http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Tag: dynamo lights - Recent Posts en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:10:30 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221273 Fri, 27 May 2016 23:42:32 +0000 LaidBack 221273@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>A Light that has a USB port outlet on it, another thing I have a feeling exists.</em></p> <p>Luxos from B+M. Think though you had bad experience with their charger unit?<br /> We use one on the tandem. Has USB. However it can't light the road and charge a battery / Garmin at same time. Although Darkersider did - for a while.<br /> Now on version 3 at least as B+M improve.<br /> No bike component is fail free. e.g. - We have had a quality dynamo hub fail.</p> <p>Welcome to see item at shop fitted. Have one in stock. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221267 Fri, 27 May 2016 20:45:39 +0000 unhurt 221267@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Limits of their powers untested, all-seeing &amp; all-knowing (within forum bounds), etc? </p> <p>(May be partly wishful thinking - I was once a forum power, a long time ago in an internet far, far away.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221255 Fri, 27 May 2016 20:01:22 +0000 chdot 221255@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"all forum powers are "shadowy"."</p> <p>Really?</p> <p>How do you work that out? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221253 Fri, 27 May 2016 19:50:35 +0000 unhurt 221253@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Surely as the shadowy* figure behind the CCE curtain you must be exceptionally responsible?</p> <p>*all forum powers are "shadowy". It is known. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221252 Fri, 27 May 2016 19:48:01 +0000 chdot 221252@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"I assume you are responsible"</p> <p>Now <em>there's</em> a question. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221245 Fri, 27 May 2016 19:12:06 +0000 unhurt 221245@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>(Thanks o chdot - I assume you are responsible for making my question a question!)</p> <p>- and to have some actual content: it occurs to me I could go for a dynamo light that plugs into a USB port, and just swap the light for whatever else I want to power! Or a light that has a USB port outlet on it, another thing I have a feeling exists. </p> <p>Wait. Have I answered my own question? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221222 Fri, 27 May 2016 15:33:07 +0000 unhurt 221222@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks - I have a SON dynamo, and it works grand to charge a battery pack on its own. Sounds like I maybe just need to wire things up as suggested above and accept that battery pack charging will be a bit slower; assume when I unplug the battery pack the light will then function at full brightness... </p> <p>Cheers for the loan offer but I have a battery pack (not a dynamo specific bit of kit, but that suits me as I also want to be able to charge it from the mains on non-bike trips) so ideally I can rig something up that works with the stuff I have. </p> <p>(I was sure I posted this as a question topic but apparently not, oops.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221180 Fri, 27 May 2016 12:34:33 +0000 Roibeard 221180@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>As for replacing the rim, that's as easy as replacing the rim on any hub, so no issue there.</p> <p>Indeed on some ordinary hubs, the rebuild cost is high compared to replacing the whole wheel, but if you have a dynamo hub, replacing the rim alone is more likely to be cost effective.</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221179 Fri, 27 May 2016 12:33:08 +0000 Roibeard 221179@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think any hub dynamo could accommodate an external battery pack, not just SON, it's just I've got the physical plugs for a SON on my battery pack.</p> <p>That said, I've a Biologic hub which provides 2.4W instead of 3W and it struggles to power both a front and rear light simultaneously (it was meant for front only) - that probably wouldn't be ideal for light and recharging concurrently!</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221132 Fri, 27 May 2016 07:34:34 +0000 gembo 221132@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I heard this earlier in the week when flirting with getting a dynamo. The sp brand which is similar to son? Could take a USB so running dim Dynamo whilst charging spare light or maybe your phone?</p> <p>The shimano one I was after as it was cheaper could not do this? Also it was cheaper as it came assembled to the wheel. So my further query is - if rim wears out (very likely on my commute) can all dynamos be taken off the old rim and a new rim built round them</p> <p>Neither brand appears to be great for running repairs according to the other thread?</p> <p>I am back to being pre-contemplative about dynamos. Lot of ins, lot of outs, lot of money </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221121 Thu, 26 May 2016 22:39:29 +0000 Roibeard 221121@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There are a couple of options available which don't require a particular light.</p> <p>These battery packs are usually wired in parallel with the light, so no need to swap between the lights and battery.</p> <p>If you have a SON hub, I've a battery pack with the required connectors to be plugged in alongside a light, and your welcome to borrow it...</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16444#post-221113 Thu, 26 May 2016 20:47:21 +0000 unhurt 221113@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I want to actually put a decent dynamo front light on the Do All Things bike - but I have refined my needs: can I hook any light I buy up in such a way that I can charge a battery pack either (1) at the same time as having (some) light, or, almost as acceptable, (2) hook up a battery pack instead of the light as needed (via my wee usb-output box thingy) without having to faff about prising one set of contacts off the dynamo output and connecting another? Or do I need to buy a Particular Light to do this? Need the light for Ride to the Sun, but want a set up that will also work to keep my electronics charged if/when I head off with the tent for extended periods. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176139 Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:48:46 +0000 Roibeard 176139@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Dave - don't forget <a href="http://www.nabendynamo.de/produkte/dynamos_en.html">Schmidt Original Nabendynamo</a>, probably on a par with SP.</p> <p>And then bottle dynamos (from for example <a href="http://www.bumm.de/produkte/mehr/fahrrad-dynamo.html">Busch and Müller</a>).</p> <p>I think there may be other Chinese cheaper dynamos too, although I'd probably stick with the brands for the simple reason that rebuilding a hub (in particular) is probably enough hassle to pay for the (perceived) reliability offered by a known brand.</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176131 Thu, 18 Dec 2014 01:27:51 +0000 crowriver 176131@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Lumotec plus has been mounted on the Raleigh for at least two years, not used absolutely every day but ridden several times a week on average. Bulb suddenly went recently, not a bad innings considering so cheap to replace. Spare bulb is only a quid. Easy to fit, too. </p> <p>LEDs certainly last longer, many are brighter too now. But halogens are quite inexpensive. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176130 Thu, 18 Dec 2014 01:09:41 +0000 Dave 176130@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It must have been a right pain when dynamo lights had a bulb in them!</p> <p>Ours seem pretty reliable - three bikes with dynamos (two with wired tail lights) and no issues even after several years on the commuters, which is quite a bit of mileage.</p> <p>Three different brands of dynamo as well, Sturmey, Shimano and Shutter Precision (which is my favourite, but doesn't get as much use as it's on the nicest bike).</p> <p>I just swapped the front light on my winter bike after three years because I fancied a change - I had the original one in 2010 because I remember doing a few audaxes that year when I first got hold of it.</p> <p>I've never considered using the multimeter - spade connectors and decent wire to start off with seems to do the trick. Could just be good luck though, three bikes is a small sample size regardless of the mileage they do? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176129 Thu, 18 Dec 2014 00:17:09 +0000 RJ 176129@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hub dynamo LED front and battery LED rear is possibly the best of both worlds. Minimal wiring makes problems much easier to diagnose and on my main bike setup are normally restricted to surface corrosion on the wires where they contact the dynamo. My winter bike has a rear lamp connected to the dynamo via the front lamp; with the benefit of hindsight it's more trouble than it's worth. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176121 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:10:38 +0000 rbrtwtmn 176121@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Over many many years the problems for me were - in order:<br /> 1) Corrosion or physical damage within the light meaning that the bulb wasn't connecting to the bits it was meant to connect to (fix with scraping, bending, and stuff squeezed into gaps to push things together)<br /> 2) Corrosion or dirt between wires and where they connected to the light bodies. Fix with scraping, bending, and squeezing things into gaps to push things together - and occasional bits of solder and insulation tape.<br /> 3) Slipping dynamo against tyre (fix with gluing something less slippy to the rotating bit of the dynamo body).</p> <p>I eventually found the ideal (if somehow defeatist) solution, which was to give up and carry much lighter and brighter LED lights. In many ways this is a shame. For many many years I swore by dynamo lights - they were always there, difficult to steal, and brighter than the alternatives. But now I have lights I can remove in a moment, which are small, light, and MUCH brighter than a dynamo - and yes, one of them has a lovely wide beam just like the dynamo.</p> <p>Maybe more helpfully, my tips for fixing are probably to use the multimeter - disconnect everything, test the resistance of everything to check connections, test for power from the dynamo with some kind of direct connection to it (multimeter or wires straight to a bulb), check the bulb with a battery or again with the multimeter. Connect everything back together bit by bit, testing as you go. It'll fix it... it's a simple process (does electricity flow from A to B or not)... you'll know where the problem is for the future... but it does take time. Every time I tried to shortcut this process I got in a muddle - when I did it this long way I always worked out what was wrong. Don't forget if you start testing for connections that there's a connection right through the dynamo itself - that used to get me confused - indeed I may still be confused, but I think I'm right. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176116 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:06:08 +0000 crowriver 176116@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>ocbert, I'd suggest the issue with the front light is the halogen bulb has gone. I have just had exactly the same problem on a B&amp;M Lumotec plus: main beam off, stand light working. Got a spare bulb from Eastside Bikes this afternoon, fitted it, hey presto! One working front light.</p> <p>As for the rear, tricky to say. Try replacing the wiring to that light with some copper audio speaker cable. That may do it. If not, light is probably kaput. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176100 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:20:08 +0000 osbert 176100@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Still can't decide whether to dig out my multimeter and some batteries and try to track down the problem or go along to one of the shops suggested - but many thanks for the pointers!</p> <p>I was aware Biketrax did B&amp;M stuff in the past - in fact it's where my bike with lights and dynamo came from a while back - but their website has zero B&amp;M now, so I'd assumed they've dropped it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176033 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 09:02:51 +0000 eastsidebikes 176033@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>We could look at it for you. Andy has a similar system himself and we have done some dynamo repairs in the past.</p> <p>Iain</p> <p>Eastside Bikes </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176023 Wed, 17 Dec 2014 00:51:59 +0000 LaidBack 176023@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Eliminated a few problems in past. Usually wiring of course. if lights have spade connectors then easy to wire up a rough new bypass rear line just to check out and prove old wiring is the problem<br /> I also have some extra lights to eliminate the broken light scenario.<br /> Have also had duff dynamos - not supplied to customers luckily. Rare but does happen if you see enough. Mostly wiring up new stuff here but can look at. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-176005 Tue, 16 Dec 2014 21:57:56 +0000 Dave 176005@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Spin the wheel and touch the tail light wires together. If the hub slows down, the wires are OK. More likely I suspect it will keep blithely spinning = new wires needed.</p> <p>Stick to B&amp;M and all the stuff is freely interchangeable so you can easily do it yourself, I'm sure there will be plenty of shop recommendations too though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-175993 Tue, 16 Dec 2014 21:01:13 +0000 I were right about that saddle 175993@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've spent a fair amount of time putting a multimeter on motorcycle electrics. The cause of almost all intermittent woes is corrosion in wires and, particularly, earth connections. You find them by exhaustive measurement of all bits and bobs.</p> <p>If you're in the south side and want me to put the meter over your bicycle electrical components just drop me a PM and we'll see what we can do. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-175988 Tue, 16 Dec 2014 18:25:57 +0000 amir 175988@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think Martin at <a href="http://www.wheels2wheels.co.uk" rel="nofollow">http://www.wheels2wheels.co.uk</a> knows something about dynamo systems </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-175986 Tue, 16 Dec 2014 18:25:36 +0000 wingpig 175986@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>BikeTrax on Lochrin Place sell dynamo lights, so might be prepared to frown at your current setup.</p> <p><blockquote><em>"The front bulb doesn't work but doesn't visibly seem to have blown, but the 'stand light' still works so there's power from the dynamo"</em></blockquote></p> <p>Do you mean there's a separate bulb for the standlight function or that the bulb only glows when the standlight capacitor is charged, not whilst the wheel is turning?</p> <p><blockquote><em>"if it's dead or a wiring problem"</em></blockquote></p> <p>The rear is probably supposed to run off 6V, so test it with a couple of bits of wire taped up to a couple of AA cells (rather than a PP3), starting with the terminals where the dynamo wires connect to the light. Maplin sell spade terminals and bits of wire for possibly slightly less than an official replacement dynamo wire. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14120#post-175985 Tue, 16 Dec 2014 18:16:59 +0000 osbert 175985@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hi</p> <p>I've got a hub dynamo and Busch and Muller lights - rear with LED and front with halogen. The rear hasn't worked for ages, but I can tell if it's dead or a wiring problem. The front bulb doesn't work but doesn't visibly seem to have blown, but the 'stand light' still works so there's power from the dynamo. </p> <p>Any recommendations for an Edinburgh bike shop that could fix this? I don't want to buy stuff off the web and then find it's the wrong bit!</p> <p>Thanks </p>