Looking at getting a dynamo hub – one of the new Shutter Precision hubs as they seem the lightest and most efficient.

Been doing a bit research on dynamo hubs in general and I think the drag will be fine and hardly noticeable. But there is a lot of talk about vibrations caused by the dynamo hub while riding.

This is going to be on the road rather than off road.

From those who have a dynamo is the vibration noticeable? Esp. on 100+ mile rides?

Thanks

Never noticed it on my dynohub, it’s not running light tyres tho.

think also now that LED lights are taking over from bulbs in dynamo land that the reduce current draw is also meaning drag is reduced.

was thinking of getting a SON hub from my brompton

they is what looks like a SP or perhaps a SON (not sure has a center bulge) hub set up to spin in Velorution store – seems to be very little drag from just spinning by hand

Ive had 2 or 3 short periods where i noticed vibration from the dynamo hub, it only lasted around 15secs tho at a constant speed and never came back once i sped-up/slowed. Ive had the hub 2yr now and done quite a few miles on it (touring/commuter bike, Shimano 3n80)

That’s the point I can’t really look at the SP hub before ordering – I know Rob Dean is runing one. Hopefully he might be along…….

They state the lowest drag, but was not sure if the drag and vibrations were massively linked. Who knows?

But it’s good news that nobody has felt a massive effect, yet…..

I’ve got a shimano hub on my commuter and never had any problems on long rides with 23mm race tyres. Never heard of the problem before either.

Rob Dean has built his own one.Seems pretty good judging from write ups. May be worth dropping him a line unless he sees this on here…

Drag is minimal on my SON hub and I’ve never noticed any vibration. It’s 5 years old now and has done the last three winters on my off road commuter and has required nothing doing to it. I’ve got a Supernova E3 triple and it’s great not having to faff around charging batteries.

Supernova are doing their own hubs now as well.

Supernova hub is the SP hub under a different name and a lot more expensive I think SP make them for supernova.

Anybody else?

I’ve got the PD-8 on a rigid MTB and a PV-8 on a road bike I use for training on in the winter and I can’t say I notice the vibrations. I thought I could discern them on my rigid MTB when on the road at first, but it turns out it was the buzz of the knobbly tyres when I disconnected the light circuit!

If I really feel for it, at low speeds, on smooth roads and with high tyre pressures I can fell a “buzz” on the road bike but I don;t notice this during normal riding.

You’re right about the drag not being noticeable, the maximum power draw is less than the effort saving of an aerodynamoc time trial helmet. If this matter on a MTB we’d all be wearing aero helmets! 😉 The gain of having a light on full rightness all night is so much more of a benefit than the imperceptible drag IMHO

Oh, and for lights, having tried both, it’s DEFINITELY worth waiting for the Exposure dynamo light that I believe they’re bringing out this year (shown at the London Bike Show) rather than buying the Supernova E3 triple which I bought and then sold as I was disappointed with the performance of it (low max light output, poor low speed performance for technical off road, low speed flickering and an appallingly low standlight brightness).

In the mean time I made my own light rather than use the Supernova. Before you ask; it was HARD! Much more difficult than a battery light which consists of a ready made driver, some batteries a lens and a ready made circuit board and is basically a 4 piece jigsaw. This actually made it onto Fresh goods Friday the other week! (SEE HERE)

Thanks Rob (again) – looking good for the pd8. Lpoked into getting them from the eBay shop in Taiwan but they couldn’t garentee a big import fee wouldn’t be charged. Ison distribution reckon they should have them in next month which should give me a month to get the set up sorted before the first big touring ride.

My dynohub feel “notchy” when turning the axle by hand but never noticed any vibration when riding.