Cheap dynamo lights

[RedBike]

Are there any cheap dynamo lights out there that are any good?

What about these?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230382071541&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

(I notice there's nothing in the advert to give you a clue as to exactly how bright these lights are!)

I have a very good quality recharable light. The trouble is i'm looking at doing a ride (tour) thats going to have me riding in darkness for longer than the battery will last. (10hrs low).

As this is just one ride I don't really want to spend a fortune.

A lot of the route will be off-road. I can always switch the recharable light on for the downs and I will have a small head torch; but I need something that works at relatively low speeds and is bright enough to see where i'm going without the aid of street lights.

 

[John the Monkey]

I think the cheapest set I've seen recommended is the Axa Basta HR (from memory). Tend to go for around £30. I've no idea how bright &c it is.

If you can find a cheap bottle dynamo, I've a B&M Lumotec Oval Plus I bought on impulse that I could be persuaded to part with for, say, £20?

 

[Tharg2007]

if redbike dosnt want it i might be interested, what is the output like on this?

 

[tyred]

I have fitted this to my Peugeot as an experiment to see if I would get on with a dynamo - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/cycle-HALOGEN...ghts?hash=item2c508de813&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

There is some drag but not enough to cause a problem, makes a wurring noise but it's not too annoying. The tail lgiht is really bright, the headlight is pretty bright too but a strange reflector/lens design means it isn't really focused properly and isn't as good for riding with as it should be.

 

[John the Monkey]

if redbike dosnt want it i might be interested, what is the output like on this?

17 lux, according to B&M's website - not sure if there are beam shots out there on the web somewhere. Peter White cycles has one, but I'm fairly sure that's of the LED version, not the one I have (D-Lumotec, as opposed to Lumotec Oval Plus).

The "Plus" means that it has a standlight function (i.e. it will stay lit for some time while you're stationary). It's no good for Dynohubs though, as it isn't switched). Having looked at the costs etc I've decided to build a dynohub wheel rather than lash out on a sidewall driven system, given that I can do the wheel build myself, so the light is surplus to requirements and will be heading for eBay at some point.

Redbike, there's several threads about dynamos on the CTC forum - this one;
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29304 recommends the Axa (£20 ish) as a decent cheap alternative to B&M's Dymotec. A search on sidewall or bottle dynamo should turn up more.

 

[Tharg2007]

ah, i would be wanting it for a dynohub

 

[John the Monkey]

ah, i would be wanting it for a dynohub

It would be no good than - basically it would be contantly running whenever your wheels were turning, and the bulb would burn out in fairly short order.

 

[Tharg2007]

probably for the best anyway, id rather have an LED, might have to build one.

 

[Jonathan M]

As this is just one ride I don't really want to spend a fortune.

Would sub £100 for a hub dynamo built into a wheel + light be acceptable?

I use a Shimano Nexus hub built into a Mavic rim, and a Basta Pilot light.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-...--Off-Switch-Non-Standlight-Version-12586.htm

http://www.bonthronebikes.co.uk/66-413316


I've used this set up for about 3 years now, I have the Basta Pilot with standlight, only niggle is that the small connector between wheel & cable gets a little loose, but easily fixed. part of that problem is that I use the bike daily at the mo, and the front wheel is constantly being removed to be locked up, so there is more "strain" on that small component than perhaps there should be. But I've got a couple of spares from SJS cycles just in case one goes AWOL.

Light from the Basta is quite directed, not a lot of spread, good for road, perhaps less good for off-road, but importantly it is reasonably bright.

The comment about the lights not being switchable therefor not suitable for hub dynamos put a smile on my face, as I leave mine on all the time.

 

[02GF74]

I have a very good quality recharable light. The trouble is i'm looking at doing a ride (tour) thats going to have me riding in darkness for longer than the battery will last. (10hrs low).

do you sleep on this tour? if so, does the place have electricity t hat you can plug in a charger?

or carry alkaline batteries, and chuck em when done - you can buy AA.AAA from poundland. dunno whjat batteries you take or how many but you shoould be able to work out if it is too much weight to carry.

 

[RedBike]

do you sleep on this tour? if so, does the place have electricity t hat you can plug in a charger?

or carry alkaline batteries, and chuck em when done - you can buy AA.AAA from poundland. dunno whjat batteries you take or how many but you shoould be able to work out if it is too much weight to carry.

There will be no chance of charging anything and there's not really any towns to buy anything from either.

I'm quickly coming to the conclution that an AA powered light and a pile of batteries would be a better option.

 

[RedBike]

Would sub £100 for a hub dynamo built into a wheel + light be acceptable?

I use a Shimano Nexus hub built into a Mavic rim, and a Basta Pilot light.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-...--Off-Switch-Non-Standlight-Version-12586.htm

http://www.bonthronebikes.co.uk/66-413316


I've used this set up for about 3 years now, I have the Basta Pilot with standlight, only niggle is that the small connector between wheel & cable gets a little loose, but easily fixed. part of that problem is that I use the bike daily at the mo, and the front wheel is constantly being removed to be locked up, so there is more "strain" on that small component than perhaps there should be. But I've got a couple of spares from SJS cycles just in case one goes AWOL.

Light from the Basta is quite directed, not a lot of spread, good for road, perhaps less good for off-road, but importantly it is reasonably bright.

The comment about the lights not being switchable therefor not suitable for hub dynamos put a smile on my face, as I leave mine on all the time.

Far too much money. £100+ for one trip. I might as well stay in a hotel and recharge my lights.

They're also going on a MTB with disc brakes so hub dynamos are out of the question.

Apparently even a bottle dynamo wont work, espeshially if it's muddy.

 

[Jonathan M]

Far too much money. £100+ for one trip. I might as well stay in a hotel and recharge my lights.

They're also going on a MTB with disc brakes so hub dynamos are out of the question.

Apparently even a bottle dynamo wont work, espeshially if it's muddy.

No, thats my point. Sub-£100 for this set up. And if you chose not to keep the set up I'm sure you'd recoup most of your expenditure when you sold the stuff afterwards. But as you didn't mention type of bike then quite rightly a disc hub would probably rule out a hub dynamo anyway.

A bottle dynamo won't cut it off road as the mud/water that may be encountered will cause the roller to slip on the tyre sidewall, meaning no power generated to illuminate the light.

Is this event timed, you've explained the need to ride during the night, but what is forcing you into that situation? While you describe a "tour" in your first post, you havn't really expanded on why you are under pressure to ride in the dark, for a longer duration than your battery lights can sustain?


Your solution may be to buy another set of battery lights, or to buy a spare battery for the set you currently own.

 

[RedBike]

I'm sorry for not explaining thing very well. I wanted to ride the Trans Cambrian trail this week. Due to time contraints I wanted to ride all 100miles (its off-road) in under 2 days then ride the 80ish miles back to the start via the road the following day. This would mean putting in long hours at night, riding for as many hours as my legs would withstand. I was going to wild camp to try and cut costs. Which is why there would be no chance of re-charging my lights.

As it happens I was put off by a weather forecast I saw claiming minus temperature, huricane strength winds and torrenial downpours. (None of which happened!).

 

[Tharg2007]

anyone got one of these wheels from bonthrone bikes?
I ordered one, awaiting shipment in the next week or two, ready for. Matching it to a rear A319 rim with shimano coaster brake, marathon plus 28s, 531 frame, steel forks, full mudguards, on one mary bars, airzount, rack etc. ... watch out cars this winter!!!!!