I just put dynamos hubs and lights on 2 of my bikes after years of a big ole maxx d- or little rechargable be seen lights for touring as charing maxx d not often possible on tour.

To say dynamo lighting is heavy is a lie , to say the hub is inefficient isnt true.

Faff is charging your lights. No faff is pulling bike from garage and riding it,faff is your light running out mid ride , faff is leaving your light at home charging when you arrive at the trail head….

Once you try dynamo for commuting/ touring you wont go back.

Ive also got a cycle 2 charge usb charging port on each bike which can charge my helmet light (joystick) my phone , my garmin or my 10000mah battery pack.

So many possitives over battery lights imo

Nice, but you realise by using stainless bolts on it you’ll get preferential corrosion on the frame? (Not as bad as I will on my aluminium frame, but I only realised this after getting hold of the bolts)

“To say dynamo lighting is heavy is a lie , to say the hub is inefficient isnt true.”

Dynamo systems are heavier than simple clip-on LEDs. A dynamo hub is less efficient than a standard one. The differences might not be huge, but they are facts. I can see the advantages, but I think their disadvantages outweigh them for me personally. Simple AA/AAA battery LEDs win hands down for me. I can see how a dynamo system would be better for real wilderness touring though.

Very tidy! There’s nothing wrong with touring on a hybrid.

LOVE the attention to detail on this, wish I had time to go touring to actually justify having something like this.

Dynamo systems are heavier than simple clip-on LEDs. A dynamo hub is less efficient than a standard one. The differences might not be huge, but they are facts.

You’ve gone from heavy to heavier. And from seeing no advantage to seeing an advantage.

Lovely bike p. I’m surprised no one has said you should not be using rack you should only use “bike packing” bags bla bla bla.

“Very tidy! There’s nothing wrong with touring on a hybrid.”

It’s not a hybrid. It’s a touring bike. Hence the name, Tour De Fer.

looks just like my old hybrid tourer bike 🙂

Dynamo systems. My rear B+M rear light is as light, probably lighter than a LED light as it has no batteries. And it’s a brake light too and very bright and easily spotted (has to pass very strict German lighting standards). I have the same front light as Peterpoddy and it’s by no means heavy. Same with the Exposure hub. Once it’s all installed you never notice it’s there. You cannot feel any resistance whatsoever. If you say you can while riding im afraid you’re lying or imagining it, simples.

After using my pretty much identical setup to Peters for a while I want to install a similar system to all my bikes I ride on the road. I wouldn’t have a battery LED light now if I could afford a dynamo system for all my bikes.

For general riding around and a tourer / utility bike I’m not sure why you wouldn’t go dynamo.

Convenience, no battery issues, bolted on so less thievable.

I can’t imagine the good systems weigh much more than my maxx-d and I don’t even think about what that weighs.

Someone did some drag tests on the hubs a year or two back as part of a dynamo light test (maybe CTC?) and quantified the losses as equivalent to x feet per km. The additional drag was laughably small in the context of a laden utility or touring bike where comfort and convenience is a more important factor anyway.

I read a report of a similar test and IIRC the drag over a decent ride length was equivalent to about 100 calories of energy or something – it was likened to needing to eat one more biscuit for the ride. So not noticeable!

I’ve ordered pretty much the same lighting for my new bike.

Can’t see any real reason not too.
SP hubs seem to last years.

It just makes so much more sense.

Just looked at the complete bike option. The £1300 quid one looks terrific with dynamo lights, racks and guards.

The vagabond looks good too.

Nice, this.

🙂

A revo light is 116grams

An sp pd8x is 420 grams.

A hope pro 2 weighs 185grams.

A aa battery is 23grams.

Also drag to friction in front sp varys from 0.7-7watts
Depending on speed and load. Drag on a pro 2 is 0.5watts

My maxx d weighs quite a bit also

great write up PeterPoddy

interested to see how you routed the rear dynamo cable?
any chance of some more pics?

remember reading this ctc article on dynamo hubs and that the drag of a dynamo hub equates to 6ft over a mile.

Several fans of dynamo systems it seems! I won’t argue with you, as you’re convinced as to their advantages. I’ve tried a few systems, and decided that a set of simple, cheap LEDs work ok for my needs. A dynamo system would add quite a significant amount extra to the all up weight of the bike, which is a consideration for me personally (my basic yet effective LEDs weigh about 70g front and rear). Dynamo systems also aren’t cheap. Then there’s instalation, which as we’ve seen above, isn’t a 2-minute job! Any problems would be either very difficult or impossible to fix whilst out riding. Peterpoddy’s bike is built for his needs; I’d prefer a lighter, less utilitarian bike.

@ Peter – How have you found the brakes? I’ve been looking at the Shimano Touring range for use on a bike with a Jones bar that really needs a 4 finger lever. Currently running XT trekking levers albeit cable pull.

Its a loverly bike build BTW – where does the cable exit the top of the forks?

Dynamo systems are heavier than simple clip-on LEDs. A dynamo hub is less efficient than a standard one. The differences might not be huge, but they are facts. I can see the advantages, but I think their disadvantages outweigh them for me personally. Simple AA/AAA battery LEDs win hands down for me. I can see how a dynamo system would be better for real wilderness touring though.

The good old fashioned MJ-808 weighs about 340g (battery + lamp), plus a front hub (~180g) so a dynamo setup weighs pretty much exactly the same.

So the dynamo has a small hill to climb over 100 miles (it’s actually less drag than an ‘aero’ 50mm rim Vs non aero front wheel).

The magicshine has a 4 hour wait whilst it charges, who finishes first?

Even with an AA powered light I’d bet on the dynamo finishing quicker than having to stop every so often to buy AA’s.

And it’s zero faff, and it charges your phone.

I didn’t spec one on my tourer and I really wish I did!

Anyone want some freshly built 5800 hubs built in Open sport rims and DT spokes for cost + postage?

Any problems would be either very difficult or impossible to fix whilst out riding.

Can’t fix a flat battery either :-p

clodhopper you seem convinced dynamo are archaic and heavy, they simply arnt.

As TR listed weights above, the hub is perhaps 250g heavier than a normal hub for a touring bike. A B&M cyo (most common) light is 100g. A 70g ‘led’ is not an equal comparison in terms of light output. An equivalent would be a B&M ixon which is 250g with its 4 AA batteries, but of course you would need to carry another 4 at another 100g to keep your main light running unless you wanted to rely on the spare. So that’s why we say the weight is a non issue.

You wont have any problems with them, they are more reliable than any light which you open up to replace batteries or have a pastic clip to fasten to your bike, and in any case you would have a spare emergency light just like you would if you ran battery lights.

Of course if your idea of a tourer is a road bike with a saddle bag then yes dynamo wheel will be more heavier than a light weight race wheel, but why come along and dismiss them when that’s not what everyone here is talking about.

As I said on Flickr Pete, that’s a proper bike, and I like it even more seeing the pics second time round. Didn’t realise you had routed the cable through the forks. Would also like to see pics of the top exit. My tourer-in-build will have a dynamo front wheel 😀

EDIT: if anyone wants a brand new USE Exposure branded SP QR 32 disk Dynamo hub for £75 my email is in my profile. New frame is 15mm front forks so need to get the 15mm version 🙄

Love the idea of dynamo hubs but I never know which bike I’m going to tour on so the cost would be exorbitant for me.

How much does it cost for hub and lights? Plus the cost of a front wheel rebuild I suppose.

My touring power consists of various flexible pv cells and usb lithium ion packs. Would have thought pedal power would be effective if there was some on board storage?

Cheers, now I’ve got to clean my keyboard cos it’s covered in sick.

Ah, this was the bit I scrolled through to look for:

The holes are already there although I did enlarge the lower one a couple of millimetres. It’s a fright jeffing faff to get the wire through though. First you start of with a brake cable (has to be brand new and sealed at the end, mind you) bending it and poking all around the place until it goes through. Then you tape a single, thin, electrical wire to that and pull that through very carefully because you really don’t want to loose the tape inside your fork leg! Then you solder the actual dynamo wire to that and pull it through. Cut to length (I’ve left some spare inside the fork leg) and protect each end with heat shrink. That can be an hours work, even second time round!

I’ve often thought of routing wires through fork legs but always thought I’d go a bit mad with the actual business of doing it. You’ve just confirmed my thoughts 😉

PS, Dynamos FTW, obvs.

I like it, looks very practical

Only 2 thoughts from me
– my OCD, given how much effort and thought has gone into the build, wouldn’t be able to deal with the silver rack
– can you move the pump up a bit? Looks like you have clearance but the muck is still going to get onto the bottom of the pump, and into the foot rest bit (looks like a Road Morph). I know the head is kept clean and that’s all that really matters

Silver rack because you dont get stainless racs in black .

Worn rusty black racks look shite

Re. dynamo lights, I did an overnight road ride last summer, used my commuter rather than fast road bike as commuter has dynamo lights on, and it was great to have as much light as I wanted all the time, rather than having battery anxiety all the time.

I have it powering a rear light also, and whilst it’s not been 100% reliable (occasionally things have got mucky or wires have broken) it’s been far more reliable and, over the course of the time I’ve had a dynamo syste, it’s therefore been cheaper than running less bright battery lights (let alone something with equivalent light output).

“but why come along and dismiss them when that’s not what everyone here is talking about.”

I wasn’t; I was simply asking why someone would bother with a dynamo system. And I got several answers. So I did a bit of further research, and discovered that a decent dynamo set up is not cheap. And won’t offer as much brightness as a decent LED set up (which will still cost a lot less). And still weigh significantly more. I have said I can see the advantages of a dynamo system, and can appreciate why some might prefer them. So, my question was answered. If I was after a lighting system to last without needing charging/new batteries, for long-distance touring maybe, I would consider a dynamo. But as it is, I’m not, so the added weight, expense and faff isn’t for me. Please don’t mistake this to mean I don’t think anyone else should get one, because I don’t. Feel free to make your choices based on what you need and want. And I’ll do the same. Thanks.

“Can’t fix a flat battery either”

But you can carry spares. 😛

Did you read my post or just quote it? I and several others broke down the weight and cost and showed Dynamo weigh the same as a comparable AA powered light, or a cheap Cree light. Can you explain why you keep saying they are significantly heavier? Yes you can buy brighter led cheap but they are not as reliable as Dynamo and and the cheap ones don’t weigh nothing. I know how good battery led lights can be, I have an exposure mk7 maxxD and Diablo, however i still run a dynamo revo off-road and b&m on road as they are comparable weights for more than sufficient lumens, with no battery worries when commuting or going long distance and both setups cost less the the maxxD!!

There is no faff either unless you want to make it all disappear like the op. For mine I just bolted on the light, wound the cable round the fork leg and held it there with a bit of electrical tape, 2min job. Less time than it takes to pop open a AA light, go in the house to put all the batteries in a charger, fit fresh batteries and refit to the bike. And you have to do that 2-3 times a week.

My dynamo system is led….and is 100lux which is damned bright

More so its a shaped beam with the correct paper work so is road legal.

I also have a revo which is 800lumens – and its bright but due to the shaped beam the iqx is much more useful on the road.

V interested in how long the dynamo hub lasts. My SON lasted 5 years, and BQ are reporting failures of SONs. Be great if this lasts the course…

Robhoves reporting good longevity of his sps how ever ive heard mixed reports. Although isons back up appeared to be good.

Will post up if either of mine fail – got an pd8x and a regular exposure pd8

The SON was supposed to last forever, but turned out to be very German, i.e. over-hyped and under-engineered. And unfixable.

Love the OP’s build BTW.

So are sp :/

So I did a bit of further research, and discovered that a decent dynamo set up is not cheap. And won’t offer as much brightness as a decent LED set up (which will still cost a lot less).

Hmm, yes and no; obviously it depends what you’re comparing it to. If you only need a couple of hours’ light on an occasional basis then there’s plenty of choice; if you need 10 hours or more of light then a battery setup becomes both heavier and more expensive.

When I got my first dynamo setup, I bought a Cyo, an XT hub, an Open Sport rim and a set of DT Comps, and it came to £150 (with a leftover wheel I could sell). This was about £70 less than the Exposure light I’d been looking at for the same purpose. Granted, the Cyo didn’t chuck out as many photons, but equally the photons it did put out mainly ended up on the tarmac, so it didn’t annoy oncoming drivers, who in turn didn’t main-beam me in revenge (something I’d become rather fed up with having used an Exposure on the road before that), and it was basically fine for whacking along at 30mph.

The total weight penalty was about 300g, only a little more that an Exposure light. The only disadvantage was not being able to easily move it between bikes (though I did on occasion). But I solved that problem by buying more dynohubs 🙂

Like you say, it’s not a case of “everyone needs a dynamo” any more than one of “everyone needs batteries”. But, having been very reluctant to move over to dynamos, I’ve found there are very, very few disadvantages and a whole pile of wins.

My dynamo system is led….and is 100lux which is damned bright

How is the IQ-X? A lot of what I’ve seen online seems to say that the nearfield is over-illuminated and that the Cyo Premium beam is actually better (which agrees with my suspicions from B&M’s beam shots, but beam shots are never really reliable).

The extra 20 lux appeals on paper, but a poorly-distributed beam doesn’t…

Meantime, I’ve just taken delivery of some components that should let me use my old Cyo as a switched main beam, tilted a little upwards alongside the Premium in the normal position, which—if it works—could be rather ace 🙂

Id heard that too bez – but all i did was lift the light up so that the near field was only lit by te periffery of the beam and the main beam centre was much further down the road. Gave me a much longer light throw – in an area where my eyes would naturally fall during the day.

Much more useful beam than my revo – but the revos still more useful at low speeds off road due to longer standlight.

Trail rat, what kind of distance view do you get ahead of the bike? My MTB lights are set up to favour distance over illumination near the bike. I don’t like being “short-sighted” if I can call it that.

I’m contemplating a super commuter/utility bike set up because I am fed up of being a fat knacker and the 20miles (via a scenic route) to work a couple of times a week might just help me shift some pounds. I’m going to start out on a converted mtb but might get something tourer-esque in due course. I’d then hopefully use that for some cycle touring with my eldest (and his brother when he gets bigger).

How is the IQ-X? A lot of what I’ve seen online seems to say that the nearfield is over-illuminated and that the Cyo Premium beam is actually better (which agrees with my suspicions from B&M’s beam shots, but beam shots are never really reliable).

Ignore what you read online. I have an IQ-X on my other Genesis, and it’s awesome. Way better then any ‘circular beam’ LED light for road use. 100% of the light hits the floor and the beam pattern is extremely far reaching and very even. The Luxos U has a wider beam though, but the IQX is a sleeker light and my guess is that it’s aimed at a faster rider, hence the longer beam. These Dynamo light piss all over battery operated stuff for road use.

Also, for the doubters and weight weenies, try charging your phone off your battery operated lights. For 10 days in a row… 🙂
Drag from the dynamo is, to all practical intent, non existent. You simply can’t feel anything at all. I read somewhere it’s equivilant to climbing 6ft every mile. Which seems a bit wrong to me to be honest but I can’t feel anything at all.