CaptCarrot

I hope this is the right forum, please move if you feel it is better elsewhere.

I just purchased myself a very tidy Cannondale Hooligan 1 (2009)of the a well known auction site.

For those of you who are not aware what it is - here it is on The Bike List

It is a kind of mini-velo I suppose, although it is pretty hard to categorise. 20" wheels, BMX style frame, but a full height riding position, 8 speed Alfine gear hub and hydraulic disc brakes front and rear.

Original RRP was £849.00 GBP (I don't think this model was available in the US, but it would have cost approx $1,300 based on the UK price. The US Hooligan 8 (dérailleur) and Hooligan 3 (SRAM hub) were available stateside, and were MSRP $649.00 and $979.00 respectively) , I got mine for half that and it has apparently only done 130 miles. It seems in good nick, came with not one but two White Bontrager Race Lite water bottle cages (MSRP $14.99 each) which were held on by two Topeak CageMount's (approx £5/$8). Also attached were a pair of Cane Creek Ergo Control II Bar Ends (MSRP $60.00)

This is going to be my main commuting bike - I know it is not a dedicated commuter but hey, its fun and I only have to do three miles.

I do plan to customise it a little though.

My plans include the following (order/time of attempt and completion unknown as I will have to persuede her indoors to let me part with more £££).

Add full mudguards (fenders).
Add a rear rack.
Change tyres to Schwalbe Marathon's
Change front forks to a Headshok.
Add a suspension seatpost (Thudbuster might be my only choice due to the length of the seatpost)
Change the front hub to dynohub - not settled on what lights yet.
Add Reelight's
Add Pedalites

I have put a lot of thought into the dynohub, I found out (despite what Peter White says) Shimano DO offer dynohubs for smaller wheels. The DH-3D30, DH-2D30, DH-3N30 and DH-2N30 are suitable for 16-28" wheels. But only the 2x30's have a 32 hole version, and I don't want to be lumbered with a 2.4W system when I could have 3.0W

I found an article which compared several hubs including 3N30, 3N70 and 3N71. Bearing in mind that these were all in 700c wheels there was little between the three Shimano offerings. As the only Shimano hub that suits my purposes is 2.4W, there is little difference between the 30 and the 70/71 and that I have read posts by people who have put a 70/71 in a 20" wheel and covered 1000's of miles on them, I have decided that although it is not rated for smaller wheels, the DH-S501 (black Alfine) hub best suits what I want - it is 3.0W, the centrelock disc mount is direct replacement for my current hub, and its black . It is double the price of the other hub I am looking at, but the fact I don't need to replace the disc helps offset that

I don't know if I am going to keep the bar-ends - will see how much I use them. If I get rid, I will replace with a pair of Knog Tadpoles that I have.

I'll get some pics up when I can.

ahsposo 

Cool. Yeah I really don't know where else. There are some elements of folders to the mini velo thing and I might suggest as for the seat post you consider one I bought for my Dahon from Thor USA

CaptCarrot

Cheers for that - will have to look into that.

problem is the seatpost of the Hooligan is 31.6mm diameter and is longer than most (think it is 14.6") - hence my thinking the Thudbuster.

ahsposo 

I think the Thudbuster it will have to be. The seat posts Thor sells are 34 and 33.9mm.

https://www.thorusa.com/dahon/accessories/seatpost.htm

You might see if he has a suggestion. He posts in the folder section regularly under brakemaster (I think) and is a pleasure to do business with.