Hub Dynamo Power

[mlocke]

Hi All

Does anybody have any experience of these? Im contemplating getting one set up on a bike that will be my dedicated commuter.

Im fed up of finding that my lights are dead when I go to us them and think this might be the solution.

They look a little expensive but not so much compared to the more expensive battery powered alternatives. I did however find this cheaper version on ebay...


[url]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Sanyo-dynamo-hub-dynohub-front-wheel-/280609386932?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41559f71b4[/url]


How do you hook up lights and do you need specific ones?

Cheers

Locky

[Dominic]

Got one of these:
http://spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s170p1771

It's my second one and I think they are superb. Like you say no having to worry about dead batteries and really hand for a dedicated commuter. MIne stays on all year for when I finish late.

Andrew G has a the posh Schmidt aswell which I know he really rates.

[Andrew G]

A Dynamo Dissertation

I made the switch (boom boom) to a dynamo hub a couple of years ago and haven't looked back, after listening to Dominic's wise words and overcoming the socks and sandals image they have with some people.

With my commute I too was getting fed up permanantly charging batteries and restrapping them to the bike, the dynamo is far better once you've made the initial outlay it works out cheaper in the long run too.

I do have the posh Schmidt SON hub ([url]http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s133p68[/url]) which I had built up in to 36 spoke Mavic Open Pro rims. I bought it and got the wheels built at Bike Plus. Ben built the wheels and he's a very good builder and they are still millimetre true after two years and thousands of miles commuting and winter riding in all weathers over our beautifully surfaced roads.

Worth looking at Bike Plus, or popping in to get a quote, as they've got the 20% sale on at the moment. You wouldn't get a discount on Ben's labour but would on rims and dynamo hub.

Re the lights, they are specific dynamo lights and consist of a lamp unit with a cable from it to a connecting plug, which just plugs in to a couple of prongs on the side of the hub next to the fork dropouts. You can mount the light in a few places but mine (and most common I think) is to mount it on the fork crown. You just remove the front brake and sandwich the light between the caliper and fork and re-tighten the brake, you may need a longer nut for the back but they cost nowt. You wind the cable around the fork to take the plugs to the hub connection. Like Dom I leave mine on all year round but if you wanted to swap the wheel for another for daylight rides so you didn't have the resistance then you just unplug the light from the hub and tape the plug to the fork to stop it going in the spokes.

Lights have improved massively lately, my original one was pretty good but gave a bit of a yellowish light. I got one of these ([url]http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b98s197p2030&rs=gb[/url]) when they came out a year or so ago and it's fantastic, like a moped headlight. Lots of people have commented on the commute how good it is - cyclists, pedestrians and drivers. It gives off enough light that I'll happily ride at night at a normal pace on unlit country roads.

I don't have the cheapest setup (probably one of the more expensive), with the current light it probably cost between £350 and £400. But I have it on the bike all year round in all weather and it hasn't let me down once in two years and I don't expect it to for a fair while yet. The dynamo I have has a 50,000km service interval and the wheels haven't gone a mm out of true and are bombproof. Personally I think the price compares favourably with the higher end rechargable lights except mine is always ready and came with a pair of good winter wheels.

There is always resistance riding a dynamo hubbed wheel even when the light is off, and it increases when you turn the light on. Although it feels really rough if you spin it in your hands it's fine when riding, but don't expect it to spin smoothly like a normal wheel.

If you are out tomorrow for the pub ride or the CR on Saturday then I'll be on my bike with the dynamo set up of you want to see it, poke it, prod it etc.

[Mike I]

I used to use one for both front and rear lights (the rear incorporated into the mudguard). I only stopped when, after several years, both rim and hub wore out. I might go back to it some time, although battery lights are a lot more reliable than they used to be.

You don't have to worry about changing batteries of course, but I found that it was a good idea to carry spare bulbs. They seem to blow more often than they do on battery lights and it's not always easy to find spares - although Condor carry a wide range.

These guys stock any bits and pieces you might need to put a system together, as well as spares, and are helpful if you phone them up for advice [url]http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/[/url] .

[Dominic]

Andrew has made a good point about his hub being fully servicable. My first Shimano, I managed to get the quick release skewer welded in with rust. I then tried to drill it out, made a right cock up of it, and ruined the axle. Having sought advice from others apparently because of the wiring the hubs cannot be changed easily. My understanding is that this is the complete opposite from the Schimdt.

With the new LED lights bulbs are not an issue and the one that I have which is Busch and Muller IQ, should last for about 50,000 miles. I was told that by Bikeplus.

Finally not to diss Mike's suggestion about St John's cycles, I have found them very expensive compared to places like Spa and Bike Plus.

[Jon H]

I've got pretty much the same set-up as Mr G, except I built the wheel myself because I had a spare rim knocking around (spoke length calculated using a spreadsheet and bought from sjscycles). It's the dogs danglies.