CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

hub dynamo - advice/recommendations?

(111 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by unhurt
  • Latest reply from Frenchy
  • This topic is resolved

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  1. unhurt
    Member

    The problem with turning my phone off when not in use - which I do tend to do on Scottish tours - is that touring solo I prefer to know that I could, technically, call the emergency services without waiting for my phone to turn on... Most especially at night, when however unlikely it might be in actuality, the thought of unwanted visits from unknown men tends to lurk at the back of my mind. (Obviously in practice there wouldn't likely to be any police vehicles nearby, never mind able to locate you "three miles past Tinytown and left 500m up the fifth logging track on the right" but it helps me sleep!)

    Hmm, 4.5A output on that powerpack? Better than mine, perhaps I shall upgrade.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. neddie
    Member

    I like the idea of an independent bottle dynamo for charging only the USB stuff. That way you can just click it on to the tyre when you have a spare bit of pedalling energy / long descent etc.

    <edd1e_h goes away and thinks>

    Do bottle dynos even exist anymore...?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. wingpig
    Member

    People still make and settle bottle dynamos. The advantage of spinning the whole wheel rather than just the hub would be the flywheel effect once it was up to speed.

    How about carrying a steam-age just-a-phone phone, with a PAYG SIM just for emergencies, as they can be left switched on for days without running out, except in regions of bobbins connection. Some even took AA cells, like the Motorola M3788, whilst the Nokia 5146 could be fitted with an extra-large battery pack.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. neddie
    Member

    Not very pretty, but at £34 instead of £200+, half the weight of a hub dyno, and no need to re-build your wheel, I'd go for one of these:

    http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/busch-and-muller-dymotec-6-sidewall-bottle-dynamo-prod1061/

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. wee folding bike
    Member

    I used to wreck a bottle generator in less than a year so i use Schmidts now but for £34 it might work.

    It was the bearings which would break on mine.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. unhurt
    Member

    Interesting! I see I have some options to weigh...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. unhurt
    Member

    Thanks all for input and interesting discussion/ideas - have gone for a Schmidt Son 28, and think I'll talk to Bicycle Works tomorrow about getting it built in.

    kaputnik - new bike is thankfully a great fit and nothing has yet begun to rattle (though day two of disc brakes plus wet made for some banshee screaming. Now reduced so hopefully just bedding in...) but I will basically be riding it everywhere for the next 6 weeks.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. DaveC
    Member

    Don't forget to order the Disc version!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. unhurt
    Member

    I did manage that much... 6 bolt version so should work with the rotor I have (I think - we shall see if I've made a rookie error soon!)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. unhurt
    Member

    Just resurrecting this thread to say: hub dynamo in place for a wee while and seems to work fine; has even managed to get some extra charge into my phone on short runs in Edinburgh. Thanks all, and sayonara - off to Vancouver on Sunday, bike being boxed up as I type, contemplating 9 hour flight with only some of the usual horror (I have emergency sleepy drugs in case it all gets too much), and looking forward to a trip pilgrimage to the Mountain Equipment Coop where I will inevitably buy some quantity of uneccesary but terribly shiny gear in addition to camping gas (& bear spray).

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. jdanielp
    Member

    I'm considering upgrading my commuter bike with a hub dynamo to power a front light in the short term given that my USB chargeable light is possibly on the wane.

    Currently, SJS Cycles has the Shimano Alfine Disc Dynamo Front Hub 1.5W discounted to £30, which seems like a good price, but I wonder if that would power a good front light to begin with (my USB light claims to be 2W) let alone offering future upgrades? Would I be better off looking at the Shimano Alfine DH-S501 3W hub which isn't that much more expensive?

    Are dynamo hubs typically of similar proportions? The images of these two hubs on the SJS site make it look like the 1.5W hub has a smaller diameter than the 3W hub, which I suppose would make sense given that it generates rather less power. Assuming that the 1.5W hub is slimmer, is there any chance of it replacing the non-dynamo hub on my commuter fairly easily or is a substantial rebuild almost certainly required anyway?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. steveo
    Member

    Odds of it having a similar enough flange size are small enough that I'd expect to have to rebuild.

    See if you can find data sheets on both hubs and compare the flange diameter.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  13. crowriver
    Member

    There is a German bike shop called 'Taylor Wheels' which sells entire front wheels with dynamos built in for £30 upwards, with a range of different hubs, rims, etc. Check out fleaBay, it might save you time and expense.
    http://stores.ebay.co.uk/taylor-wheels-couk

    Otherwise, Spa Cycles in Harrogate hand build wheels (again a range of rims and hubs) from £80 upwards.
    http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s170p0

    Posted 8 years ago #

  14. Greenroofer
    Member

    Harts Cyclery built my dynamo hub into my existing (cheap no-brand) rim in 2013 and it's still going strong having been used pretty much every day since then. I don't recall it being devastatingly expensive. I bought a dynamo with the same spoke count as my existing rim.

    Of course, if you buy a pre-built wheel you have a spare so you don't need to ride with a dynamo all summer (although tbh I quite like having daytime running lights)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  15. crowriver
    Member

    "Of course, if you buy a pre-built wheel you have a spare so you don't need to ride with a dynamo all summer "

    This is my strategy just now with the Raleigh. Dynamo hub wheel during the BST period; standard wheel plus battery lights as required during BST period. It's really great having dynamo lights in the winter.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  16. geordiefatbloke
    Member

    +1 for Harts Cyclery wheel building skills

    Posted 8 years ago #

  17. Cyclops
    Member

    Don't buy a 1.5W hub unless you intend running lights from the dark ages. Don't bother trying to match hub sizes either, most wheelbuilders will take bolt cutters to the old spokes and use new ones rather than the time and rigmarole of unlacing the old ones and reusing them.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  18. DaveC
    Member

    Just take Cyclops' advice from further up the thread, get a Shimano as they are better suited to heavier laden bikes. You may not think you'll get that much use out of your dynamo wheel just now but once you get used to the convenience, you'll want to take it everywhere.

    I have a 36 hole DH 3D80 hub (actually I have 2 now!) and I take it on everything from light audax cycling through winter dirt track cyclocross style, to heavy touring and its been soldly reliable throughout. I now have a dynamo light on every bike and just swap the wheel about, changing tyre as I need to, hence the second wheel. I even build one for my MTB!! If you buy and build a light wheel which isn't suited to touring, then you'll suffer if you ever want it for more robust dirt track, winter cycling or touring round Scotland on its many odgy surfaces.

    I bought my hubs from Rose Bikes, £55 for the top of the range DH 3D80 Shimano hub (D stands for disc, btw). They have the DH 3D72 for as little as £54 plus postage. The postage appears costly but I always add all those tiny items you would never buy alone due to them being the same price as postage in the UK, like rim tape, lighting cable (always good to have a couple of spares in the drawer and those all important spare connectors!!

    Dave C

    Posted 8 years ago #

  19. acsimpson
    Member

    Is 3W the recommended output for riding on dark roads?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  20. amir
    Member

    cyclops is a dynamo dealer (!) and is great at building wheels. You could contact him for a quote.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  21. DaveC
    Member

    "Is 3W the recommended output for riding on dark roads?"

    as opposed to..... ;O)

    I think its just a newer standard, for brighter lights. Thin back to those Ever Ready lights from your childhood....

    Posted 8 years ago #

  22. crowriver
    Member

    Most traditional front lights (halogen) are rated at 2.4W. The extra 0.6W is for a rear light. You can get 3W bulbs if running a head light solo. Most modern LED lights have a regulator to stop excess voltage from destroying them, say going downhill fast, but are often more efficient than halogen lamps so some might run with a 1.5W dynamo, depending on the power output rating.

    However most dynamo hubs are 2.4W or 3W so you're better off having your pick of the lights available from a standard dynamo.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  23. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Dynamo (lights) without the drag....

    http://road.cc/content/tech-news/170510-battery-free-reelight-bicycle-light-launches-kickstarter

    Posted 8 years ago #

  24. Uberuce
    Member

    Does anyone else have a mental image of Cyclops wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses(at night) hanging out in a dingy backstreet doorway?

    "Hey man, you want any SON? Got some Shimano, S&D, whatever you want maaaan."

    Posted 8 years ago #

  25. Dave
    Member

    I thought 1.5W was the new trendy thing since modern lights don't need anything like 3W if they are just for about town? Either way, I'd just get a standard 3W dynamo myself and then you can use any light. SWMBO has a deore one on her CdF that is about six years old and as smooth as it was on day one. I like Shutter Precision, but it's overkill for around town.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  26. DaveC
    Member

    Dave, If you get a 3W dynamo, you can charge your phone and power your lights also!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  27. steveo
    Member

    I'm curious how much current these actually produce, a power amount isn't really useful dynamos under load from leds since the voltage floats.

    With a modern emitter there's probably enough light, so it depends if it's much lighter and cheaper than a 3w.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  28. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @DaveC

    "Thin back to those Ever Ready lights..."

    I once punched one of those to bits in a fit of pique in the middle of the road at the junction of Charterhall Road and West Mains Road. It glow-wormed on me a week after getting new batteries and I went pure Basil Fawlty.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  29. LaidBack
    Member

    Bike Works just built a nice 36h Mavic Open Pro 700c wheelset with an SP hub on front. Tough and light. For a longer distance out of Glasgow town user.
    Other amazing power generator is the Velological rim dynamo.
    As reviewed by Velo Vision and used by tourer from Hamburg on his M5. He said it didn't slip and ran on the rim ok.
    I'll get link from my Flickr. Allowed him to run a standard wheel with no rebuild.
    M5 CHR on tour to EdFoC and beyond. by LaidBackBikes, on Flickr

    Posted 8 years ago #

  30. wingpig
    Member

    You punched your own light out?

    Posted 8 years ago #

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