Thanks for watching. In the next few days, we will be posting a review of the new rear cog and our impressions of the bike after about 150 miles. Stay tuned.
Nice riding. Love the wide open spaces, the quiet and the smell of sagebrush in the air. My grandfather's farm was off of Foothill Road, above the Gardner canal. Growing up, we'd go out to help him with his chores and I spent a lot of time up there. He had quite a collection of old Cadillacs rusting away in one of his barns, and I learned to drive in his '52 Coupe deVille. Wish I still had that car!
Hey Todd. This time of year the sagebrush isn't as fragrant as it will be as it continues to get warmer. I'm also looking forward to that. For those of us that grew up in this area, that smell brings back a flood of memories. I wonder what happened to all those Caddys? I just don't see as many old cars in fields here like I did all those years ago, I guess they've either been rescued or crushed. Thanks for watching and for the great comment.
I think the Apollo would be better suited with upright bars. Thanks for a great video, a bit of an ad for Priority, but they are such nice people in that company, I enjoyed it. I have the Classsic Gotham Edition 3 speed and will be putting it into use as a Century bike this coming year. Good stuff.
Hey Frank, Thanks for watching BBB Adventures and for the comment. There have been a few people that have changed the Apollo to different bars and worked out how to change the gear shifter. We did change the stems on our bikes to get the bars higher and closer to the rider which we found to be very comfortable. Also, we actually prefer down bars to the stock bars on the Apollo worked very well for us. Hopefully you've had a chance to see The Apollo Mission episodes and see how well the bikes performed on our long distance touring across North America. We love the people at Priority, they were super helpful when we were updating our Apollos to be touring bikes. Also we ended The Apollo Mission at their Headquarters in NYC, which was a blast. Speaking of ads for Priority, we actually filmed one with them and you can see us on one of their ads on UA-cam. :) Good luck on your century rides on the Gotham! Thanks again for watching. Enjoy the Ride
Thanks for watching and for the comment. So far so good with respect to the Apollo and the Shimano Alfine internal gear hub. We really like the quiet and smooth ride experience the drivetrain delivers. For us the long life of the Gates belt and the near zero maintenance is a huge plus for the touring and bike packing we are planning.
Congratulations!! Super exciting. While difficult, the wait will be worth it. The Apollo is a really great bike. We'll keep posting updates on our experience and as we continue to make refinements to meet our needs for a well rounded touring bike. Enjoy the Ride
Great video. Thank you for making it. It seems the Apollo is a capable climber but, for longer climbs or when loaded down, the smaller cog may be necessary.
Hi Billy. Thanks for watching. The Apollo does seem like a capable climber but you right, a lower first gear will be good for long climbs loaded with bags. We did order the 26 tooth rear cog to replace the original 24 tooth cog. We'll be posting some videos about that and the hill climbing results. Stay tuned.
@@BBB_Adventures I just ordered my Apollo and asked if they could ship it with the easier cog. They said they couldn’t which is disappointing since the bike won’t ship for a few months. I think more people are interested in peddling up hills than down. Priority should welcome this feedback and adjust the product accordingly. I’m looking forward to your upcoming videos. Cheers!
Hey Eric, Thanks for watching BBB. We love getting comments and interacting with folks. The Apollo has a ton going for it. Great frame design, high quality components, low maintenance drive train and the for the price delivers high value. But I agree, not everyone is going to use them for the same purpose and we've received a lot of comments and interest in our effort to get the bike lower geared for climbing and touring. Perhaps Priority should offer two options in terms of gearing.
@@willandphiland I agree. Two things I have consistently seen in review videos of the Apollo are that people wish the gears were lower for easier climbing and a lot of people say the steering stem is too long for their "short" arms and that they had to swap it out for a shorter one. As common as these complaints are, you'd think Priority would let people do a little customizing when they first order the bike.
Quick question/comparison. You guys ride Specialized Diverge Bikes in New Zealand, I believe. Can you compare the Apollo vs the Diverge, from a gravel viewpoint. Speed, handling, weight, ride, overall ride experience. Thanks, Steve
Hey Steve, That's an interesting question and I'll take a stab at an answer. The Diverge bikes were set up more as road bikes with relatively skinny road tires and we didn't take them on any significant gravel or trails, only roads. In terms of major sub-systems, both the Diverge and Apollo have very competent disc brakes so it's the drivetrain that is really different. The Diverge had a traditional chain/derailer drive train with 2 front rings, I think it had Shimano 105. The internal hub based drive train on the Apollo is one of it's best features. Low maintenance, smooth, quiet and hopefully reliable for the long term. You do have to worry about gear range/ratio and for us that means spending some time and money optimizing the front and rear gear cogs. The other major difference is the frame and weight. The Apollo has an aluminum frame and the Diverge is carbon. The Apollo starts at about 24 pounds while the Diverge is about 21 pounds. We added fenders, racks, etc so our Apollos are pretty heavy now. The center of gravity of the Apollo is very different than the Diverge because the rear hub is fairly heavy, shifting the center of gravity back. The result is a different ride, not bad, just different. The riding characteristics of the Diverge were very similar to my Giant road bike while the Apollo feels different to me. I think the Diverge is probably "quicker" in terms of response but the Apollo has a much smoother ride. Overall, I prefer the Apollo because if it's smooth, quiet ride and I think the belt/hub drive train represents somewhat significant advancement over a chain drive. Let me know if you have any other specific questions. Also, keep in mind, we rode those bikes in New Zealand a few days and I've had a lot more saddle time on the Apollo. Thanks for watching...thanks for the great question. Enjoy the Ride Wear a Helmet
Hi Jason. Thanks for watching and for the comment. We really like the bikes. We got them during the winter and are just now able to ride them enough to really test them. I did put some panniers on the rear rack but we haven't used the front rack for any sort of payload yet. But I can say the racks are very nice and fit the bikes very well. As we gain more touring experience with the Apollo we'll post updates. Enjoy them when you get them. I'm sure you are going to love them.
The Apollo comes with a 50 tooth front cog and a 24 tooth rear cog which drive the Shimano Alpine 11 speed rear internal gear hub. This set up is good for gravel riding and climbing hills with just the bike. Super steep hills might be a bit of challenge. We wanted to shift all the gears lower because we plan on using the bikes for touring and will have additional weight with panniers, etc. Some of our planned tours will include riding over long mountain passes. We replaced the 24 tooth rear cog with 26 tooth cogs. I think this new setup will be good for me, but Mb still wants to go a bit lower so we are looking at putting a smaller front cog on her bike to replace the 50 tooth standard cog. Hope this addresses your question. Thanks for the comment and for watching BBB. Enjoy the Ride.
@@MstrRo1 No. There is enough adjustment between the rear assembly and the frame to get the stock belt tensioned with any combination of the 46t or 50t in the front and 26t or 24t in the rear.
Bone is a "town" up the base of some mountains that are east of Idaho Falls. The population of Bone is 2 and there is restaurant and bar there called The Bone Store. In the summer they have events there like live music, etc. It's a good destination for a bike ride.
Keep posting while I'm waiting for my Apollo.
Thanks for watching. In the next few days, we will be posting a review of the new rear cog and our impressions of the bike after about 150 miles. Stay tuned.
As someone who will be primarily riding on flat terrain, I'm glad to hear the gearing is more focused on the high end.
I think you'll find the gearing that comes standard on the Apollo to be very capable. It's a very smooth and capable bike.
Nice riding. Love the wide open spaces, the quiet and the smell of sagebrush in the air. My grandfather's farm was off of Foothill Road, above the Gardner canal. Growing up, we'd go out to help him with his chores and I spent a lot of time up there. He had quite a collection of old Cadillacs rusting away in one of his barns, and I learned to drive in his '52 Coupe deVille. Wish I still had that car!
Hey Todd. This time of year the sagebrush isn't as fragrant as it will be as it continues to get warmer. I'm also looking forward to that. For those of us that grew up in this area, that smell brings back a flood of memories.
I wonder what happened to all those Caddys? I just don't see as many old cars in fields here like I did all those years ago, I guess they've either been rescued or crushed.
Thanks for watching and for the great comment.
I think the Apollo would be better suited with upright bars.
Thanks for a great video, a bit of an ad for Priority, but they are such nice people in that company, I enjoyed it.
I have the Classsic Gotham Edition 3 speed and will be putting it into use as a Century bike this coming year.
Good stuff.
Hey Frank,
Thanks for watching BBB Adventures and for the comment.
There have been a few people that have changed the Apollo to different bars and worked out how to change the gear shifter. We did change the stems on our bikes to get the bars higher and closer to the rider which we found to be very comfortable. Also, we actually prefer down bars to the stock bars on the Apollo worked very well for us.
Hopefully you've had a chance to see The Apollo Mission episodes and see how well the bikes performed on our long distance touring across North America.
We love the people at Priority, they were super helpful when we were updating our Apollos to be touring bikes. Also we ended The Apollo Mission at their Headquarters in NYC, which was a blast. Speaking of ads for Priority, we actually filmed one with them and you can see us on one of their ads on UA-cam. :)
Good luck on your century rides on the Gotham!
Thanks again for watching.
Enjoy the Ride
I’ve been nervous about the IGH this uses but I’m glad you are liking them
Thanks for watching and for the comment. So far so good with respect to the Apollo and the Shimano Alfine internal gear hub. We really like the quiet and smooth ride experience the drivetrain delivers. For us the long life of the Gates belt and the near zero maintenance is a huge plus for the touring and bike packing we are planning.
I mean it's a gaiter, not a mask. But looks great (15:14)! Glad they're at least keeping y'all warm!
They absolutely work well to keep us warm, and they do look fabulous.
Just ordered mine last night, going to be tough to be patient until it ships in mid August....
Congratulations!! Super exciting. While difficult, the wait will be worth it. The Apollo is a really great bike. We'll keep posting updates on our experience and as we continue to make refinements to meet our needs for a well rounded touring bike.
Enjoy the Ride
Great video. Thank you for making it.
It seems the Apollo is a capable climber but, for longer climbs or when loaded down, the smaller cog may be necessary.
Hi Billy. Thanks for watching. The Apollo does seem like a capable climber but you right, a lower first gear will be good for long climbs loaded with bags. We did order the 26 tooth rear cog to replace the original 24 tooth cog. We'll be posting some videos about that and the hill climbing results. Stay tuned.
@@BBB_Adventures I just ordered my Apollo and asked if they could ship it with the easier cog. They said they couldn’t which is disappointing since the bike won’t ship for a few months. I think more people are interested in peddling up hills than down. Priority should welcome this feedback and adjust the product accordingly. I’m looking forward to your upcoming videos. Cheers!
Hey Eric,
Thanks for watching BBB. We love getting comments and interacting with folks.
The Apollo has a ton going for it. Great frame design, high quality components, low maintenance drive train and the for the price delivers high value. But I agree, not everyone is going to use them for the same purpose and we've received a lot of comments and interest in our effort to get the bike lower geared for climbing and touring. Perhaps Priority should offer two options in terms of gearing.
@@willandphiland I agree. Two things I have consistently seen in review videos of the Apollo are that people wish the gears were lower for easier climbing and a lot of people say the steering stem is too long for their "short" arms and that they had to swap it out for a shorter one. As common as these complaints are, you'd think Priority would let people do a little customizing when they first order the bike.
@@BBB_Adventures Thinking of doing the same for mine! Were you able to order the cog from Priority?
Quick question/comparison. You guys ride Specialized Diverge Bikes in New Zealand, I believe. Can you compare the Apollo vs the Diverge, from a gravel viewpoint. Speed, handling, weight, ride, overall ride experience. Thanks, Steve
Hey Steve,
That's an interesting question and I'll take a stab at an answer. The Diverge bikes were set up more as road bikes with relatively skinny road tires and we didn't take them on any significant gravel or trails, only roads. In terms of major sub-systems, both the Diverge and Apollo have very competent disc brakes so it's the drivetrain that is really different. The Diverge had a traditional chain/derailer drive train with 2 front rings, I think it had Shimano 105. The internal hub based drive train on the Apollo is one of it's best features. Low maintenance, smooth, quiet and hopefully reliable for the long term. You do have to worry about gear range/ratio and for us that means spending some time and money optimizing the front and rear gear cogs.
The other major difference is the frame and weight. The Apollo has an aluminum frame and the Diverge is carbon. The Apollo starts at about 24 pounds while the Diverge is about 21 pounds. We added fenders, racks, etc so our Apollos are pretty heavy now. The center of gravity of the Apollo is very different than the Diverge because the rear hub is fairly heavy, shifting the center of gravity back. The result is a different ride, not bad, just different.
The riding characteristics of the Diverge were very similar to my Giant road bike while the Apollo feels different to me. I think the Diverge is probably "quicker" in terms of response but the Apollo has a much smoother ride. Overall, I prefer the Apollo because if it's smooth, quiet ride and I think the belt/hub drive train represents somewhat significant advancement over a chain drive.
Let me know if you have any other specific questions. Also, keep in mind, we rode those bikes in New Zealand a few days and I've had a lot more saddle time on the Apollo.
Thanks for watching...thanks for the great question.
Enjoy the Ride
Wear a Helmet
We bought two of the same bikes. So pumped!! How do you like the front rack? I want to take my Boston terrier with me camping.
Hi Jason. Thanks for watching and for the comment. We really like the bikes. We got them during the winter and are just now able to ride them enough to really test them. I did put some panniers on the rear rack but we haven't used the front rack for any sort of payload yet. But I can say the racks are very nice and fit the bikes very well. As we gain more touring experience with the Apollo we'll post updates.
Enjoy them when you get them. I'm sure you are going to love them.
i can't ride on an icy sidewalk when there's dry pavement beside it.
That's a good plan....stay off the ice is possible. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching BBB.
so you wouldnt be able to climb steep because the gear ratio are inappropriate ,right?
The Apollo comes with a 50 tooth front cog and a 24 tooth rear cog which drive the Shimano Alpine 11 speed rear internal gear hub. This set up is good for gravel riding and climbing hills with just the bike. Super steep hills might be a bit of challenge. We wanted to shift all the gears lower because we plan on using the bikes for touring and will have additional weight with panniers, etc. Some of our planned tours will include riding over long mountain passes. We replaced the 24 tooth rear cog with 26 tooth cogs. I think this new setup will be good for me, but Mb still wants to go a bit lower so we are looking at putting a smaller front cog on her bike to replace the 50 tooth standard cog.
Hope this addresses your question.
Thanks for the comment and for watching BBB.
Enjoy the Ride.
@@BBB_Adventures If you go with a 48T front cog, will you have to change the belt?
@@MstrRo1 No. We are now running 46t on the front and 26t on the rear and using the stock belt.
@@MstrRo1 No. There is enough adjustment between the rear assembly and the frame to get the stock belt tensioned with any combination of the 46t or 50t in the front and 26t or 24t in the rear.
Hi! Enjoyed another ride with you. What’s “the Bone”?
Bone is a "town" up the base of some mountains that are east of Idaho Falls. The population of Bone is 2 and there is restaurant and bar there called The Bone Store. In the summer they have events there like live music, etc. It's a good destination for a bike ride.