Looking for advice on… Electrification! (dynohub lights)

[TwoWheelsDC]

I’m probably going to do the same. From my research, the Shimano Alfine hubs seem to be the best value, and put out plenty of power for a headlight/taillight. I haven’t researched USB stuff, but I’m not really interested in that. Also, my understanding is that the drag is pretty minimal, like less of an effect than upshifting a cog…but I’m interested to hear from people here on that point. As far as lights go, I’m pretty intrigued by the Supernova E3Pro 2, which is 300L, although the 800L version would be awesome too, but maybe a bit too bright.

[dasgeh]

Or you could get solar powered lights, like on the drool-worthy Van Moofs…

I have a dynahub on my no excuses bike and LOVE that I don’t have to think about it. I don’t even have to turn the darn things on (or off, which I ALWAYS forget to do), especially with the rear light). The bike came with the lights standard, so I don’t know how much it affects performance. I do find the bike to be on the slow side, but acceptable.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

There are pretty big differences between the shape of the beams on most of the dynamo lights and the typical US-offered battery lights. The dynamo lights typically have a beam shape that’s more like a car light… they have a cutoff to prevent blinding other riders. I think this is due to German and Dutch standards. The US lights are usually like a flashlight… symmetrical beam that can blind oncoming riders.
See this link http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

I have a Lumotec Lyt (25Lux) and a bottle dynamo on my dutch bike. The faster you go the more light you’ll need.

[Dirt]

Here’s what I’m using: http://store.ibexsports.com/2014-exposure-lights-revo-dynamo-lighting-system

$399 including hub with a Red-eye (long cable) for $64. The USB charging cable adds about $15.

1) This has no on/off switch. It is 400 lumen when the tail light is plugged in. It is 800 lumen when it the tail light is not plugged in.
2) I have over 1000 miles with it and I haven’t noticed any drag. I rode the Dirty Kanza 200 with it and it wasn’t a drag at all.
3) The hub is a fairly heavy. The light is lighter than most due to its lack of batteries.
4) The light is easy to remove. Two plugs and a quick release button removes the light. It takes about 5 seconds.
5) Easiest theft proofing is to take it with you.
6) Extra hub costs $100.
7) I used the USB charging thing. It charges slowly, but works effectively.

Pete

[Dirt]

I am setting up my bike for a trip to Idaho where I’ll be using the light a lot. I will probably use a trip to Friday Coffee Club as a shake-down ride. You can check it out there if you like.

[Steve O]

I’ve had a Schmidt hub, which was custom laced into a wheel, for close to 10 years, maybe longer (I lose track of time as I get old). I got it from Peter White Cycles in New Hampshire. Visit his website for ENORMOUS amounts of information on everything to do with cycling (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/)

I cannot oversing the praises of having a generator hub for commuting. After years of fighting with various lighting systems (going way back to the old lead-acid rechargeable days) and always ending up with 1-2 days every winter w/out lights, I finally decided on the hub. From then on I knew that no matter what, I would always have at least one working light (I carried a spare bulb for that unlikely eventuality).
I actually have 2 front wheels: my “summer” regular wheel and my “winter” wheel with the hub. Thankfully my winter wheel was at home in the shed when my bike was stolen last week. The bad news is the light was stolen with the bike, so I’ll have to get a new one of those.

Once the winter wheel is on, the drag is fairly unnoticeable, but then when Mar/April rolls around and I switch back, I feel like I can fly. So it’s there, but you get used to it pretty easily.

Again, check out Peter White Cycles for info (and photos) on lots of light options. The biggest problem is that there is too much information, and then you get paralyzed with indecision.

Your Q’s with my A’s:
The ability to flip the light on/off – Easy. Some lights even come with auto-on based on light levels, like most new cars.
Drag – see above
Added weight – Hmm. Do you care much as a commuter with your laptop & clothes that you’ve added a few more ounces?
How easy/hard to remove? – The hub is permanently in the wheel. That’s why I have two wheels, so switching out the whole wheel is cinchy if you have quick releases.
Cost – The Schmidt’s are admittedly pricey, but are supposed to last 50,000 miles or more. That’s more night riding than I will do the rest of my life. At Peter White they run from under $300 to more that $400 depending on model. That does not include the wheel. Nor the light.
Theft-proofing – If they can steal your wheel, they can steal your hub with it. Be sure to U-lock your wheel.
Brands of hubs, and lights – See Peter White for more info than you can digest
Two hubs or one? – One. Also, don’t know if one can be put on a rear wheel anyway.
Can I power both a headlight and taillight – Yes, with most. Just read carefully about how to do it. I do not do this currently; I just power a headlight.
Is the USB charging thing useful, or a gimmick that adds complexity? – Seems like a gimmick to me.

[Steve O]

@Steve O 62033 wrote:

Is the USB charging thing useful, or a gimmick that adds complexity? – Seems like a gimmick to me.

I’ll amend this to say that for a commuter, the USB seems like a useless gimmick. However, for someone on a long touring trip that includes camping and possibly limited access to electrical power, this may be a useful feature.

[Steve O]

@Steve O 62033 wrote:

How easy/hard to remove?
Theft-proofing

I think you were talking about the light rather than the hub. My bike was a lot like yours, steel frame, fenders, rack, used for commuting, getting to meetings, going on rides with friends and even medium length rides like 25-35 miles for fun. All around. Also locked around town a lot (hence, stolen!). The light I had on it, that I got with the Schmidt originally, was mounted into the brake mount. It was a Lumotec Oval, which was kind of state-of-the-are at the time (LEDs were just getting into the market, and were far from perfect). No one ever tried to take it; it would have required wrenches and stuff and a few minutes of time. Not grab and go. If you want to leave one on the bike, because you might forget to take it with you, then I’d go with a somewhat less expensive model that does NOT have a quick release and has to be wrenched onto something.

[Colin B]

I built up a wheel with the Shimano DH3n80 last summer, it’s been great. You can find them on sale for less than $150, usually. I noticed the drag for about a day, now I can’t feel it at all.

I’ve got a Spanninga headlight that I grabbed for $25 from Velo Orange (not sure if they still have them), thinking I would replace it with something fancier, but it’s bright enough for winter commuting and getting caught after sunset on the C&O, so I’ve never gotten around to it. The power switch on the top of the light turns off the headlight and the Busch & Muller Toplight Line Plus bolted to the rear rack, but I never bother to turn it off anymore.

I think it’s the best safety investment I’ve made in my bike.

Weakest point in the system is the electric cable from the tail light to the front light, which can be vulnerable to poorly thought out bungee cords on the rack, or when locking rusty signposts. Sturdy wire helps.

[cyclingfool]

My Surly LHT was set up with a dynohub and lights, and I miss them dearly. I will be missing theme especially dearly now that I’m back into grad school classes and will be riding at night more again. Plus the days are getting shorter.

Anyway, all of that is to say that I STRONGLY recommend a good dynamo lighting setup if you’re thinking about it. I had an Alfine hub, Busch & Muller Lumotec Cyo N Plus headlight, and a B&M rear light. I couldn’t really feel the difference/friction from the hub when the lights were on, so I often ran my lights as daytime running lights and regularly got compliments on how bright they were, even from a distance during the day. I loved my setup and hope to replicate it soon on my new bike.

If you’re looking for easy USB charging capabilities, the new B&M Luxos light (brighter and better coverage than previous lights, too) has an option with built in USB charging capabilities, but of course the Luxos costs more than previous lights and the USB charger version costs more than the one without.

[ronwalf]

@Justin Antos 62023 wrote:

1. The ability to flip the light on/off
2. Drag
3. Added weight
4. How easy/hard to remove?
5. Cost
6. Theft-proofing
7. Brands of hubs, and lights
8. Two hubs or one?
9. Can I power both a headlight and taillight
10. Is the USB charging thing useful, or a gimmick that adds complexity?

I have a Shimano DH-3N72 hub with IQ-Cyo R front light and a BM Toplight Line Plus in back.

1. The front light a sensor, but I rarely use it. It’s easy enough to just reach down to the fork and turn the knob if I need to. The back light comes automatically if the front light turns on.
2. I only notice the drag when the light is on at high speed (>25mph), where it causes a bit of vibration in the fork.
3. The hub itself is not much heavier than a somewhat bulky battery pack.
4. The hub has a plug for the wires which is easy to remove when I go to remove the wheel. The lights are fixed in place with screws and bolts.
5. Cost was maybe $170 for the lights and a bit less for pre-built wheel.
6. No one has bothered my lights. The front wheel gets the U-Lock, leaving the back wheel with the cable.
7. I really like the German lights. The Shimano hub has the disadvantage that only one set of bearings is easily serviceable.
8. More than one hub? You mean summer/winter wheels? I guess it costs you a $60 premium over just one hub, assuming you’d have two wheel sets anyway.
9. You can definitely power both front and back lights. Older front lights required it, in fact.
10. I’ve thought about adding a USB outlet, but only so I could start attaching some hobby electronics to my bike (arduino/raspberry pi stuff)

[Justin Antos]

Thanks for all the advice here, it’s nice to see how many have these setups!

Does a single hub in the front wheel produce enough to power both a front and rear light? Or do you need a hub on the front and rear wheels?

[ronwalf]

@Justin Antos 62083 wrote:

Does a single hub in the front wheel produce enough to power both a front and rear light? Or do you need a hub on the front and rear wheels?

You only need one hub (in fact, I can’t think of any rear dynamo hubs, although they may exist).

Most front lights are designed to work with a rear light. The first cable goes from the hub to the front light, and then another cable goes from the front light to the rear. The rear light only gets power if you turn the front light on (or, in sensor models, if it turns itself on).

[Dirt]

@Steve O 62034 wrote:

I’ll amend this to say that for a commuter, the USB seems like a useless gimmick. However, for someone on a long touring trip that includes camping and possibly limited access to electrical power, this may be a useful feature.

For commuting I’d agree and say that the USB Charging is not worth the effort that it takes to get things set up and wired. I’m doing a few ultralight tours this fall and charging duties for the phone and GPS will need to be done with something other than a wall plug. During daylight hours, both the phone and GPS will be plugged into the back of the dynamo light or the solar panel. I’m fortunate that I’ve got 2 things to keep topped off and 2 means by which to charge. It will be interesting to see which is more effective. When I rode Dirty Kanza, I plugged my GPS into the back of the dynamo light when it reached 50% charge. After 4 hours of riding, the GPS battery had gone up to 70% charged. On a sunny day, I’m guessing the solar panel will be more effective.

[DCAKen]

@ronwalf 62071 wrote:

I have a Shimano DH-3N72 hub with IQ-Cyo R front light and a BM Toplight Line Plus in back.

This is the set up I have also and I love it. I’ve used the Schmidt hub for years and I never notice the drag on it.

One thing that no one has mentioned on this thread is using a locking skewers to prevent the wheels from being stolen. I use the Pitlock skewers, also available from Peter White Cycles, but there are others available locally.

[Author]

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