Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

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piston9
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Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby piston9 » Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:22 pm

I'm thinking of upgrading my commuter with a dynamo hub and some lights... Don't mind spending the money (the total cost looks to be about the same as some decent lights without dynamo... And the little extra weight is fine on my 14KG with racks commuter).

- Can you get ones bright enough that don't kill others? I use 80 lumens now and it is useless at anything over 10 or 15K's.
- any recommendations on brands or where to buy? I've looked at the usual - wiggle, cell, pushys, range has been VERY limited...

Thanks as always in advance :D
Another one of those high-vis commuter types. Ultegra equipped flat bar is my weapon of choice - with panniers :D

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RonK
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Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby RonK » Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:44 pm

Most dynamo lights are manufactured by German companies and are made to German regulations, so have shaped beams.
Try Kerry at local company Klite. He has a top reputation and sells worldwide.
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find_bruce
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby find_bruce » Tue Apr 28, 2015 9:09 pm

Kerry is a good option. I can recommend the Shutter Precision dynamo hubs Kerry sells - at 400g for the hub it is not much of a weight penalty. & my light is similar.

For the reasons Ron suggests, German online stores are also good places to look, for both dynamo hubs & for lights with shaped beams - B&M, Phillips and Supernova are the brands most recommended. Bike 24 has a good choice of hubs and lights. They used to have a good selection of wheels with dynamo hubs, but seem to only list 4 atm.

If you can comprehend a little German, bike-components often have slightly better prices

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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby reefer » Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:03 am

Just bought a SP PV8 for my roadie, $165 delivered from kerry (Klite). I have a dosun front light and Herrmans rear light on my commuter which is fine, but went for more power and bling at more cost for my roadie and bought Supernova front and rear. The front is 200 lumen but still a shaped beam. Looking forward to running it as soon as my LBS builds up the front wheel. I bought direct from Supernova.
Really, if you google dynamo hub, you will get days worth of reading. ( Plus the threads on BNA). :P

http://intelligentdesigncycles.com/
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm
http://www.stkildacycles.com.au/index.p ... namos.html
http://www.sp-dynamo.com/

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piston9
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby piston9 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:38 am

Thanks all. YEs, there is plenty on the 'net, but it is good to hear from 'real people' who use the stuff daily, rather than sometimes those with a vested interest...
Another one of those high-vis commuter types. Ultegra equipped flat bar is my weapon of choice - with panniers :D

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RonK
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby RonK » Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:53 am

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kb
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby kb » Wed Apr 29, 2015 7:09 am

Anyone running a modern rim dyno (eg. Velogical) or is hub the undisputed champion?
Image

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piston9
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby piston9 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 7:15 am

RonK wrote:Some light reading for you... :idea:

Hub Dynamos in Australia

Dyno Hub Device Recharging

Thank you - not sure why I didn't see those........
Another one of those high-vis commuter types. Ultegra equipped flat bar is my weapon of choice - with panniers :D

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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby warthog1 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:59 am

I have a cheapo shimano dyno hub wheel I got from c r c as an ex display item. I have a B&M LuxosU from bike 24 and a Secula plus tail light also from bike 24.
I also use a Philips saferide 80 usb rechargeable healight and a couple of flashing rear tali lights also.
The Luxos is sufficient for 30kmh commuting on its own however in combination with the saferide I find passing cars don't wash away my light as they pass and I am very happy with the amount of light I am projecting, pretty similar to some road motorcycles I have owned. More to the point the pattern at which it is projected is great as both lights are shaped and don't blind oncoming traffic.
It's great having dyno lights as they are always there and always reliable. A great safety net in case you forget to charge battery lights. Essential for any serious regular commuter IMO.


xxcycle have cheap built wheels using shimano dyno hubs for those looking for a cheap entry point.
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby rangersac » Wed Apr 29, 2015 11:39 am

I highly recommend making the switch. My steed runs a Shutter Precision PV-8 hub with a B&M Cyo Premium up front, and a Hermanns H-track rear light on the rack. The Cyo Premium is 80 lux which translates to around 260 lumens or thereabouts. It's not massively bright, my Cateye Volt300 secondary bar mount is considerably brighter on high beam, but what makes it so impressive (and effective) is the wide graduated beam that is brightest in the central, distance section, but graduates down and peripherally to cover an entire two lane road plus the nearside verge. I'm happy using this alone on unlit roads up to around 45kph. Beyond that the secondary light is handy for corners, but that's more due to the lower down placement of the Cyo (fork crown) because as you lean into the corner the beam gets tilted. The Hermanns is an awesome tail light, with a ring led placement giving excellent side visibility plus a brighter centre-top LED for traffic directly behind you. I tried a couple of B&M tail lights initially but found the standlights gave up on them pretty quickly. No such issue with the Hermanns.

Hub I got from user s-whs on ebay who's a bit of a dynamo guru. Cyo Premium from Starbike, and the Hermanns from Kerry at K-lite although he seems to be out of stock at the moment, and I was a bit miffed when I received it from him as it was just a repackaged ebay order.
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piston9
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby piston9 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 11:50 am

Thanks Warthog and Ranger. I appreciate hearing from those who use, I definitely think I will convert! Too many 'events' of late (got home one night, rear light had gone flat somewhere on the ride, last night in the dark on backroads got a tree branch in the face...). Since I am doing big K's this stuff just seems to make sense now...
Another one of those high-vis commuter types. Ultegra equipped flat bar is my weapon of choice - with panniers :D

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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby Blakeylonger » Wed Apr 29, 2015 11:54 am

Shimano hubs are bearing serviceable on one side only, SP are cartridge but have to go back to the factory unless that's changed recently, SON are serviceable but again I'm not sure if anyone in Oz is authorised to do it. Iv'e seen failed shimano, SP & SON hubs, so price isn't an indicator of quality, but SON have a long warranty. No-one else makes a dyno hub worth having and why bother with a rim dyno compared to these unless your bike setup prohibits it.

I've personally used:
Hubs: Shimano 3N80/3N72/1N70/S701, Schmidt Sondelux, Supernova SD-8 & a cheap novatec
Headlights: Supernova E3 (ugh)/ B&M Eyc (ok) / Lyt (eh)/ Cyo R/ Cyo N/ Cyo Premium (great), Spanninga, Trelock (meh)
Taillights: B&M Seculite (meh), Secula (excellent), Toplight Line Plus & brake (good), Spanninga pixeo (meh), Philips saferide (great), Trelock (eh)

I want to try the toplight line small and hack it into something else. same bones as the Schmidt taillight. http://www.bumm.de/produkte/dynamo-ruec ... small.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Hermanns taillight is supposed to be good, similar style to the philips.

IMHO currently the best beam/value lighting kit is a shimano or SP hub with the B&M Cyo Premium (this spec: 1752QSNDi-04) headlight plus the B&M Secula or Toplight taillight or a Philips saferide depending on frame/fender/rack. Luxos is much bigger with a better beam and USB option, Eyc is smaller but the beam isn't as good. Yes the Cyo Premium is *only* 80 lux but it's quality shaped lux.

other options: http://www.fixed.org.au/forums/showthread.php?t=28313" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you're in melb, head to the yarra blvd teardrop loop at 630 tonight for a test of the options:
http://commutercycles.com.au/news/2015/ ... emo-night/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby piston9 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 12:52 pm

Doing my research, thank you all for your replies!

I have hit a small snag - my currnet front rims (Fulcrum CX COMP) are 20 spoke. This is going to be a problem isn't it?
Another one of those high-vis commuter types. Ultegra equipped flat bar is my weapon of choice - with panniers :D

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Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby RonK » Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:04 pm

piston9 wrote:Doing my research, thank you all for your replies!

I have hit a small snag - my currnet front rims (Fulcrum CX COMP) are 20 spoke. This is going to be a problem isn't it?
Most owners would build (or buy) a complete new wheel. Likely it would cost you less for a new rim than labour to dismantle an existing one.
So at bike upgrade time you just put the original wheel back on the old bike and the dynamo hub wheel on the new one.
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby piston9 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:10 pm

RonK wrote: Most owners would build (or buy) a complete new wheel. Likely it would cost you less for a new rim than labour to dismantle an existing one.
So at bike upgrade time you just put the original wheel back on the old bike and the dynamo hub wheel on the new one.
You are probably right on the labour... Guess I have to find a new rim now as well! My LBS is going to LOVE me and see me coming :P
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Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby RonK » Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:23 pm

piston9 wrote:
RonK wrote: Most owners would build (or buy) a complete new wheel. Likely it would cost you less for a new rim than labour to dismantle an existing one.
So at bike upgrade time you just put the original wheel back on the old bike and the dynamo hub wheel on the new one.
You are probably right on the labour... Guess I have to find a new rim now as well! My LBS is going to LOVE me and see me coming :P
I built mine with a H Plus Son Archetype. It's worth searching online for a complete wheel. I've seen some bargains for wheels built up with SP hubs.
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby reefer » Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:38 pm

piston9 wrote:Doing my research, thank you all for your replies!

I have hit a small snag - my currnet front rims (Fulcrum CX COMP) are 20 spoke. This is going to be a problem isn't it?
SP PV8 20H. http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8seriesdynamo%20hub.html

Talk to Kerry, he got me a 36H even though its not listed on the manufactures website. He responds to emails fast.

FWIW, I am getting my hub put into my existing CXP 33 rim. :D

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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby Blakeylonger » Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:51 pm

it is definitely not worth rebuilding your current wheel.

get a rim that looks vaguely like the current one and build it with that. (or mismatch, whatevs). You have a spare wheel / resale ability then. the saving in just the rim cost is stuff all compared to rim/spokes/labour, plus many shops won't rebuild a used rim. If you're DIY, different story.

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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby Crawf » Thu Apr 30, 2015 4:39 pm

Another SP user here, built into a HPLUS Archetype wheel, and another into Crest Disc 29er wheel. Both hubs going strong, one would have 25k+ on it.
Have used Supernova's, nice but didn't last long enough.
Have used LuxosU, big light, fantastic beam, I miss it! I can't remember what happened to it, I think I fluffed up the wiring.
Now using a Lumotec Eyc which is working fine.
Rear lights have been Topline Brake+ & Secula, both serve me well.

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Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby RonK » Thu Apr 30, 2015 5:02 pm

I've just ordered from Bike24 an SP PD-8X to build into a 29er wheel with a Flow EX rim.

The PD-8X is quite versatile - accepts a 15mm through axle but is supplied with a dummy axle for use with a QR.
Last edited by RonK on Thu Apr 30, 2015 6:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby Espresso_ » Thu Apr 30, 2015 5:30 pm

RonK wrote:I've just ordered from Bike24 an SP PD-8X to build into a 28er wheel with a Flow EX rim.

The PD-8X is quite versatile - accepts a 15mm through axle but is supplied with a dummy axle for use with a QR.
Wow I didn't know that. I would have gone for the X over the standard disc QR version. I definitely see through axles in my future.

E

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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby RonK » Thu Apr 30, 2015 6:07 pm

Espresso_ wrote:
RonK wrote:I've just ordered from Bike24 an SP PD-8X to build into a 28er wheel with a Flow EX rim.

The PD-8X is quite versatile - accepts a 15mm through axle but is supplied with a dummy axle for use with a QR.
Wow I didn't know that. I would have gone for the X over the standard disc QR version. I definitely see through axles in my future.
Yeah - definitely worth considering if you're planning to buy.

PD-8X
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby Leaf T » Tue Apr 19, 2016 10:11 am

I've had too many B+M tail light duds and it's time for a change. Can anybody tell me where to get the Hermanns H-Track tail light? Is ebay the best atm or are there better sellers? I couldn't see them on the K-Lite website. Thanks in advance.

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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby rangersac » Wed Apr 20, 2016 10:40 am

Ebay may provide the cheapest option. For reliability I'd go with Intelligent Design
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Re: Dynamo hub + lights - anyone using?

Postby Leaf T » Wed Apr 20, 2016 11:10 am

Thanks for that. I ended up buying one yesterday from ID after seeing a link in another thread. I like the B+M stuff but I've had 4 of their toplights give up on me. The first two it turns out were from an early batch with a known problem of dodgy capacitors which B+M replaced under warranty. The replacements now have one led working and the other an intermittent standlight.

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