I am interested in the Dahon Smooth Hound Bike and would like to hear from members with experience with this bike or the Hammerhead Bike. Pro and Cons!:eek:
Thanks,
PCG

Well i have only seen it up close not ridden it, but i imagine a few cons are fairly straight forward:

The fold is not great. :) The frame, seat post and handlebars probably are and feel stiffer than a folder, hence a bit more efficient. The frame does not have a low step through.

what ypu want to know about the smoothhound .... hammerheads were not available in 07 in the US
thor

After all of the wonderful, helpful and informative posts, I have gone ahead and purchased a Smooth Hound. The sale price I found of $599 plus free shipping was a deciding factor. So far I think if you purchased the components separately they would closely approach the purchase price. The bike seems a good value, but not a small folder for traveling by public transit.
PCG

After all of the wonderful, helpful and informative posts, I have gone ahead and purchased a Smooth Hound. The sale price I found of $599 plus free shipping was a deciding factor. So far I think if you purchased the components separately they would closely approach the purchase price. The bike seems a good value, but not a small folder for traveling by public transit.
PCG

This is the only Dahon bike that interest me. Post pics and give a review. We are all waiting.

I have a 2006 Hammerhead 5 and like it lots. Not really a folder (but nice and compact for fitting in odd paces or the back of a car) but a fantastic commuter. Handles really well, stable but very nimble. Am currently experimenting with a Nuvinci hub in an effort to make the ultimate commuter bike.

Not being folders per se, do Hammerheads have the proprietary issues
that I understand(?) other Dahons have when trying to change stuff out ?

not really, the rear is all 130mm road bike stuff. The rear cassette is that Capero (?) set from Shimano. It's optimised for 20" wheels (goes down to a 9t sprocket for higher gearing), but swappable.

The seat is the I beam system. Not Dahon specific but unusual.

Most of the "special" stuff is up front:

THe front forks are Dahon specific German A forks. These require a narrow front hub. I think it's the Dahon standard folder width.

I shouldn't imagine that you'd want to swap that out as it's excellent. It really smooths out the big lumps and allows you to use a narrow high pressure tire.

Thanks !!! :beer:

After all of the wonderful, helpful and informative posts, I have gone ahead and purchased a Smooth Hound. The sale price I found of $599 plus free shipping was a deciding factor.


Can you tell me where you got it for this price ??
:)

Can you tell me where you got it for this price ??
:)

brandscycle.com is the website. The official name is Brands Cycle and Fitness
They also offer the 2006 Hammerhead at the same price.
PCG:)

Awesome !! :D

Thanks !

brandscycle.com is the website. The official name is Brands Cycle and Fitness
They also offer the 2006 Hammerhead at the same price.
PCG:)

Hmm...looks like brands is now also carrying the Reach and the Carryme.

I'm very happy about Pacific Cycles expanding their distribution network as they make great bikes (and I want to be able to get to get replacement parts for my Carryme). Hopefully I'll be able to test ride the Swivelhead at Brands when it's released.

If I've got this right, the pre-'08 Smooth Hounds had a rigid frame and front suspension. The '08s have a demountable frame (bike fits in airline luggage) and loose the FS.

TCS

I too took advantage of the Brands' price on the Smooth Hound. The bike came quickly but is just now on the road because of some missing parts. That said, the people at Brands' have been great to deal with, especially Rob O., who helped track down the missing front quick release and was a giant help in getting things worked out.

Maybe obvious to say, but I think it's a screaming deal if the bike fits your needs, or even your desire to experiment. Denver has just put in more of their light rail system, and the potential ability for the bike to go almost "flat" is a real help on not taking up much space. Even though the Smooth Hound is not necessarily a folder, it can have a much smaller "footprint" tucked against the wall of a light rail car, or at home behind a door or whatever.

Anyway, I'm excited at the prospects. Of course, I was so excited, I took it down a gravel trail today and through enough rough stuff to get a flat. At least it waited until I got home, and it is a pretty good sign when you are wanting to ride the bike everywhere.

Bob
Denver, CO

hey guys could you put up some photos of your bikes. both the hammerhead and smoothhound. I would love to see them.
How do they ride?
I am thinking of get one for myself and my fiance. Im 5'10" while my fiance is 5'3". Are both bikes suitable for our heights, or is one better than the other for a someone my height.

They offer two sizes of frames. You would probably want the large and your gal would probably want the smaller frame. Log onto the Dahon website and see the photos, specs and sizing.
PCG:)

I agree with pismocycleguy about the sizing, though I can only speak for the larger size. I am just a bit over 6' tall and the large fits fine, though I must look a little funny riding it. A racer-type gave me the complete double take when I was on the maiden voyage test ride. I don't know that it would fit someone taller than I, but it's fine for what I want the bike to do.

I was prepared to do some experimenting with the bars for whatever reason, but that is not going to be necessary. In fact the moustache bars give it both the cockpit length I need when I am riding harder, and a shorter, little more upright posture when I ride on the ends of the bar. Plus, when removed, the bars can lay flat against the bike, though I am still tying to figure a way to hang them from the stem or head tube easily and reliably.

Also, the gear range is fantastic. I think another poster thought it came with a Capreo set-up, but I think it's all standard stuff (that part anyway). I did not verify everything, but it is definitely an 11-tooth small sprocket and it is spec'ed with an 11-32 cluster. Even though the Brooks saddle and wrap looked great, I changed to a Koobi Au Enduro saddle and Fizik (padded) handlebar tape. The Brooks stuff is definitely nice but, for this bike, a magnet for unwanted attention.

With the full gear range and a relatively non-upright position (for me) you can really get up some speed, and the quick take-off from lights and other stops is great with the 20" wheels. It is certainly more road worthy than a standard folder, but then again, it does not (really) fold so it is kind of an unfair comparison. Definitely fun though..... and a worthy experiment.

I will post pictures as soon as I get a chance but that will probably be Thursday or so. At least you would be able to see the sizing relationship based my set-up and height.

There you have it... It is a very cool age for bicycle design!

Bob

how comfortable are those tt bars on the hammerhead? do they give a comfortable ride position?
also, hows those pictures going?

Well, here is an attempt at posting pictures of an '07 Smooth Hound. I apologize up front for the quality but let me know if you need more specific pictures and I will do my best to take and post those.

The pictures are at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21182339@N05/sets/72157603280647410/

I put comments with the pictures so hopefully some answers will be there. Also let me know if there are problems getting to the pictures. I marked them public but still...

The bike is great fun to ride. I think next week will be time for its maiden voyage on light rail! I call it the experimental bike, as I really started thinking about it in terms of storage (constraints) and commuting using our light rail system.

The bike design that really started me thinking is Basten Leijh's "Giant Downtown" design:
http://www.designws.com/pagina/1giant.htm
http://coroflot.com/public/individual_file.asp?sort_by=1&portfolio_id=105966&individual_id=83827

And though the Smooth Hound is certainly not that bike, I wanted to get the feel of the 20" wheels and the usefulness of the removable handlebars (with the resulting ability to "go flat").

Anyway, let me know if I can help...

Very nice pictures and even nicer bike. Your bike can hold its own to any folder in the market. Now if only I didn't have 2 folding bikes Already. :-)

Not that it is critical info, but... The rear cluster on my '07 Smooth Hound is:

11-12-14-16-18-21-24-29

...and not the 11-32 that is spec'ed. Certainly no big deal, but additional info for the database. Might be the max range for the short-medium reach Tiagra derailleur.

No, you're exactly right. The bike came with MKS MT-E (?) removable pedals, but they are really designed for toe clips and single sided use so I used the MKS folding pair I had. When I received the bike, it was missing parts, pedals and front QR included. It took awhile to get everything together, but the folks at Brands were great to work with. The bike was drop shipped from Dahon in CA so that's the good news and the bad. I would report something to Brands and they would relay that to Dahon, who would then ship me what they thought I was missing. Took a couple of tries but it all worked out... I think my intent is to actually get a pair of the dual side removable pedals (forget which model), then add toe clips to the MT-E set. I'll have a city pair (no clips) and a set with clips if that seems like the thing. I like the idea of removable pedals from a theft deterrent aspect as well.

Agreed on the saddle and bar tape. I was careful when removing the tape, but I want to measure it to see if there is a length difference between drop-style bars and moustache. The saddle has a little scuff on the back from shipping but it sure is pretty! It will indeed probably go to eBay at a good price. It is a tan B17 Champion Special - "copper" rails.

Next week will start some sort of regular duty for the bike so I will make note of anything that stands out - good or bad.

Very nice picture, and surely a very special bike!~

However if i have a choice, i would rather go for the Hammer head 7.0 as i like its racing look a bit more compare to the leisure style of the Smooth Hound

I saw your photos over in flickr. thx for posting those.

Thinking about a road bike replacement that is compact to store, this might be it.

Do you have measurements? How long is the seat tube and what is the standover?

Seat tube is about 51.5 cm (center of crank to top of the frame seat tube) and effective top tube, and I am guessing here, is about 57-58cm. In almost all the pics the seat height is set at 78cm (center of crank to top of saddle). Front tip of seat to center of the stem = 51cm and the moustache bars have around a 10cm reach at the brakes. I would say it fits like a modern 58cm frame, but that's just a gut feel. My 650B conversion is actually a 63cm frame but has only a 57.5cm top tube (old school).

Hope that helps!

I also have comments with the pictures so those may be helpful (or not!). Hope they are anyway...

hey Bob,

thanks for uploading the pictures :)
the "real" pictures looks heaps better that the official dahon ones.

Hope that helps!


indeed that was helpful. thanks for answering my questions over on flickr too, i am the one with the retrotec.

sounds like i might go for the size medium. I ride a medium cinelli proxima with a 54.5 eff top tube.

Bob those were some good photographs. Now that it has been a few days since your last post on this thread could you comment on the smoothness of the ride? Would you say that this bike with 20" wheels would be just as fast as a bike of equal weight with larger skinnier wheels?

I like to ride with my handle bars a few inches higher than the seat. It is unlikely that I would need the full extension of the seat post because my inseam is only 30". Is there enough tube length on the riser to do this on a Smooth Hound?

I see that you live with snow. In my area of Montana only the main roads get plowed. I have a set of 20"X1.75" studded tires for a different bike. Your photos show there is enough room on the back of a Smooth Hound for one of these, but I'm unsure if one would fit the front. What do you think?

One of my bikes has an inexpensive suspension fork and I love the way it makes the ride smoother. The same bike has a Thudbuster suspension seat post. It's great. I'm considering the Smooth Hound because of its suspension fork. I want a fun road bike that is faster than a comfort bike. My Thudbuster will fit the Smooth Hound seat tube. I think it would make the ride very comfortable and with a bit of speed to boot. It won't be as fast as a super light road bike but that isn't what I want to create.

It is too bad that there are no Dahon dealers in my town who could answer my questions. Even when I lived in a big city neither of the Dahon dealers would stock any bikes.

Now that it has been a few days since your last post on this thread could you comment on the smoothness of the ride? Would you say that this bike with 20" wheels would be just as fast as a bike of equal weight with larger skinnier wheels?

I don't know that I can answer that, as there is certainly a difference in feel between 700c's (or whatever) and 20" (or 16") wheels. That said, I have been fairly amazed at how the bike smooths out at speed. It can feel a little twitchy at very slow speeds, but then gains a lot of straight line stability once you are up in the 5-10mph range and beyond, and the bike is capable I would say of 90-95% normal road bike speed. The twitchiness comes back a bit when cornering, as the little wheels are ready (far quicker than larger wheels) to dive into corners.

I like to ride with my handle bars a few inches higher than the seat. It is unlikely that I would need the full extension of the seat post because my inseam is only 30". Is there enough tube length on the riser to do this on a Smooth Hound?

I would think you would be fine, though again I cannot say for sure. I am 6' 1/2" or so and tighten the bars at the very top of the range on my "large" SH. I normally like the bars about even with the seat and I don't quite make that with the seat set at my 78cm on the SH. That said, I am really liking the moustache bars more than I thought I would, and I find myself riding it like a low slung "city bike", hands on the flats near the bar end shifters. I can still easily brake with one finger from there.

I have a set of 20"X1.75" studded tires for a different bike. Your photos show there is enough room on the back of a Smooth Hound for one of these, but I'm unsure if one would fit the front. What do you think?

Good question... and I don't know for sure but I will take pictures this weekend (maybe sooner) of the front wheel clearance, and measure as well as I can. I will put them on the Flickr site with the others. Also, if you want me to set the seat on mine to a certain height, just mention it in the comments of the pics on Flickr and I will try and include a picture of it set there, along with base measurements.

I'm considering the Smooth Hound because of its suspension fork. I want a fun road bike that is faster than a comfort bike. My Thudbuster will fit the Smooth Hound seat tube.

I think a Thudbuster or a maybe a sprung Brooks would be great on the Smooth Hound. Obviously there is the drawback of weight, but it might be worth it. You can definitely get usable speed on the SH. It may not be as fast as a full blown road bike, but it feels relatively fast, not that I am that great an "engine". I think it is primarily due to having an excellent gear range and a road-type riding position.

If you do have any questions I can answer, just post them over with the pictures on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21182339@N05/sets/72157603280647410/
and I will do my best. Thanks!

Hi,does anyone know where I can buy the new version of the "Dahon smooth hound 6.0 2008" without the front suspension?Love the bike but I don't need the suspension and extra weight.Thanks mohomoho

Hi,does anyone know where I can buy a "Dahon smooth hound 6.0 2008" version?I love the bike but don't need the suspension or extra weight.Thanks

Probably easier to get hold of an 07 Hammerhead without susp and then retrofit the upgrades

Hi,does anyone know where I can buy the new version of the "Dahon smooth hound 6.0 2008" without the front suspension?Love the bike but I don't need the suspension and extra weight.Thanks mohomoho

Sorry if I missed it... If you are in the States my guess is that http://www.thorusa.com/ would be your first best bet. Sorry I don't know about availability in other countries but one would probably be easier to find there than here (the U.S., that is).

From what I have seen, the '07 has suspension (standard) and a fixed frame. Great bike, the '07, but I think I would have gone for the '08 if it had been available when I got mine. That said, I got a screamin' deal and that helps too. The '08 has no suspension but has a splittable frame, suitable for packing and traveling. That is what I remember seeing anyway.

It might be a little early to be looking , as mid-late April might be closer to the bikes being available. Anyway, I bet Thor would know more.

Hope that helps,

Bob

After all of the wonderful, helpful and informative posts, I have gone ahead and purchased a Smooth Hound. The sale price I found of $599 plus free shipping was a deciding factor. So far I think if you purchased the components separately they would closely approach the purchase price. The bike seems a good value, but not a small folder for traveling by public transit.
PCGI always have Dahon meant it to be a touring/All around bike with great style.I wish I could afford one.:o

The MKS removeabale pedals are great, but being single sided can be a nuisance if you are not fitting toe clips.
A compromise solution on my Dahon Curve SL has been to fit one reflector (facing rearwards) to each pedal such that it's weight puts the pedal always in the same position when it does not have a foot on it. That is hanging vertically with the reflector at the bottom. Top of the pedal is then facing backwards (if you see what I mean).
You can then develop the habit of getting the pedal correct side uppermost every time as the foot is applied to it.

After all of the wonderful, helpful and informative posts, I have gone ahead and purchased a Smooth Hound. The sale price I found of $599 plus free shipping was a deciding factor. So far I think if you purchased the components separately they would closely approach the purchase price. The bike seems a good value, but not a small folder for traveling by public transit.
PCG

I always have Dahon meant it to be a touring/All around bike with great style.I wish I could afford one.:o

This may get a little philosophical, but one of the reasons I got a Smooth Hound was to use on our new light rail system here in Denver. Bikes are allowed at all times but must be held at the ends of the train cars against the front or back "wall". My thinking on the Smooth Hound was that with the bars folded down and the pedals removed or folded (based on choice of pedals) the bike would take up much less room, given the "parked against the wall" constraint. I can strap the "flat" Smooth Hound against the wall using the handrails that are there, then sit for the rest of the ride. With the gears set to put the most tension on the mid-length deraileur (to keep it up) and with the 20" wheels , I can also use the bike racks that are on all of our city bus's.

With different folding bikes all having their own strengths and weaknesses, my point is that I think choice of folders needs to be based not only on riding style, etc. but on what kind of folding is needed or best for its primary use by someone in a particular situation. Does a bike fold short and squat? Maybe a great bike for the trunk on a mixed car-bike trip or great for storage on a low shelf at home. Does it fold tall and skinny? Stick it in a corner when not needed. Is it easy to roll when folded? Perfect if you need to traverse a distance with the bike where a full bike might be less welcome or just to reduce the fatigue of carrying the bike. A bike that folds relatively flat? Great for storing against a wall, more or less out of the way. Anyway, it is just a way of looking at the different folding bike available.

Also, I don't know if the Smooth Hounds and Hammerheads are still available at $599, but that price did include shipping from Brands and there was no tax for me here in Colorado. I am not taking sides in the tax rebate debate, and I know there are plenty of good places for money to go, but $600 may fall out of the sky in your general direction (if you are in the U.S.) The mini bikes on sale or the REI Fly-By are right there.

Bob

Thanks for the replys on the new version of th Smoothound.I think I will wait a little longer for the new version.I'm almost 100% sure it will not be issued in the states,this is what I've been told via email from a Dahon rep. in CA.The US dollar is very week so buying overseas is going to cost me an additional 30%.I was thinking of getting last years model from Brands for $599.00 and fit it with a rigid front fork but forsee some problems doing that.I own the Dahon HAN SOLO and love it but sometimes I just need more speed and flexibility.I'm curious why Brands is closing out the model so cheap.Thanks again

According to the Dahon website the Smooth Hound has a Shimano HyperGlide 8 speed cassette (11-32T), not Capreo. I understand that the Capreo cassette is only compatible with a capreo hub. The Capreo cassette is not a free cassette - instead the hub is a free hub

All cassettes are simply cassettes, and the hubs contain the freewheeling mechanism - screw on freewheels mostly died long ago. The Capreo has tiny cogs that mesh onto the larger cogs, rather than onto the hub itself.

I have the Hammerhead 5 (2006) and adore it

I am thinking of selling my 2007 Smooth Hound. The large size is just a bit too small for my size. Please contact me if you have any interest.:)