Although clathrin-mediated endocytosis is thought to be the predominant mechanism of synaptic vesicle recycling, it seems to be too slow for fast recycling. Therefore, it was suggested that a presorted and preassembled pool of synaptic vesicle proteins on the presynaptic membrane might support a first wave of fast clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In this study we monitored the temporal dynamics of such a 'readily retrievable pool' of synaptic vesicle proteins in rat hippocampal neurons using a new type of probe. By applying cypHer5E, a new cyanine dye-based pH-sensitive exogenous marker, coupled to antibodies to luminal domains of synaptic vesicle proteins, we could reliably monitor synaptic vesicle recycling and demonstrate the preferential recruitment of a surface pool of synaptic vesicle proteins upon stimulated endocytosis. By using fluorescence nanoscopy of surface-labeled synaptotagmin 1, we could resolve the spatial distribution of the surface pool at the periactive zone in hippocampal boutons, which represent putative sites of endocytosis.