http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Are Modern Bottle Dynamos Still Rubbish? en Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:25:54 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105184 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:27:11 +0000 sallyhinch 105184@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh, and the lights should be interchangeable. The only difference is hub dynamo lights have a switch and bottle dynamo ones don't need them, but I use a light with a switch which is designed for a hub dynamo and it's fine </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105179 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:06:04 +0000 crowriver 105179@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>From a comment by David Hembrow on sallyhinch's blog: <em>I’ve had both hub and bottle dynamos, and the difference between them is one of those swings and roundabouts issues. Hubs are usually a little more efficient at night time when the lights are on, but they’re also heavier, more annoying to retrofit, and less efficient in the daytime when the lights are off. I do more riding in the day-time than the night-time, so I normally use bottle dynamos.</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105178 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:58:10 +0000 sallyhinch 105178@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have a modern bottle dynamo - Nordlicht from Dutch Bike Bits. Initially I found it hard work, but that turned out to be because it wasn't properly adjusted - it needs to be running quite lightly against the wheel. </p> <p><a href="http://cityexile.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/cancel-that-order-for-legs-of-steel/" rel="nofollow">http://cityexile.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/cancel-that-order-for-legs-of-steel/</a></p> <p>There's a sweet spot between rubbing too hard, and skipping out a little during wet rides, which can make for an interesting night ride. I second Crowriver on the mounting. As for drag, I recently rode for about 11 miles with the thing on in daylight without noticing but that was with the ice tyres, and all manner of junk in my panniers; my bike's not exactly optimised for speed.</p> <p>I quite like the noise, it's nice to have something whirring away in the dark lighting your way along quiet country lanes. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105171 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:23:07 +0000 crowriver 105171@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not ciggies, jays were 'biffs' or 'bifters'. I think it's Scouse rhyming slang: spliff/biff, hence bifter. Apparently it can also refer to a fat lady, so presumably bifter = fat spliff? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105165 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:14:28 +0000 wingpig 105165@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote><em>"...whether I can use a hub dynamo light with a bottle dynamo..."</em></blockquote></p> <p>Yes.</p> <p><blockquote><em>"I understand Franklin Benjamin is on the $100 note, hence the slang."</em></blockquote></p> <p>Thought so.</p> <p>Would you happen to know why some of my associates in the late nineties referred to cigarettes as "bifters"? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105158 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:48:41 +0000 Uberuce 105158@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thankee Mr River, wise in the ways of the Force you are.</p> <p>If anyone happens to know whether I can use a hub dynamo light with a bottle dynamo, that'd be handy. As far as I can tell, the only difference is that the bottle ones save money by not bothering with a switch, so I could anticipate a future upgrade to dynohub by getting that kind of light. </p> <p>Veruca Salt. I only got Seether from them, which I liked. I understand Franklin Benjamin is on the $100 note, hence the slang. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105125 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:15:04 +0000 crowriver 105125@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Bottle dynamos do give flexibility. They are also noisier than hub dynamos when engaged, and can be draggy - but shouldn't be too much so if adjusted properly (which is a bit of an art).</p> <p>The modern B&amp;M or Nordlicht dynamos are pretty efficient. Also, of course, when disengaged there is no drag at all.</p> <p>The only real issue I've had with the dynamos I've used so far has been the mounts. The various bolt-on clamps that fix to forks or rear stays are wont to come loose or crack with vibration. A fork such as the ones Thorn make, with a braze on especially for bottle dynamos, is the ideal solution. Otherwise the best engineered mount you can get: I think B&amp;M make a good one. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105120 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:47:31 +0000 wingpig 105120@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think you need a Crowriver.</p> <p>Is that why Veruca Salt did a song called "Benjamin" back in the early nineties, lamenting where their money had gone? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105115 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:18:17 +0000 SRD 105115@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've ridden with 1990s vintage bottle dynamos, which I cannot imagine were any improvement on 1970s vintage. But perhaps by modern, you mean 'of this century'. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9735#post-105113 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:10:54 +0000 Uberuce 105113@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My recent thought experiment has been to swap wee blue floofy's canti/V fork for a disc mounted one and then obtain a dynohub of 6-bolt 160mm rotor ilk. This would mean I had a wheel I could swap between the daily workhorse and the audaxy shiny distance bike, and only need to fettle the light from one t'other the night before any lengthy rides.</p> <p>I can get the same interchangability from a bottle dynamo setup, and counting dem Benjamins, the disc option really fails. If you're not familiar with a middle-aged middle class man's knowledge of street lingo and don't know what 'dem Benjamins' means in this context, then I despair for you but will nonetheless say it means 'the money'.</p> <p>I've run around town quite happily on the iron horse with its amusingly draggy 1976 vintage bottle, but what I will tolerate on pub pootles and what I will tolerate for audax are different animals. </p> <p>However, if the 40% efficiency claimed by B&amp;M's flagship bottle is to be believed, then I might be in business.</p> <p>Has anyone used such a device? </p>