Apollo Xpert 291

Malvern Star, Speedwell, Apollo; they are all household names in the Aussie burbs. Back in the day my mate Dave used to sneak out on his dad’s neon-fade Apollo Kosciusko, taking extra precautions to ensure that the old man wouldn’t find out. The Kosciusko had cred. It was an Apollo—a real Aussie mountain bike. For a little while Apollo sold their most serious bikes under the Raceline brand name and I recall seeing quite a few of them around at the end of the 90s. By the late 2000s they switched back to the Apollo name, but their volume on the trail seems to have dropped off markedly in my neck of the woods.

As well as keeping pace in their bread and butter dealer lines of family and leisure bikes, Apollo has continued to crack on with the thankless task of keeping the fussy enthusiasts smiling at their more upmarket offerings. The Apollo catalogue is loaded with some smart looking carbon mountain and road bikes that, in all fairness, would attract much more attention with a different brand plastered on their sides. Within the range you’ll find a decent selection of 29ers.

Heading into 2014 it seems that 26-inch wheeled bikes could be on the brink of extinction beyond the realms of downhill riding, so it’s time to stop thinking of 29ers as ‘new’. Be that as it may, the 29er is still a rapidly evolving species. Without the benefit of years and years of refinement, the 29er is still finding its way; there is no ‘standard’ in regards to frame geometry. As a result, you’ll still find a good deal of variation in thinking and ride qualities between one brand and the next.

Topping the 2013 Apollo range is a sweet looking carbon-framed XC race bike that’s made in the same factory as many premium brands. The Arctec 9 frame is purported to weigh less than a kilo and it comes fitted out with carbon wheels and SRAM XX1 parts for $6,999—it’s a serious machine! Using a similar carbon frame, the next-in-line Xpert292 is fitted out with SRAM X.9 and sells for $3,399. These featherweight frames come at quite a premium, as the top-end alloy model (the Xpert291) is a comparative bargain at $1,699.

The Xpert291 features a triple-butted alloy frame. At 1,910g in a large, the frame weight is on par with what you’d expect to find on a sub-$2,000 alloy hardtail. While the tubes are quite oversized, the profiles are mostly round with some mild fluid-forming—overall it cuts a very traditional profile. Apollo has really worked hard to optimise their frames at each price-point; both carbon frames are slightly different, as are the alloy models. The frame used on the $1,299 Xpert290 is visually identical to the 291 but internally the tubes are double-butted; this lowers production costs but adds weight. The entry level 29T and 29S each have slightly different frames too.

Serious Figures

While the price is fairly inviting, our Xpert291 is clearly pitched as a serious MTB. The most telling feature is the short, 435mm chainstay length. Short stays really liven up the handling of a 29er and Apollo has successfully crammed the back wheel in really close to the bottom bracket without resorting to any odd shaped tubes or drivetrain compromises—it’s quite an achievement on what is a budget conscious frame. Clearance around the chainstays isn’t as generous as some, but this bike hasn’t been designed with 2.4-inch tyres in mind. The Xpert291 frame has a small bridge inserted directly behind the bottom bracket and between the chainstays. This creates a small shelf that collects mud and muck, so keep an eye out for this if you frequently ride in wet conditions. Up front the Xpert291 uses a tapered head tube with press-fit headset cups rather than drop-in bearings that sit directly inside the frame. This system is more tolerant of minor variances in head tube diameter and allows Apollo to produce an economical frame without losing performance.

The bouncy stuff is taken care of by a RockShox Recon Gold TK fork. It uses an easily tuneable air spring with a fork crown mounted lock-out. Being the ‘Gold’ model, it gets an aluminium steerer and stanchions to keep the weight down. The rebound range is good and out of the box the Recon was smooth and used all its travel without harsh bottoming—for the price point it’s a top performer.

Racy Heart

In stock form, the Recon is set up with 80mm of travel. The minimalist travel keeps the front end low, making it a good seated climber and it gives the 291 a real ‘XC race’ personality. This presents an interesting paradox once you hit the trail. The Xpert291 is an entry-level hardtail with a very short rear end and minimal fork travel – both traits that you’d expect on a purebred racing hardtail – but the price point suggests this bike will see much more trail and tar than racetrack. Of course the 12.7kg weight (a tad over 13kg including pedals) reminds you pretty quickly that this is no World Cup racer.

The traditional XC-race inspired feel is mirrored in the rest of the frame geometry. At 72-degrees, the head angle is on the steep side at a time when many 29ers are trending towards more relaxed angles. The 610mm effective top tube is a little on the short side for a ‘large’ sized bike (by comparison Apollo’s carbon hardtails have a longer 622mm top tube), so you are more likely to need a long stem to gain sufficient reach. You’ll also find a relatively narrow 640mm handlebar on the Xpert292; these days something in the 660-700mm range is becoming more common—even on XC hardtails.

If the element of weight is removed from the equation then it’s fair to say that the Xpert291 is an excellent climber. The 100mm stem and steep angles put you in perfect command when the trail points skyward, while the 3x10 drivetrain provides enough gears to climb just about anything. Finding a tempo and plugging away is intuitive.

The Xpert291 is far less comfortable when the trail points down. Smooth bermed descents can be loads of fun; the low front end encourages you to get onto the front wheel and drive it through the corners, whilst the fork is reasonably stiff too. However, the limited fork travel, narrow bar and steep head angle puts you on the defensive whenever the trail turns rough and fast. If your descents are rugged high-speed affairs, the Xpert291 may not be the best choice.

Apollo specs a 51mm offset fork which helps to reduce that ‘over the bars’ feeling on steep chutes and roll-ins. So while the fork lacks the travel required to control repeated high-speed hits, it is happy to point its nose downwards and pick its way through a rocky or rooty line—it handles technical trails better than its high-speed demeanour would suggest. A skilled XC rider could capitalise on these traits when negotiating tight and technical trails but the bike is just as likely to overwhelm the confidence of a less skilled pilot when the trail turns nasty.

Looking beyond the handling traits, the Xpert291 is a solid and reliable character. Everything bolted onto the frame is sensible and has its place. Of particular note is the drivetrain, which is comprised mostly of Shimano Deore with a nice shiny SLX rear derailleur and down spec’d SRAM X.5 front derailleur. The 3x10 gearing may not be the latest or greatest but it works well, ensuring that every gradient is catered for along with every fitness level. The easy to reach fork lockout turns the Xpert291 into a fast bike around town or on dirt roads too—especially with the 42-tooth big ring.

Apollo has added some class by opting for a generously padded Prologo Zero saddle. I found it easy to get along with and the extra padding is a nice courtesy on a hardtail. Further cushioning is provided by the Hutchison Python tyres; they pump up with a narrow profile but the casing stands up quite tall. The tread has countless working edges that provide reliable traction and they roll incredibly fast too—they were a pleasant surprise and sang to the XC racers heart that beats inside the Apollo.

And that brings us back to the paradox of the Xpert291. It yearns to be a race-day bike, but the price aims it at a predominantly non-racing demographic. In unskilled hands, the Apollo can be a real handful on faster, rougher trails—it’s not the sort of bike that makes you feel brave, or eggs you to push beyond your comfort zone. With its short chainstays and quick turning front end it’s more manoeuvrable than most entry-level 29ers and in many ways reminded us of the sharp handling XC-race bikes of old, just with 29-inch wheels on board. Despite its weight the Xpert291 is happy to climb just about anything and it excels when dicing up smooth terrain and twisty singletrack. The Xpert291 presents itself a great option for the XC racer on a shoestring budget.

Thumbs Up

Fast handling

Highly adjustable fork

Broad gearing range

Thumbs Down

Nervous when descending

Narrow handlebar 

Specifications

Frame: Triple Butted Alloy

Fork: RockShox Recon Gold TK 80mm travel

Headset: Integrated Sealed Bearing 1 1/8 - 1 1/2

Handlebars: Factor Alloy flat 640mm

Stem: Factor 3D Cold Forged Alloy

Shifters: Shimano Deore

Front Derailleur: SRAM X.5

Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX

Cassette: Shimano HG52, 11/36 10-speed

Chain: KMC X10

Cranks: Shimano M522, 22/32/42

Bottom Bracket: Shimano

Pedals: N/A

Brakes: Shimano M505 Hydraulic Disc

Rims: Alex SX44 Double Wall Alloy

Spokes: Black Stainless

Hubs: Sealed Bearing

Tyres: Hutchinson Python 2.1

Saddle: Prologo Zero

Seatpost: Factor Alloy

Weight: 12.7kg without pedals (Large frame 1,910g)

Available Sizes: S, M, L (tested) and XL

Price: $1,699

Distributor: Apollo Bicycles (03) 9881 6600 / www.apollobikes.com