Dynamo Hub/Lights

[bhungerford]

I'm looking to get a dynamo hub/light system for my winter commuter, but don't want to drop the coin without knowing how well the different lights actually work in the real world. I'm looking at the Nexus light/hub, basically cause it's so much cheaper than a Schmidt (SON) hub. I have read through Peter White's web pages on all this, just wondering if any of the forum have some other opinions about lights. Thanks in advance! :beer:

[hansolo758]

I have a Schmidt hub generator with a B & M Lumotec headlight and taillight (Top light). They work well for me for commuting but read on because YMMV.

What's important isn't just the hub, it's also the light. The Lumotec works quite well for me, although it's reportedly not as bright as the Schmidt E6, which is considerably pricier. The Lumotec does indeed give you a reasonable beam width as well: I'm told the beam on the E6 is quite narrow. Peter White's description of the Schmidt hub and Lumotec light is spot on, in my view. I have no experience with Shimano's light or hub.

It's important to remember that lights are for others to see you as much as for you to see. My generator lights work extremely well for both purposes when I am on a bike path or when I am on a road with few or no cars -- I can see quite well, as well as be seen. When I am on a street with lots of cars, the generator lights are primarily for others to see me. I can't see with the Lumotec headlight when there are lots of cars with their headlights on behind me -- but it's not a problem because the cars' headlights provide illumination for me as well.

I also use a Cateye AAA battery operated LED headlight, which I set to strobe mode, and a battery operated flashing taillight that I clip on a rear jacket pocket, so that others can see me better. I also wear a reflective vest like road workers wear.

All this still won't you make you very visible from the side, so I put reflective tape on some of my wheel spokes.

Redundancy is a good thing here. Try not to focus on the brightness of an individual light, but think of a system of how you can see and be seen the best. I find these lighting systems are fine for my commutes. I feel safe with them and I can see well enough for commuting speeds.

I have a NiteRider light as well -- it's more powerful than the Schmidt hub/Lumotec light combo -- but I don't use it for commuting because I don't want to run out of charge when I'm in the middle of traffic. I use it for weekend rides on the road in the early hours of the morning when I'm usually going faster and when I know I will have sunlight in an hour or two. Good luck and "be careful out there!"

[dauwhe]

Very happy with the Schmidt hub, having used them (on various bikes) for maybe 15,000 miles.

My favorite light is the Solidlight, from the UK. It's VERY expensive. I'd be quite interested in the new Lumotech IQ Fly, but haven't heard any first-person reports.

Dave

[bhungerford]

Thanks for the info, that's what i wanted to hear, some real experience, i like hearing that Peter's review/description is accurate too. i'm using a Niterider now, and definitely don't like the thought of losing a charge midride. and i'm using all kinds of flashy lights.

i recently have been thinking of painting my frame with that reflective paint the cop cars use for their logos, looks normal in the day, but in the dark when a light hits it, definitely stands out! i think that would take care of any side visibility issues. :D

[rpm]

i recently have been thinking of painting my frame with that reflective paint the cop cars use for their logos, looks normal in the day, but in the dark when a light hits it, definitely stands out! i think that would take care of any side visibility issues. :D

For side visibility, I like the Planet Bike BRT strap light:

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3030.html

Put one on each leg and set for non-flashing mode. It's visible when you're parked and when you're pedaling it clearly identifies you as a bike.

[CNY rider]

My experience is limited to about a month with the generator hub and a Schmidt light (that's how long I have had my Mariposa). I've also done night time commutes for 2 years first with a halogen bar mounted Performance light and more recently with an L&M HID light.

I think the big positive of the generator is that you are never going to get "caught without" so to speak; you will always have some light for your ride. I like that because my schedule can be variable. I may go to work expecting to come home in the light, but end up riding home in the dark.

The E6 with the Schmidt gives a pretty good amount of light, but it is in a focused cone.

My current set-up on my cross bike, which serves as the alternate commuter when the roads are salty is the Performance bar mounted halogen, with a Dinotte on my helmet, and a red blinky on my seatpost. The improvement of the LED's over time should not be underestimated. They are incredible lights, in a small lightweight package, and will only get better with time. I end up using the LED on my Mariposa also, because I want the extra light and ,more importantly, I ride in sheer total darkness. If I get a flat I need some source of light to fix the flat.

[fiamme red]

Very happy with the Schmidt hub, having used them (on various bikes) for maybe 15,000 miles.

My favorite light is the Solidlight, from the UK. It's VERY expensive. I'd be quite interested in the new Lumotech IQ Fly, but haven't heard any first-person reports.

DavePositive review: http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-352373.html

I had never even heard about the IQ Fly before, but now I plan to buy one as soon as PJW gets them in stock. Thanks for mentioning it.

[fiamme red]

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=8685&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15 (go to the last post on the page)

See the last post in the thread:

"johnmac wrote:
Does this new light make the Solid 1203D obsolete?

In my view, after riding side by side with a Solidlights 1203D last night, yes it does."

[SimonC]

Just to throw a bit of a curve ball out, the SuperNova E3 was supposed to be pretty good, and now they've brought out a new version with a flashing mode, standlight and twice the brightness. I've got one on order, ride report when it arrives.

[palincss]

Thanks for the info, that's what i wanted to hear, some real experience, i like hearing that Peter's review/description is accurate too. i'm using a Niterider now, and definitely don't like the thought of losing a charge midride. and i'm using all kinds of flashy lights.


Besides being able to forget forever all the hassles of remembering to charge batteries, having charges fail in mid-ride, etc., you may very well find that the beam pattern of many of the lights meant to be used with hub generators is dramatically better than the "fried egg" pattern typical of lights like the Niterider. The beams are well shaped to give you bright light where you need it, pretty evenly distributed and calibrated to maintain even brightness from close in all the way back.

It's a great trick the way they do it, and requires some pretty sophisticated optics inside the lamp. The halogen bulbs I used on my Niterider just throw the light all over the place, with a hot spot like the yolk of an egg and the rest scattered more or less dimly all over. Although I've never used one of the latest crop of LED-based rechargable battery lights, I see plenty of them on the commute at night, and they mostly seem to have the same unsophisticated beam shape, although without the pronounced "yolk" hotspot.

I used an Ed Kearney light (based on a GE sealed beam tractor lamp) for ten years, and a Niterider single-lamp unit for almost 10 years. I finally gave up when the battery died for the 2nd time a mile and a half from work, 6 and a half to go, after having charged it the night before.

[Peter P.]

I've used generator lights for over twenty years.

The current setup on my commuter is a Bush Miller 6V tire driven generator running off the rear tire with a Bush Miller Lumotec Plus headlight and a Seculite Plus Taillight, all purchased from the Peter White Cycles web site.

The I run the generator with the wire brush roller. It does not slip in the rain like the rubber roller does, though you can feel the vibration more at speed. Of course, the pressure of the roller does cause extra rolling resistance, about 1-1 1/2 teeth worth on your cassette. I figure it's no big deal because if I'm riding at night I'm not interested in performance.

The headlight has an LED in addition to the halogen bulb. The LED stays illuminated for a few minutes should you stop say, at a traffic light. I like the idea but don't think it's bright enough to be effective unless your a car driver who's also a cyclist, so you're paying attention to cyclists. This LED has also failed on me twice, requiring replacement of the headlamp. I now prefer to augment the headlight with a small, flashing headlight. I use a generic, Pyramid brand flashing headlight which is about 1" in diameter and has 4 or five LEDs. It's hard to tell because they flash so bright they blind you!

The Seculite taillight uses an LED lamp. I chose it because I've burned out a few taillight bulbs and you usually don't notice when they die. The lifespan of the LED is measured in the TENS of THOUSANDS of hours. The taillight's LED stays illuminated for a few minutes at FULL BRIGHTNESS when stopped, and it's very bright.

Both the headlight and taillight have built-in reflectors for additional safety, should the lamp fail.

I'm very satisfied with the setup.

I also use reflective tape all over the place and a reflective vest and ankle bands.

[Ken Robb]

SON and Lumotec on my Riv Allrounder "No worries" bike. Friction barends, stout 36 spoke wheels, 32mm tires, fenders, huge Riv Hoss bag. Nuthin to break, run out of charge, don't have to get home before dark, get flats, spray rain (big problem in SoCal)

Really good stuff

[Ahneida Ride]

But what happens when you run a generator and stop at a light?
Is there a battery backup?

[stackie]

Ahneida

Many of the systems have a capacitor that will keep the light on a low level for about five minutes. It's a lower intensity than when riding, but it will make you seen.

BTW, would you PM me sometime about that leather bar tape you have? I'm interested.

Jon

[palincss]

But what happens when you run a generator and stop at a light?
Is there a battery backup?

Some of the lights have a "standlight" feature that is, I believe, powered from a capacitor. And you can always use an auxiliary battery-powered light.

On my commuter I run 2 sets of battery-powered tail lights, plus I have one of the small Cateye "strap-on" lights, usually set to blinking mode, on the handlebar. This is all in addition to the generator-powered headlight, which I have mounted to the front of the Tubus Tara lowrider rack.

[Ahneida Ride]

Thanks to all for the "Stop" replies.

I run in the daylight with a Dinotte taillight and their front amber light.

These lights are trully amazing. I've been mistaken for Police.
They can be seen from a mile away. (hard to believe eh ? ) ;)
Cars definitely give me more room.

[J.Greene]

Thanks to all for the "Stop" replies.

I run in the daylight with a Dinotte taillight and their front amber light.

These lights are trully amazing. I've been mistaken for Police.
They can be seen from a mile away. (hard to believe eh ? ) ;)
Cars definitely give me more room.

The dinotte tail light is my next light purchase. My front Dinotte only blinks in different patterns. Is that normal?

JG