Hub Dynamos in Australia

[Crawf]

Those E3 tail lights don't strike me as being visible from the side of the bike. Happy to be wrong

The LED's do protrude, so some side illumination would be visible - how bright is the big question?

[RonK]

Those E3 tail lights don't strike me as being visible from the side of the bike. Happy to be wrong

The LED's do protrude, so some side illumination would be visible - how bright is the big question?

Hmmm, mine don't protrude at all. I have the rack mount version. Interestingly, Supernova seem to have admitted there is a problem, and now offer a new model E3 taill light with better side-visibility. So that must be the one you have.

Does not help with my problem, which is that the light is not particularly bright when stopped at traffic lights, and could easily be lost in a background of car brake lights, which puts me at risk of being rear-ended. A bright flasher is essential as far as I'm concerned. This is the one I'm using.

[Crawf]

Does not help with my problem, which is that the light is not particularly bright when stopped at traffic lights, and could easily be lost in a background of car brake lights, which puts me at risk of being rear-ended. A bright flasher is essential as far as I'm concerned. This is the one I'm using.

Have to agree with you there, the 'standby mode' when stationary is next to useless amongst traffic - but I always have additional flashers front and rear too, so not a biggie for me.

[KonaCommuter]

I'm a huge fan of that Cateye model. It was my first "serious" rear blinkey. I'm currently using the Tioga dual eyes tail light on my Oppy road bike and I'm happy with it.


Battery life on both the Cateye and Tioga is excellent. The Cateye is heavier but it does have superior visibility from the side and it does have redundancy in that it is basically two blinkeys in one with two switches, two circuits and two batteries.




Thanks for the advice. I will skip the tail light for the time being. I had thought that it'd be possible to braze on a cable guide to make it look all professional but that's a negative according to my LBS. And I do want my bike to look nice, that's why I'm going to pay extra to buy the anodised black version of the Hub

[petie]

So I have been deliberating the hub-dynamo for a while now, and have decided to go all in! Sick of charging batteries

I've read a few threads and am leaning towards purchasing all from one website. Starbike is a little difficult to navigate and doesnt have much info but has the very handy wheel-building service! Am still trying to decide between a supernova infinity 8 or deore xt dht785 but will probably buy from starbike.

The problem I have hit is lights. I didn't realise there were so many options! Any recommendations for a bright front light and rack mounted rear light? I'm keen to keep it affordable but bright. Not too bothered about automatic on/off etc. I haven't been able to whittle down the options on starbike!

Thanks in advance
Pete

[high_tea]

B&M IQ Cyo for mine, the 60 lux model without reflector. I have one on my cargo bike. Taillight, I've got a B&M topline plus. Happy with both, both reasonably priced. Wrote a little blog article about them. Bit cargo-bike centric, though.

http://cyclingwithkids.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/mundo-lights.html

[rifraf]

So I have been deliberating the hub-dynamo for a while now, and have decided to go all in! Sick of charging batteries

I've read a few threads and am leaning towards purchasing all from one website. Starbike is a little difficult to navigate and doesnt have much info but has the very handy wheel-building service! Am still trying to decide between a supernova infinity 8 or deore xt dht785 but will probably buy from starbike.

The problem I have hit is lights. I didn't realise there were so many options! Any recommendations for a bright front light and rack mounted rear light? I'm keen to keep it affordable but bright. Not too bothered about automatic on/off etc. I haven't been able to whittle down the options on starbike!

Thanks in advance
Pete

Hi Petie,
dont understand either of your two choices of hub.
I'm an Son fan myself but am impressed with the cost and
warranty (now 2 years I hear) for the new SP range.
The SP (available from ebay) is also amongst the lightest of hub dynamos and I reckon very
cost competitive with the Shimano.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SP-hub-dynam ... 3f1a176265
or
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SP-hub-dynam ... 3f1b87740a

An item from starbike or bike24 in my experience takes around 3-4 weeks
to get here.

As for lighting, I only use the hub for a headlight as the choice of taillights isnt great (IMHO)
I use an Edelux which I love but if it broke tomorrow I'd be getting a more cost effective
IQ Cyo.
If things were tight I'd consider trying:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/280956618442 ... 1438.l2649

To sum up,
if funds arnt an issue I'd suggest you consider the very tried and true Son range with its five (yes thats 5) year warranty.
Their headlights (Edelux) also have a five year warranty.

2nd choice would be the SP and Cyo

3rd choice would be SP and that light I left the link above in.
Just an opinion and something for you to ponder.

Something else you can consider with regards lights is getting battery lights that you can recharge from your
dynamo hub with something like an E-werk with a cache battery.
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/ewerk.asp
There are other versions about but I bought one of the above to keep my gps and phone charged.

Safe to assume you've read:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=55681
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=50649

and heres a site with one guys opinions which I thought made for some good reading
http://swhs.home.xs4all.nl/fiets/tests/ ... ler-dynamo

[petie]

Thanks for the replies. I had picked those hubs because they were available on starbike and roughly the right price range.I also need a disc mount. But now I have seen the sp hubs on Ebay and their price I have been swayed!

As for the lights, had read those threads. But the link to the blog/personal site is brilliant! I think I might end up with a b&m topline on the rear after seeing the beam pattern photos. The front I think I might go with the Phillips safe ride and see how I go.seem to be the right price...

Any thoughts on those choices? I guess now I will have to build myself or find a reliable local builder though!

[rifraf]

Thanks for the replies. I had picked those hubs because they were available on starbike and roughly the right price range.I also need a disc mount. But now I have seen the sp hubs on Ebay and their price I have been swayed!

As for the lights, had read those threads. But the link to the blog/personal site is brilliant! I think I might end up with a b&m topline on the rear after seeing the beam pattern photos. The front I think I might go with the Phillips safe ride and see how I go.seem to be the right price...

Any thoughts on those choices? I guess now I will have to build myself or find a reliable local builder though!

I'm a bit old school and like a headlight to look chrome (polished alloy will do) so the Edelux was a no brainer
as it not only had great light output, it suited my taste in aesthetics down to a t.
I loved the review of the Philips but couldnt come to grips with its looks on my bike.
I do believe its great bang for buck though and think its a brilliant light, if only they could give it a bullet
shape and throw a little chrome around it.
If you can handle its looks, I think it would be one of the best lights out there.
I think the battery version has better output from memory.
I wonder if you could keep it charged with an E-werk or similar via your dynamo hub - definitely worth thinking about.
I've seen them turn up on Ebay from time to time (philips light) so dont forget to look there when researching price.
eg. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Philips-Safe ... 4aac19845e
and
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bicycle-dyna ... 4ab99bc1a2
Pretty sure starbike and bike24 would have them and have a squiz on some of the larger pommie sites just in case.
The topline is a popular choice and I've spoken to people via forums who love them.
I personally cant make any suggestions for local wheelbuilders as I got mine built up in the States.
Good luck with your final choices and keep us all up to date.

I wouldnt bother with the 40lux model
https://www.bike24.net/1.php?content=7; ... 66;mid=251
https://www.starbike.com/p/Philips-LED- ... ux-4975-en
http://www.roseversand.com/article/phil ... aid:489003
to name a few, but do your own research.....

[rifraf]

Be sure to have a squiz at your dynamo hub charging options.
Heres four:

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/pedalpowerplus.asp

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/ewerk.asp

http://www.thinkbiologic.com/products/r ... power-pack

http://h1987995.stratoserver.net/magent ... lader.html

[petie]

Thanks for those links, definitely something to consider for the future.

Now that i'm buying from different sources, i'm trying to decide which rims to use. Once i decide i'll let you know the choices!

[x8pg2qr]

Hi all.

First, Cheekytransport was advertising "The Plug" recently. http://www.cheekytransport.com.au/2012/ ... echarging/

Next, just some collected thoughts.
I have 3 bicycles with dynamo lights. My best light (not the best light out there) is the Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ Cyo. So pretty, such a contemporary design, and so bright. I say "not the best light", simply because others are brighter. And over time the range keeps improving. e.g. the IQ2 is almost available. This light is paired with a Sondelux.

My 2nd one came with a Vivente Randonneur. Lumotec IQ Fly. Good light. A bit more utilitarian design. This is paired with the stock Shimano generator.

My 3rd is a Lumotec Lyt. This is on a bicycle that is sometimes properly locked but not in an enclosed space (i.e. accessories can be nicked). I got this mainly because it was inexpensive, and looks unobtrusive. Also paired with a Sondelux. I am happy with it despite the relatively low price and the advertised "low" brightness (25 lux). The standlight is noticeably less capable than the other 2 lights.

All 3 bicycles have the Busch & Müller Toplight Line Plus rear light, which I think is magnificent—low profile, unobtrusive, won't break if bicycle falls over.

All 3 bicycles have some form of front wheel protection to avoid theft. i.e. either Pitlock, Pinhead skewers and A-head protection. Or just requiring a special Allen Key to remove the wheel. This can be a pain if I get a puncture, which is why the 3 bicycles have either Marathon Supreme, or a My Tuffy tyre liners on them. I'm a bit torn as to whether Pitlock or Pinhead is better. The rear wheels still use quick releases since they are easier to protect.

I can't say I notice any increased drag from the Shimano generator (they are different bicycles with different variables). And the Vivente has front disc brakes, so the front is heavier. The Shimano generator hub is more noticeable (visibly bigger) than the Sondelux though.

Aside from obvious advantages, one other advantage of dynamo lights is when placing the bicycle on a bus rack (Canberra), I don't have to remove the lights.

Another "downside" is once I was riding home from work, and my Alfine rear internal hub stopped shifting properly. This is usually and easy fix: either some dirt or those yellow lines need to be aligned. But I had no portable torch, so could not see what I needed to fix until I reached a bridge with some lights (across Cotter Dam in Canberra). This was also Winter and around midnight, so I was quite cold while sorting this out. A simple portable torch would have made the fix much easier. i.e. sometimes I still need to deal with AA batteries and torches.

I had some struggles with mounting a front light when front cantilever brakes were present (Surly Cross Check), due to the clearance of the brake cables. I eventually got the proper Schmidt headlight bracket: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/schmidt-stai ... prod23927/



NB that none of the lights blink, so they can be used with battery blinkers if wanted.

I am very impressed with these German accessories. All were packaged nicely, had good instructions—for installation, and measurements (to calculate spoke length). All had the required connectors and reasonable quality and length cables. And every time I pass by the bicycle with the Lumotec IQ Cyo, I think "wow, that's gorgeous", which is a nice feeling.

Lastly, I have had Reelights for a few years now—would not recommend. Too small even for "be seen" lights, and axle mounted ones are too low. The magnets are also quite big. A lot of hassle for not much return. Durable though, no doubt. (NB this were the early axle-mounted Reelights. They now have fork crown, rack mounted lights).

[petie]

So I bit the bullet and bought the PD-8 SP hub from intelligent design cycles on EBay. While I wait for it to arrive, I need to decide on rims. I was thinking velocity blunt SL with the intention of some form of tubeless setup in the future. Will report back once the hub arrives...!

[petie]

Hub arrived last week Looks good, wuite stiff just turning by hand but i think thats normal. Have made the possibly dubious decision to build with Velocity Blunt SLs. Will let you know how it goes once built!

[rifraf]

Hub arrived last week Looks good, wuite stiff just turning by hand but i think thats normal. Have made the possibly dubious decision to build with Velocity Blunt SLs. Will let you know how it goes once built!

I had my wheels built with Velocity rims.
I'm not familiar with the Blunts but my Aeroheats have given no problems.
It surprised me that rims which at the time were made in Aus. could be bought much cheaper overseas.
If memory serves me, Velocity has now moved to the States.
Oh I see they are a tubeless rim:
http://www.velocitywheels.com/store/pro ... 280&cID=22

"Redesigned to be lighter, stronger, faster. Introducing Velocity's newest rim, the Blunt SL.
Bringing together the proven success and technology of our P35 and Blunt rims,
we have created a tubeless race day rim sure to elevate your riding to the next level!"

Keep us updated and let us know how you get on with the rims (impressions etc.)

What spokes are you going to use?

[petie]

so the rim, spokes and rear wheel arrived. I ended up just buying the rear wheel from velocity, didn't cost much more to have it built and it saved me sorting a rear hub. using DT swiss double butted. supplied by velocity in the lengths I requested.

rims seem good, pretty light in the hand. dont have any real numbers though.

Haven't even bought the lights yet, but will buy soon! b&m topline rear and phillips safe ride front.

hopefully lace up on my next days off....

[Crawf]

so the rim, spokes and rear wheel arrived. I ended up just buying the rear wheel from velocity, didn't cost much more to have it built and it saved me sorting a rear hub. using DT swiss double butted. supplied by velocity in the lengths I requested.

rims seem good, pretty light in the hand. dont have any real numbers though.

Haven't even bought the lights yet, but will buy soon! b&m topline rear and phillips safe ride front.

hopefully lace up on my next days off....

Let us know how it builds up, my PD8 hasn't missed a beat.

[Aushiker]

This article published in Fahrrad Zukunft in April 2012 and written by Andreas Oehler of SON might be of interest. A little insight into current dynamos. The orginal article is in German so this is the link to the Google translation.

Andrew

[rifraf]

This article published in Fahrrad Zukunft in April 2012 and written by Andreas Oehler of SON might be of interest. A little insight into current dynamos. The orginal article is in German so this is the link to the Google translation.

Andrew

Not your fault Andrew, nor probably the original author, but those translations always have me yawning by the time I get down
the page and can barely glean what the conclusion suggests.
How bout your impressions of what was trying to be said (in short)
The queens english is still the language of commerce in my book and the jerries would do well to remember it .
I remember trying to read up on lighting from both and Son and B&M sites and feeling incredulous that there was no working
English translation page up, especially for such an expensive and non mainstream product.

[wqlava1]

This article published in Fahrrad Zukunft in April 2012 and written by Andreas Oehler of SON might be of interest. A little insight into current dynamos. The orginal article is in German so this is the link to the Google translation.

Andrew

Not your fault Andrew, nor probably the original author, but those translations always have me yawning by the time I get down
the page and can barely glean what the conclusion suggests.
How bout your impressions of what was trying to be said (in short)
The queens english is still the language of commerce in my book and the jerries would do well to remember it .
I remember trying to read up on lighting from both and Son and B&M sites and feeling incredulous that there was no working
English translation page up, especially for such an expensive and non mainstream product.

There were a few irrelevant devices tested (and really we only want to know about the SONdelux which is Schmidt's best, the Shimano 3n80 which is similar to their current best (the XT) and the average of the SP PV-8 results).

My misc comments:
It's interesting that he didn't test the SP SV-8 which puts out a nominal 2.4W at 15km/h rather than the 3W of the PV-8, with SP claiming it to have the highest efficiency, better than SON. He works for SON though.
On the data presented, the SP hubs put out more absolute power than SON, with SON very marginally ahead on efficiency.
At under half the SON price, I think that the SP hubs offer better value.
At about a quarter the SON price, the better Shimano hubs are equivalent value to me (the tradeoff being their lower output and higher friction) - but with me doing the pedalling and having seen this comparison, I would in future want to spend the little bit extra to get SP.
I noted the much higher power available out of the hubs with two lights - dunno if that's the same as a light + USB charging scenario. i have a question though. If they are testing a 24 ohm load instead of 12 ohm , they must be putting the 2 loads in series. Will either load be affected by the lower voltage drop that they individually experience?

I think that the reason why there is no good English description for many of these dynohub and light gear is exactly because we have a non-mainstream use for them. The main market seems to be for commuter bikes in Germany, so that's who they write the documentation for.

My interest is that I own a SONdeluxe, an SP SV-8 and a couple of Shimano Alfine dyno hubs.

[Aushiker]

If you are in the market for a Shimano dynamo hub wheel build these prices at XXCycle (France) look pretty good or at least worth checking out.

Andrew

[Baalzamon]

Not a hub dynamo, but a spoke dynamo.
Sunup Eco
I've lashed out and purchased one from Ebay. $124
So now if I want I'll be able to run 2 dynamos
Son 28 on the front in a wheel I'm not using currently and the Sunup Eco

[rifraf]

Not a hub dynamo, but a spoke dynamo.
Sunup Eco
I've lashed out and purchased one from Ebay. $124
So now if I want I'll be able to run 2 dynamos
Son 28 on the front in a wheel I'm not using currently and the Sunup Eco

Look forward to reading your impressions.
I've read that they need a bit of speed before they get some usable output but using a
cache battery would do away with that concern in my book.
You looking at trying this on the bent? What happened to the Sturmey Archer idea?
Cheers
Aidan

[Baalzamon]

Tonight was a small 4km ride with just4tehhalibut with his new light. I have Supernova E3 triple and it was on the Sunup Eco dynamo
Well something isn't right...
15km/hr on my Son hub is when the 3 leds are all up
On the Sunup Eco it was at least 27km before that happened hmmm
I'm going to have to get my bike on my trainer and measure the volts from the sunup eco to see what is happening.

[rifraf]

Tonight was a small 4km ride with just4tehhalibut with his new light. I have Supernova E3 triple and it was on the Sunup Eco dynamo
Well something isn't right...
15km/hr on my Son hub is when the 3 leds are all up
On the Sunup Eco it was at least 27km before that happened hmmm
I'm going to have to get my bike on my trainer and measure the volts from the sunup eco to see what is happening.

I imagine it would be fine on the standard E3 as it stands to reason that the triple sux a lot more current.
Let us know how you get on Baalzamon so others can decide whether to follow in your tyre prints.
I'm sticking with the Sun hubs for now but I like that there are other options.