Folding Bikes - Cannondale Hooligan review?

Anyone out there have any experience with the Cannondale Hooligan (1 or 2) that they can share? If you haven't seen it yet, it's Cannondale's version of the compact bike - it's a non-folder - but it's got 20" BMX wheels, Avid Juicy brakes and some kind of internal hub gearing system, depending on the model. I think they're only available in the UK for the time being.

Is this the chap?



Erm. Um. £550.00. C/dales Mark II Minibike. Cheaper version has proto Shimano cable disks that have no real advantages over V-Brakes but are a beggar to adjust.

Da spiel:

Tired of getting stuck downtown or in traffic jams in the city and have found there was no solution so far? That has changed! The shortest connection between two points is always a straight line. Here is the choice to find that line through the city. The Hooligan is a statement for people that choose a different line, in business and in life. Concrete, dirt, stairs or the metro. Any city trail is a shortcut and is the right playing field for the Hooligan. There are gaps to be filled not only on metropolitan streets. The city is a jungle, find your line.


Mmmmm....

Sofa Expert view: More lifestyle statement than bicycle.

Artistic view: (untested) Looks kinda BMX'y & thus snappy

Technical view: (unsubstantiated) Might just work, despite the copywriter's spiel. But Shimano's cable disk brakes are pants compared to V brakes in terms of stopping the bike, although they relieve the wheel rims from wear by brake pads, should the bike ever be used more than twice.

Doesn't fold, in terms of, er, folding. No suspension, other than tyres makes for rattle-trap urban ride, unless you live in Germany where the roads are surfaced by hand-picked virgins. No urban necessities - like fenders, racks, or bottle cages. Not orange. Tut!

Summary: Occasional urban runaround for people who don't like bicycles. Useful for fetching cappucinos, when the owner is too drunk to find the keys to his wife's Audi TT.

Also see: Almost anything else. Or, for the same price, two Downtube IX FS's.
(http://www.downtube.com/images/2009_Bikes/9FS_Black_Standing.jpg)
Conclusion: All mouth and trousers.

Disclaimer: I've never seen one, let alone ride one. Probably better than I expect, apart from the brakes.

Looks like a giggle.

I'd love to own one.

I think after I have speced up my curve and road bike, this could be my next target on the horizon..?

I love Cannondales, but I have to agree 100% with Snafu on this one: This bike is just a (wrong) lifestyle statement.

The bike has big fat tyres so it should ride ok.

I'm disappointed they didn't stick a Headshok in it though. The fork looks like it's suspension corrected, so maybe they have that in mind.

I like small wheeled bikes - they are much snappier to ride, and I reckon this one could live up to its name. If I had one it would soon be out playing on the local singletrack :)

I love Cannondales, but I have to agree 100% with Snafu on this one: This bike is just a (wrong) lifestyle statement.

Aren't you reacting more to the marketing spiel than to the bike? Perhaps the riding-down-stairs-get-outta-my-way aspect of it? The bike doesn't have braze-ons for a handgun holster ;) It's just built sturdy to handle city pavement. The ad hypesters are the ones who bring Bruce Willis into the picture.

Regards
T

Here's some evidence that small wheels can be fun offroad. This is my Dahon HammerHead and the course is the one used for the StrathPuffer 24 hour race (run in winter), and yes it did ride over that stuff.

Edit- BTW I don't understand the "lifestyle statement" part of the discussion. Surely the point of the Hooligan is about getting out and having active fun on the bike rather than posing around where the arbiters of cycling style may see you - it doesn't have Campag, and isn't a no-brake fixie, so you're stuffed anyway :)

The Chute looks like fun.

Maybe Cannondale will come out with a 20" city-streets-suspension fork too. It couldn't hurt to have more entrants in the 20" urban conquest niche.

Regards
T

how does it fold?

It doesn't, its a tough little bike :) and I want one grrr

It doesn't [fold] ...

But with its straight tubes, you could use Bicycle Torque Couplings (http://www.sandsmachine.com/) (but only if the frame is CroMo -- the Cannondale site says the frame is 'Hooligan' -- very helpful bit of info, Cannondale. EDIT: I phoned them: aluminum, and they have a prototype folder that may come out in 2010).

Regards
T

... Probably better than I expect, apart from the brakes.

Well, it would almost have to be, eh? Great review, though!

The bike is simply overpriced, and I highly doubt that the bike is actually manufactured by cannondale.
I know a number of bikes that look exactly like that one... and they are sold at under $200 here (Although they use V-brakes and derailleur shifting instead)

Aren't you reacting more to the marketing spiel than to the bike? Perhaps the riding-down-stairs-get-outta-my-way aspect of it? The bike doesn't have braze-ons for a handgun holster ;) It's just built sturdy to handle city pavement. The ad hypesters are the ones who bring Bruce Willis into the picture.

Regards
T

I believe I am reacting to what I consider to be a city bike. the lack of fenders, rack and a type of wheel that does not make the bike drag would make this bike a better match to it's target audience. I see no benefit on having this bike instead of a conventional sized urban bike like the Bad boy (with fenders and rack)or a Cube.

Now, for a 20 inch city bike, I would take the Mr20 from Giant way before this Cannondale. At least it folds.

... a city bike. the lack of fenders, rack and a type of wheel that does not make the bike drag would make this bike a better match to it's target audience. I see no benefit on having this bike instead of a conventional sized urban bike like the Bad boy (with fenders and rack)or a Cube.


I would think this bike is for former BMXers who have joined the work-force and are looking now for a bike for recreational riding. They don't envision themselves on skinnier tires or on 700c wheels or crouched forward gripping the Cube's bars. The wheel and tire choice are probably on the mark, in that regard.

Regards
T

I already have my 'sensible' commute bikes. I don't care about a rack etc on this. Imagine it as a car, a track day special, a bike for fun, for going down a random tracks, for bunny hopping up curbs, for not worry when you mess it up a bit (as I always do lol).

"Now, for a 20 inch city bike, I would take the Mr20 from Giant way before this Cannondale. At least it folds" Is it me but that bike looks bigger folded than unfolded? lol

Is it me but that bike looks bigger folded than unfolded? lol

I was about to say the exact same thing!