Winter rural commuter dynamo setup...

[mrmacmusic]

I'm looking to not only invest in a new winter commuter this year but also to spec it up with a proper dynamo lighting solution – I figure given I commute 5 days a week and 80% of my 28-mile round trip commute is on unlit country back roads it's worth spending the money on something that will last. My cheap XML-T6 lights are past their best and I think given my route some proper beam-shaping wouldn't go amiss...

I figure dynamo lighting is 'fit and forget' but are there any caveats I should be aware of either re choice of equipment or fitting? I like the look of and think that either the Schmidt Edelux II or B&M Luxos U headlight would suit my needs but I've no idea what rear light to go for or indeed what dynamo hub would suit best? Also, is it recommended to use a brand-matched system – e.g. SON 28 + Edelux + Schmidt rear light – or is it OK to mix and match?

How reliable are modern dynamo systems and is there anything I should think about doing re fitting to ensure the system lasts? I'm wondering if perhaps wiring could be a weak link if not fitted properly (cable ties? tape?) and likewise should I worry about doing something to protect the main wiring connector to the dynamo hub or are these more robust than they look?

Any help, advice and setup recommendations so I can get my winter commuter sorted asap would be much appreciated

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Bike in my avatar had this lights specs (scroll down page).
Used it a lot last winter, lights are great on urban roads. The much abused frame is now a rust bucket, but the cabling is fine, the end are wrapped in electrical tape - it was like that when I bought it, the lights themselves still waterproof in spite of me using the bike only on wet days.
Problem: the front bulb went, automatically the rear stops working too, the rear is not replaceable, you can't remove the cover.
Of course there is no warning, so you always need back up lights too.
It was difficult to find a new bulb, bike shops don't sell them, electrical shops don't seem to stock them. Found them on line eventually.
The dinamo front light is not enough to see in an unlit road.
Don't know what happened to the back, it used to stay on on stopping, since I've changed the bulb in the front, the back switches off immediately on stopping.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I have looked into Dynohubs for my new bike (which I collect in 2 weeks time).
There are good options available. I'd boil it down to:
The SON 28 is the Rolls Royce, low drag, 50k before services, blingy. The connectors are a fiddle and it's expensive.
The Shimano is a very close match in performance, much cheaper, uglier but with better connector.
Shutter precision are the new kid on the block and sit somewhere between the two.
I went SON for the best-bike bling factor. If I was commuting if go for the 'ultegra quality' Shimano DH-3N80 and spend the difference on the best light I could get.
In Holland and Germany where commuting is commonplace, dynamos are the main choice.

There are a lot of reviews on the web. I think it's easy to get caught up on the numbers like drag, but I think in reality it's pretty small-beer.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Bike in my avatar had this lights specs (scroll down page).
Used it a lot last winter, lights are great on urban roads. The much abused frame is now a rust bucket, but the cabling is fine, the end are wrapped in electrical tape - it was like that when I bought it, the lights themselves still waterproof in spite of me using the bike only on wet days.
Problem: the front bulb went, automatically the rear stops working too, the rear is not replaceable, you can't remove the cover.
Of course there is no warning, so you always need back up lights too.
It was difficult to find a new bulb, bike shops don't sell them, electrical shops don't seem to stock them. Found them on line eventually.
The dinamo front light is not enough to see in an unlit road.
Don't know what happened to the back, it used to stay on on stopping, since I've changed the bulb in the front, the back switches off immediately on stopping.

Thanks – sounds like you've had a few issues... I plan to have backup lights too

As for your front light not being enough to see on an unlit road, I guess that's because of the low output (15 lux if I'm reading correctly)..? I suspect – and would like to hope – from the beam patterns I've seen and the higher lux output of both the B&M Luxos U or Schmidt Edelux II I'm interested in would be OK? They look like car headlights and are brighter* than my two XML-T6 battery lights (*or at least put more light in the correct place)

 

[snorri]

My bottle dynamo is still electrically sound after errr 40 years, but it has been known to slip in certain road conditions of frost/slush/snow.
I would say filament bulbs are old hat now, I discovered that when I went to buy replacements from my new lbs, just got blank looks.It seems LEDs are the thing for the 21st century.

 

[mrmacmusic]

I have looked into Dynohubs for my new bike (which I collect in 2 weeks time).
There are good options available. I'd boil it down to:
The SON 28 is the Rolls Royce, low drag, 50k before services, blingy. The connectors are a fiddle and it's expensive.
The Shimano is a very close match in performance, much cheaper, uglier but with better connector.
Shutter precision are the new kid on the block and sit somewhere between the two.
I went SON for the best-bike bling factor. If I was commuting if go for the 'ultegra quality' Shimano DH-3N80 and spend the difference on the best light I could get.
In Holland and Germany where commuting is commonplace, dynamos are the main choice.

There are a lot of reviews on the web. I think it's easy to get caught up on the numbers like drag, but I think in reality it's pretty small-beer.

Cheers Foodie

Yes, paralysis-by-analysis is a problem which is why I was hoping to garner some real-world experiences on dynamo solutions. I've basically eliminated drag as a deciding factor as it seems negligible regardless of which dynamo hub you use (although there are differences between the three mentioned).

My key issue is reliability and longevity – I'm not focused on 'bling' (although nothing wrong with looking smart) but if the SON 28 is going to last the longest and be least likely to give me problems then I'm happy to spend the money on one. My winter bike lives in the shed overnight but comes into the offices at work during the day so I guess I might need to be mindful of condensation, or is that not likely to be a problem? Although you recommend the Shimano, maybe Shutter Precision is the ideal compromise? Googling sources brought up Spa Cycles and it seems they build a lot of wheels with this particular brand of hub...

What lights did you go for? I've no idea which rear light to go for and would you agree the Edelux II and B&M Luxos U are the best options and do you think one is better than the other for any particular reason?

 

[the snail]

I've got the 40 lux B&M cyo, which is very bright and has a good beam pattern. The luxos is brighter and has a better beam pattern by all accounts..
I could be wrong, but I think the edelux lights are rebadged b&m lights. I've got the shimano dn3h80 and b&m seculite rear and it's a good setup which has been totally reliable. Other cyclists have commented on the brightness of my lights. If you're riding in heavy traffic I'd be tempted to add a flashing rear though.

 

[mrmacmusic]

I've got the 40 lux B&M cyo, which is very bright and has a good beam pattern. The luxos is brighter and has a better beam pattern by all accounts..
I could be wrong, but I think the edelux lights are rebadged b&m lights. I've got the shimano dn3h80 and b&m seculite rear and it's a good setup which has been totally reliable. Other cyclists have commented on the brightness of my lights. If you're riding in heavy traffic I'd be tempted to add a flashing rear though.

Thanks the snail, very helpful I've read (if I remember correctly) that the Edelux II uses the IQ2 reflector made by B&M and also that it has a glass lens so will last longer as road dust/dirt abrasion won't affect it in the same way as it would a plastic lens. The Schmidt does look nicely made but I think I mentioned above I wasn't focusing on 'bling'......

 

[Crankarm]

If you are riding RTW then I would consider a front hub dynamo such as the SON 28 which you are currently looking at, however, for UK riding, commuting, I would just go for stand alone bike lights such as Exposure. They are well made and very bright. I ride a few more miles than you and my Max D has been brilliant, albeit once when it failed and it went back to Exposure and they did something to it to make it work again free of charge. It cost me the postage though.

Anyway they quickly recharge as well. Mine is a couple of years old and the current ones push out 2400 lumens!!! It has 3 settings plus strobe which I have on low most of the time which lasts about 16 hours or 4 hours on full power more with an extra battery. It has a good metal mounting bracket meaning it is easy to dip by angling down on the bars or adjusting up to give a full beam. You won't be disappointed. It is bright. It's like car headlights on full beam. For rear, the Exposure red eyes are very good. You can get a triple cell battery for about £90 which lasts ages greatly increasing the run time of the lights. The Max D costs about £300, but it is worth it.

 

[mcshroom]

I've got a couple bikes set up with dynamos now.

On the tourer I have a Shimano 3N-DH72 dynamo paired with a B&M Cyo-T (60 lux). I like the beam cut off and the shape on the road from the fork crown mounting. I can't feel much if any difference between the dynamo wheel and the Deore-LX hub non-dynamo one it had before.

The new setup is currently on my hybrid for the winter, with plans to move it to a bike for audaxing next summer. It's a cheap Shimano 3N-DH20 hub (with nutted axle) paired with a New Cyo "Premium" 80 lux light. There's a little more drag in when spun in the workstand, but any drag on the road is lost in the studded tyres the bike is currently equipped with. The light is a bit brighter and I think the spread is a little better with less of a hot-spot than the older 60 lux light.

Both these bikes are used for commuting and other night riding in rural Cumbria, and I've never had any problems with them. There is an option to add rear lights but I decided not to bother with that (partly as I didn't fancy the look of the cable from front to back) so both bikes have two rear battery lights (one on the mudguard and one on the back of the pannier rack). Rear lights last for weeks so are less of a worry about keeping charged than fronts.

Dynamo wheels and lights have come down a long way in price over the last couple years. Also buying from German suppliers is often far cheaper than buying in the UK. For example the DH20, built into a wheel with a Rigida Snyper rim was around £40 complete last month. Cyo's are now in the £30-50 range from places like Rose.

You could do perfectly well with battery lights, but the advantages I find with the dynamos are about convenience. Firstly they are bolted onto the bike, so I can't forget to take them, and I don't need to remember to charge my battery packs or carry spares.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Cheers Foodie

Yes, paralysis-by-analysis is a problem which is why I was hoping to garner some real-world experiences on dynamo solutions. I've basically eliminated drag as a deciding factor as it seems negligible regardless of which dynamo hub you use (although there are differences between the three mentioned).

My key issue is reliability and longevity – I'm not focused on 'bling' (although nothing wrong with looking smart) but if the SON 28 is going to last the longest and be least likely to give me problems then I'm happy to spend the money on one. My winter bike lives in the shed overnight but comes into the offices at work during the day so I guess I might need to be mindful of condensation, or is that not likely to be a problem? Although you recommend the Shimano, maybe Shutter Precision is the ideal compromise? Googling sources brought up Spa Cycles and it seems they build a lot of wheels with this particular brand of hub...

What lights did you go for? I've no idea which rear light to go for and would you agree the Edelux II and B&M Luxos U are the best options and do you think one is better than the other for any particular reason?

I was going for this with the USB charging option ....
http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/...front-headlamp-with-usb-connection/aid:620049

And then somebody said the Phillips Saferide lamp was at silly price on Amazon so I grabbed one and saved my cash for the time being. I can buy that above when I've got more cash and really need the charger.
The Son has pressure compensation I think which might help with condensation. Everything I've read tells me they are hugely reliable.

But as Mcshroom says, the Shimanos are trouble free too.

 

[DrLex]

I'll echo mcshroom's sentiments; I bought a S/H Pompetamine a couple of years ago for wet weather riding that has a Deore LX dynamo front hub, and I fitted the front crown-mounted Philips SafeRide 60 and a Busch & Muller rear on to the mudguard. It's been a trouble-free system, however I supplement it with a couple of Smart battery-powered lamps, set to flash. (Having a rural commute, the more indication of my presence that I give the occasional, but fast vehicle, the better.)
The German sites have a good range at a reasonable price, but don't overlook that at places like St John's cycles. I'd also compare the Exposure Revo & SP dyno package - I've seen some good user reviews of it, but it is expensive.

Here's some detailed reading on dynamos on CTC (no beard required):
http://www.ctc.org.uk/file/public/feature-hub-dynamos.pdf

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

There is a really good deal on at Spa cycles for a dynamo and light bundle. Iirc £180 all in..wheel, lights and loom.

 

[DRHysted]

My Allez has a Shimano hub, I've fitted http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/b--m-lumotec-iq-cyo-rt-senso-plus-front-light/aid:457404 on the front , http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/...mounting-on-seat-stay-or-seat-post/aid:709311 & http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/b--m-toplight-line-plus-back-light/aid:378502 on the back .
Most of my route is on unlit rural roads, and this set up is imo brilliant. In fact next year I will be getting a similar set up for the CX (which is the main commuter bike).
The best bit is the front light, it is not as bright as any of my battery powered lights, but the beam has a perfect pattern. It shines on the area of the road that you want light, with no overspill. The pure convenience of a dynamo set up also bliss, as I have set it up that as soon as the front wheel is turning all lights are shining, and they're permanently fixed, so no forgetting.

 

[Exile]

Have a Shimano DH-3N31 hub on my jack-of-all-trades hybrid, combined with a B+M Lumotec IQ2 Luxos U front lamp and one of their Toplight's at the rear. Easy enough to fit (the hub was built up on a wheel already) and is serving me well, even if the hybrid now only sees use occasionally when commuting.

The beam pattern on the IQ2 is brilliant, and more than bright enough for moderate speeds along unlit routes, and it's bright enough in urban areas to stand out amongst all the other light clutter, but thanks to the cutoff on the beam, it doesn't dazzle oncoming traffic. I do find the USB charger useful on the commute, for those days I've forgotten to put my phone/Garmin/ iPod on charge, but it's really something I picked more on the plan to use the bike as a tourer, so if I was equipping a bike purely for commuting (and I might for my new bike) I'd probably save some money and get a different light, likely a B+M Cryo RT or AXA Luxx 70.

Reliability wise, I've had no problems with it. Cabling was pretty simple (if not elegant, but black cable-ties on a black frame isn't too ugly) and hasn't given me any trouble, and the whole lot's had a few good soakings and hadn't missed a beat. I have made a splash-guard for the front light as I have it mounted on the front rack, so it's right in the line of spray off the top of the front wheel and even though it seemed OK the first two wet days, I decided not to risk it and stuck a bit of plastic across the rack to keep most of the spray off.

Bottom line though is a dynamo is a great investment, and you can spend a much or as little as you want depending on how fancy you want to go. It can take a bit of time to get it set up perfectly, and I spent a few rides tweaking the angle of the front light to get the light just where I wanted it. I find it's well worth any time and money you spend on it, if only so you don't have to spend time worrying about where your lights are, if you've charged them, or how much you're blinding other traffic. Only real downside is it's a bit more difficult to move dynamo lights between bikes, but even that's not impossible...