Generator / dynomo hubs and lights

[Raymo853]

@Starduster 125919 wrote:

*Better* is out there, from Busch+Muller, SON/Schmidt, and Supernova, available from peterwhitecycles.com or someone who buys from him.

Those hubs are much better at reduced resistance both with the lights on or off. However, they are worth the price difference to me as the difference at real speeds is just a few watts.

Since I rode too much yesterday, I am planning to get the new wheel installed today. I am hoping to do a series of roll out test comparing the current and new wheel.

[Raymo853]

I did a quick set of test with the new wheel. 3 repeats of light on and light off. There was a significant difference between the light on and light off. There were no overlapping light off points inside the spread of the on points. The fastest light-on was not much different than the slowest light-off, but still I imagined I felt the difference.

I also perceived/imagined the whole time I could tell the difference compared to a normal wheel to the point of being a little annoyed.

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[Raymo853]

I ended up doing a series of roll tests with my dyno hub and with a normal wheel. I just happened to have a wheel with the same rim. Used the same tire & tube at the same pressure. Conclusion: there were just a small difference between light on and off and the other hub, Hope. The data points are below. They are measures in cm, using the shortest run (a Light On run) as the zero.

Light On
1: zero
2: +20
3: +88
4: +250
5: +340

Light Off:
1: +18
2: +264
3: + 353
4: + 365
5: + 381

Normal Hub (super nice Hope)
1: +180
2: +419
3: +340
4: +393
5: +470

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10208[/ATTACH]

[Anonymous]

Resurrecting this to ask questions and not have any answers get lost in the “complain and/or brag about your evening bike ride” thread.

@bentbike33 145472 wrote:

Long-term permanent solution: Dynamo hub powered lights. The Germans have some fantastic LED headlights designed to work with dynamo hubs. See http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm for a good introduction.

@bentbike33 145522 wrote:

I have been running a dynamo headlight for many years without a failure, and I just leave it on all the time, day or night.

@Steve O 145489 wrote:

Finally about 12-14 years ago I bought a Schmidt generator hub, and I have been a happy camper ever since. Having the hub I know I will always have at least one light working even if I manage to mess up everything else (I used to carry a spare bulb, but now my light is LED which hopefully will not fail). I highly recommend this for year-round commuters.

@Raymo853 124783 wrote:

After pricing things out, I am still planning to get a dynamo hub, a cheaper one, and a light that is not crazy expensive, a Herman’s H-One. This setup is going to go on my commute only bike, so I will not be too concerned about weight or higher speed vibration problems. I want it cheap enough I will not have to worry about theft. Not saying being cheap will keep it from being stolen, just if it is stolen it is less of a loss.

What I want out of the dynamo powered light is a a see me type without blinding or annoying on-coming bikes.

Do any of you have a dynamo not with a “see me type” light, but with a “see where I’m going on unlit roads at 15-20mph with oncoming car headlights in my eyes” light? And if so, what is it and how well does it perform that function?

I am aware of peterwhite website and all the pictures of beam patterns, but… perhaps it’s just me but I don’t feel like 2D still photographs on a computer screen give me a very good sense of the kind of visibility I’d have moving at speed in the [greater than two]-dimensional real world. It’d be nice to know about people’s actual experiences. And maybe even see some lights at work.

[bentbike33]

@Amalitza 145599 wrote:

Do any of you have a dynamo not with a “see me type” light, but with a “see where I’m going on unlit roads at 15-20mph with oncoming car headlights in my eyes” light? And if so, what is it and how well does it perform that function?

I have the Busch & Müller Luxos U. It is an excellent “see where I’m going on unlit roads at 15-20mph with oncoming car headlights in my eyes” light. Despite having the brightest part of the beam aimed at a shallow downward angle per manufacturer’s spec, it is still capable of offending the more sensitive small minority of photophobic cyclists. Before I got this light I would not bike commute during standard time because darkness. With this light, I did my first Freezing Saddles very comfortably (with respect to darkness, anyway). Plus, it has the capability to charge a small USB device (although I have not used this capability personally). The Luxos B is very similar without the USB option and therefore cheaper. Other good options are the Luxos IQ-X and Schmidt Edelux II.

I recently got a new set of wheels with the Shutter Precision PD-8 Dynamo Disc Front Hub which seems to be working very well, is cheaper than a Schmidt hub, yet has similar drag characteristics to the Schmidt.

[Anonymous]

@bentbike33 145607 wrote:

I have the Busch & Müller Luxos U. It is an excellent “see where I’m going on unlit roads at 15-20mph with oncoming car headlights in my eyes” light.

^^hey baby, wanna meet some random internet person on an unlit road after dark and go for a bike ride?

[bentbike33]

@Amalitza 145631 wrote:

^^hey baby, wanna meet some random internet person on an unlit road after dark and go for a bike ride?

Hmm… I might have some trouble explaining it to Mrs. Bentbike.

ME: “No, really, she just wants to see how well my headlight works.”

MRS. BENTBIKE: “Oh, your ‘headlight’, huh?!?”

Anyway, you might be able to get a better idea how these lights work from some of these Youtubes. They are still 2-D and on your computer screen, but at least they are in motion. Also, the mornings are getting dark again. I commute W&OD to Custis, or stay on W&OD for HDCC. If I don’t hit the snooze button and otherwise dawdle, I can get to HDCC a little before 7. It should still be dark enough to see how the light works, at least at the I-395 4MRT underpass.

[chris_s]

@bentbike33 145607 wrote:

I have the Busch & Müller Luxos U. It is an excellent “see where I’m going on unlit roads at 15-20mph with oncoming car headlights in my eyes” light.

I have the same light. It would say it is good on unlit roads, but don’t get your hopes too high – it is certainly not as bright as a lot of battery-operated headlights. No dyno-light is. That said, it has never let me down. I’ve always felt comfortable riding with it, even in the middle of the night on unlit roads and trails.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

@Amalitza 145599 wrote:

Do any of you have a dynamo not with a “see me type” light, but with a “see where I’m going on unlit roads at 15-20mph with oncoming car headlights in my eyes” light? And if so, what is it and how well does it perform that function?

I am aware of peterwhite website and all the pictures of beam patterns, but… perhaps it’s just me but I don’t feel like 2D still photographs on a computer screen give me a very good sense of the kind of visibility I’d have moving at speed in the [greater than two]-dimensional real world. It’d be nice to know about people’s actual experiences. And maybe even see some lights at work.

I have had the Lumotec IQ Premium Fly RT Senso Plus on my bike for a couple of seasons. The daytime running lights have saved me from a vehicular left cross more than once. The beam has a sharp cutoff and is good for up to 18mph probably. I don’t have it mounted properly as it’s on on my fork. If you cruise in the 18-20mph range than you may want something a little brighter or be really careful of how you mount your IQ Fly light (they recommend the fork crown, but I have a rando rack). Note that the new IX-X can be mounted upside, which would be an advantage over the “tall” IQ Fly form factor if you have a front rack.

[Steve O]

@FFX_Hinterlands 145668 wrote:

I have had the Lumotec IQ Premium Fly RT Senso Plus on my bike for a couple of seasons.

I have this identical light. Happy to meet strangers at night on the trail. Next Midnight Saddles ride is tentatively scheduled for October 14.
I have mine mounted correctly. I can’t say that I have ridden in unfamiliar dark places at high speeds at night, so I have always felt like I had enough light. I have, though, ridden up the W&OD in the Glen Carlyn area plenty of times pretty fast. I know that trail well, though, so that’s not a fair test.

It is true that there are more lumens from a lot of battery-powered lights. However, they are spread in a blazing circle of light, which illuminates the trees, sky and oncoming bicyclists’ eyeballs. These European designed lights put all the lumens on the trail, where they are most needed.

[Starduster]

@Amalitza 145599 wrote:

Resurrecting this to ask questions and not have any answers get lost in the “complain and/or brag about your evening bike ride” thread.

Do any of you have a dynamo not with a “see me type” light, but with a “see where I’m going on unlit roads at 15-20mph with oncoming car headlights in my eyes” light? And if so, what is it and how well does it perform that function?

I am aware of peterwhite website and all the pictures of beam patterns, but… perhaps it’s just me but I don’t feel like 2D still photographs on a computer screen give me a very good sense of the kind of visibility I’d have moving at speed in the [greater than two]-dimensional real world. It’d be nice to know about people’s actual experiences. And maybe even see some lights at work.

Amalitza: Hi. I have pictures, if that would help…

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12401[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12402[/ATTACH]

On my olde Trek, running the B+M LumoTec IQ Cyo T Premium (the IQ Premium optics), taken at about 11 mph. You’ll recognize where- W&OD under Route 50. With a B+M *sidepull* generator (!) Oh, the dark lines at either side? My barcon shifter cables. That’s how crazy wide the beam is.

I’ve had experience with generator setups going back decades, and until the advent of high powered LED emitters (& the IQ optics- how the light is managed is critically important), I always had to supplement the onboard headlight with…something. No longer. For me, the only place this “really good low beam” falls short is on pitch-black off-road, where I would want a “high beam” supplement anyway.

Confident? I am *leading* a nighttime bike ride with this setup: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/papillons-dc-monuments-at-night-ride-redux-tickets-27247784858. Saturday Sept 17, 7:00pm rollout. Please join us!

[BobCochran]

I too want to have a generator hub. I’ve read through the Peter White website earlier this year. I think I’m open to the Schmidt hubs and lights.

Bob

[BobCochran]

Related to this, which shops in the DC-MD-VA area have a lot of experience with generator hubs? Or individuals who have built the generator hub wheels since it really comes down to the skill of the wheel builder.

Bob

[creadinger]

@BobCochran 145711 wrote:

Related to this, which shops in the DC-MD-VA area have a lot of experience with generator hubs? Or individuals who have built the generator hub wheels since it really comes down to the skill of the wheel builder.

Bob

Hi Bob,

I had my Schmidt SON hub built up in a wheel by Bill Mould out of Spokes Etc on Quaker Lane. I also had them drill a hole in the fork crown so I could mount the light there. Once you get the wheel built, the wiring isn’t too hard.

[Steve O]

@BobCochran 145711 wrote:

Related to this, which shops in the DC-MD-VA area have a lot of experience with generator hubs? Or individuals who have built the generator hub wheels since it really comes down to the skill of the wheel builder.

If you want a unique build, with twisted spokes, like this one, I can recommend someone.
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[Author]

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