with a favourable wind.

[@carold8308]

Why didn’t you fold it?

[@marky24uk]

Great video how much our the replacement batteries

[@BillyWu]

Replacement batter should be around £275 www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/electric-bike-parts/apollo-transport-battery-2019plus-196006.html

[@sonuvarghesemathew5627]

Hai how long we need to charge it for the first time before use?

[@BillyWu]

When the bike first arrives there is some charge in it. Maybe ~50%. So you can use it right away, However, to fully charge it this might take a few hours. From 0% it should take about 5 hours for a full charge, but from half way maybe about 2-3 hours.

[@andrewheale4738]

5.5hrs

[@traceyrogers5125]

Is this a good battery?

[@BillyWu]

Good question. Had the ebike for about 2 years now and still going strong. A little less range than original and suffers a bit when cold but overall still working reasonably well.

[@NimeshBassa666]

What about rain??? can the bike ride in rain?

[@BillyWu]

It can as I believe the connectors are somewhat waterproofed, but would imagine that overtime it might cause some issues

[@sarahhutchinson1428]

HI, Ive turned the key to remove the battery but it wont budge, can't slide it out at all' tried everything, any ideas ? Thanks.

[@iansingleton7484]

Can it be used in the rain

[@BillyWu]

Yeah seemed to work well in the rain but tried my best to generally keep it dry as over time I suspect it could cause issues

[@abhishekjoshi171]

Mate, i am thinking of getting this exact bike; after the use would you still recommend this bike? Keen to get a folding e-bike on a budget

[@BillyWu]

It's an OK bike. Reasonably well priced for a folding ebike though the folding mechanism itself isn't as good as a Brompton. It's a bit clunky when folded and really is just designed to be put in a car boot rather than being carried around. The e-assist is pretty good with 3 different levels. The frame is perhaps a little bit overly stiff so for long rides it can get a bit uncomfortable. Removable battery so you can take it out and charge it away from the bike. The brakes are a bit spongy but can probably be tightened with a bit of work and the steering is a little loose. 6 gears though you quickly max out the 25 KPH speed limit and when the motor is maxed out, the gearing is such that you don't have any resistance when peddling which I didn't like too much but that's a small thing. I mostly left it in max gear with the e-assist. Overall, reasonable ebike though many improvements could be made, though I say this having mostly rode on a Brompton for my commutes.

[@xxxxSylphxxxx]

As someone who had ridden one as a main form of transport for nearing 2 years I can offer an additional opinion: Many aspects of the bike are a little on the 'cheap side'. I'd only ever expect this when buying a bike at the lower end of the price range, and generally it's nothing like a big issue. By this I mean that the included bell broke within in the first month of two of use, one of the collapsing pedals came loose within the first 6 months (easily fixed on the roadside with a set of allen keys, and no further issues). After a year or so the plastic clasp in the central folding hinge broke, but again this wasn't a serious problem, fixed roadside with a little duct tape.) The battery has maintained perhaps 80% of it's original charge after a few years of use, which is astounding if I'm honest, and I wouldn't expect every customer to be so lucky! That being said, with a little electrical know-how 18650 battery packs like these can often be fixed for a very low cost if you have a voltmeter and a few 18650 batteries at hand (e-cigarette shops will sell you very high quality replacement cells). The most alarming issue that I've faced, though, is the wires that go into the motor, which have had their sheath worn away and been exposed to the elements for over a year for me now. If anything I'd say one should be impressed that this hasn't become a bigger problem, but fixing this requires quite a bit of work, know-how, and the correct replacement cabling, so it's a little unnerving, but this is a *very* common repair on ebikes, and it's hard to own an ebike without facing the problem at some point. There's a video detailing the repair process here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaHKdZR7rJWEe6M . All that being said, I've done *hundreds and hundreds* of miles on this thing over the last few years. For short distance journeys it's absolutely perfect, and for longer journeys the folding feature is a godsend on trains or buses. I'd additionally note that you can fold the centre of the bike, but leave the handlebars intact, and doing to allows you to sling the bike handlebars over your shoulder to very easily carry the weight of the bike effortlessly (I'm an average height woman and I don't struggle. Guys or tall women would likely find this shoulder-slung technique effortless). For the price I paid it's saved me more than it's value on car insurance alone, so I really can't advise the bike enough. Just be aware that the components are on the cheaper side and will wear out over time (although, to be fair, ebikes all suffer from this problem, and there comes a point where you have to decide between fixing things yourself, or paying people lots of money to do so! I kinda like the self-sufficient approach!)

[@danielleinlondon6834]

You should be the one on the video 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@peterfitzsimonsisawesome]

@@xxxxSylphxxxx I’ve got the same bike for about 5 years and this is terrific summation. It’s definitely more on the cheap and cheerful end of the e-bike spectrum and it’s range is dismally low, that said if your doing short hop commutes, it’s surprisingly good, easy to ride and store. Would I buy it again, definitely not, am I glad mine is still going, absolutely.

[@xxxxSylphxxxx]

@@peterfitzsimonsisawesome Totally agreed (except the bit about not buying one again - I probably would if mine got crushed by a lorry or similar.) Though I've always leaned heavily towards the 'cheap/DIY' end of the spectrum. Previous to owning this, I would buy second-hand mountain bikes from cash converters for about £35, strap a 50cc 2-stroke engine to them (~£90 ebay), and ride them until they fell apart! :) I gather you're considering or have moved on to a different bike now?

[@nicolabetts9504]

Where can I buy a replacement dashboard operator.... after 3 yrs the top cover has simply rotted,peeled of and now no longer works

[@janemckee]

Since yesterday when I turn my battery on it sticks on assist 3 and the red light flashs 🤷‍♀️ my bikes only about 2 months old

[@rdp8148]

Hi what happened here after? Did u get it replaced? And how is the long term review of it? Thank u

[@DmselaC]

Can you show me how to fold the bike please?

[@RsDrPowers]

He explained it in the video, with the clasps.

[@captaincasual2844]

How can I remove the limiter

[@iamreg1965]

That would make the bike illegal without official registration as a powered vehicle such as a moped or motorbike.

[@jaeyoungie]

Can you ride this in wet climates? Such as rain or over puddles

[@BillyWu]

Yeah, I've cycled with this bike in the rain before without problems. I don't think the manufacturer says anything specific about it but all the electrical components seem reasonably insulated. Where possible I would try to keep it dry though

[@nicolabetts9504]

I wouldn't, the tyres are so slippy, I've come off twice breaking ribs one time

[@samsoh93]

Brother its a folding bike and you didnt even fold it once

[@BillyWu]

Haha you're right. Bike reviews are not my strength clearly

[@yunusyusuf2321]

How long it listed the battery

[@BillyWu]

The battery is rated to 209 Wh and should provide about 20 miles worth of peddle assisted range but depends on a number of different factors such as weight, weather, route, power assist etc. Details can be found from suppliers website www.halfords.com/bikes/folding-bikes/apollo-transport-electric-folding-bike---20in-wheel-750855.html

[@jakswai3241]

Poor review