Winter rural commuter dynamo setup...

[mrmacmusic]

...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...

Can you please explain how I would go about running two rear lights? Does one dynamo provide enough juice and it's just a case of connecting them in series/parallel?

 

[mrmacmusic]

Thanks for everyone's input

I've decided to go for the SP PD-8 dynamo as I reckon it's the happy medium and not needing a USB charging capability I've gone for a Schmidt Edelux II front light – I prefer its' style over the Luxos and reckon I'll be very happy once fitted if Peter White's beam images are anything to go by... kept things local (ish) and ordered from Spa so hopefully they'll be here before the weekend (fingers crossed!)

Just a shame I'll be fitting it all to my old Boardman though – my dreams of a new winter steed have been dashed due to the fact that there will be no Genesis CdA 20 in 56cm until March

 

[DRHysted]

I simply spliced the wires together at the top of the seat stay +ve to +ve, -ve to -ve.
I have not had any issues with the dynohub producing plenty of power to run all 3 lights, in fact looking behind I can see red reflections on road signs. This may however be hub dependant, as mine produces enough light to see by at about 6mph (before that they pulse).

 

[palinurus]

I've been using a Shimano hub and an IQ Cyo for several years, very much fit and forget in my experience. Really useful if you tend to nip to the shops on the bike on a winter evening, that sort of useage. Also great for commuting.

 

[mrmacmusic]

I simply spliced the wires together at the top of the seat stay +ve to +ve, -ve to -ve.
I have not had any issues with the dynohub producing plenty of power to run all 3 lights, in fact looking behind I can see red reflections on road signs. This may however be hub dependant, as mine produces enough light to see by at about 6mph (before that they pulse).

Sounds like wired in parallel then..? (Wish I could remember half the stuff I learned at school) Thanks

 

[biking_fox]

Reelights would be the alternative I'd suggest. Fit and forget - to be seen by only though - magnets on the wheels inducting the power, less drag than a dyno hub. I'm very impressed with them so far.

 

[DRHysted]

Reelights would be the alternative I'd suggest. Fit and forget - to be seen by only though - magnets on the wheels inducting the power, less drag than a dyno hub. I'm very impressed with them so far.

That suprises me, I've got reelights on the main commuter and find more drag. Also the light output is rather poor, so I back it up with a magicshone on the front and two additional back lights.
Next year I'll be having dunohub wheels made for this bike as well & I'll move the reelights to the MTB a, which goes out once in a blue moon.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Reelights would be the alternative I'd suggest. Fit and forget - to be seen by only though - magnets on the wheels inducting the power, less drag than a dyno hub. I'm very impressed with them so far.

Very interesting... hadn't seen these before! Might be worthwhile as battery-less additional "be seen" lighting, but I'm thinking I might just get another Knog Blinder USB re-chargeable light for the rear (already have one up front).

 

[mrmacmusic]

Got home tonight to find my parcel had arrived Great service from Spa – the wheel looks great as does the Edelux II and I can't wait to get them fitted but I think I'm missing something...

Perhaps this is a question for the technical forum but can someone shed some light (pun intended) on how I actually attach the wires from the light to the SP PD-8 hub?! There's two spades attached to the light cable but you can't actually push them on to the metal connectors on the hub... I've pinged an email to Spa asking their advice but I just know someone here will point me in the right direction...

 

[mrmacmusic]

Never mind... I found these instructions! D'oh

 

[mrmacmusic]

With my XML-T6 lights failing yet again on my homeward commute yesterday, rather than leaving fitting my shiny new dynamo rig to the weekend when it would be light (and possibly dry) I decided stubbornly to squeeze in the fitting between taxiing eldest daughter to her dancing class last night, after all how long could it take?!? I swapped over the tyre, disc and skewer from my existing wheel to the new Spa one and got the lights fitted in what seemed like no time at all, then gave the wheel a quick spin... the lights flickered alive! (phew) I knew the wiring was right, everything worked as expected and all I had to do was tidy up the cables, put the bike away in the shed and look forward to the morning commute


Then I discovered the handful of cable ties I had were too short to go round the Boardman's fork/frame and I had no substitute electrical tape... d'oh! Cue unexpected third trip to town and a visit to the supermarket at 9pm last night... thankfully they had what I needed and I got the wires neatly tidied up and ready to go.

Initial impressions are extremely positive – being a dyno-noob I had been concerned it might not live up to expectations and there was a nagging worry at the back of my mind having read about drag and vibration. However I couldn't feel any drag with the SP PD-8 dynamo hub, in fact I'd even go so far as to say the wheel rolled smoother and faster than my old wheel, there were no vibrations in the handlebars and despite damp tarmac this morning which always soaks up light it was clear (no pun intended) from what I could see on the road and hedges/verge that the asymmetric beam from the Edelux II definitely puts the light where it's needed and the cut-off is great. Thanks for everyone's input... I'm a happy chappy

 

[subaqua]

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.

I have a shimano dynohub on the bike i commute on. don't get caught up on drag as FF says . you really dont notice it .

 

[DRHysted]

Initial impressions are extremely positive – being a dyno-noob I had been concerned it might not live up to expectations and there was a nagging worry at the back of my mind having read about drag and vibration. However I couldn't feel any drag with the SP PD-8 dynamo hub, in fact I'd even go so far as to say the wheel rolled smoother and faster than my old wheel, there were no vibrations in the handlebars and despite damp tarmac this morning which always soaks up light it was clear (no pun intended) from what I could see on the road and hedges/verge that the asymmetric beam from the Edelux II definitely puts the light where it's needed and the cut-off is great. Thanks for everyone's input... I'm a happy chappy

Glad you're happy with it. Personally I think modern dynohubs and lights are the bees knees (but I think that might have come across).

 

[subaqua]

Sounds like wired in parallel then..? (Wish I could remember half the stuff I learned at school) Thanks

yes parallel is correct.