What’s the dynamo equivalent of something like this: http://www.sigmasport.com/en/produkte/beleuchtung/powerlights/evo_evox/?punkt=features
Busch & Muller IQ Cyo, up to 60 lux. Best headlight I’ve used to date, irrespective of power source.
I run mine with a Shimano DH-3N72 dynamo hub. I also own a DH-3D71 and will soon own a DH-3N80. All of these are great, have little perceptible drag (I have never been able to convince myself I’m actually feeling any drag at all), and are reasonably priced as far as dynamo hubs go.
You can couple the above with a dynamo-powered taillight, like the Busch & Muller Toplight 4D or similar. Suggest getting one with a standlight function, which keeps the light on for a minute or two after you stop (nice at stoplights for example).
Once you go dynamo you don’t go back 
how easy are dynamo lights to switch from bike to bike? main reason i want dynamo is to do long night rides without having to worry about running out of light
I would say it’s not too easy to change a dynamo hub & light setup from one bike to another. With some thought you could make it easier, but the lights are designed to bolt on (usually to a fork crown or similar) and you need to make sure the wiring is secured so it doesn’t get caught on stuff. I’d say it’d probably be at least a 20-30 minute job, which is maybe fine for some but for me, I just want to ride.
+1 I have two dynamo front hubs (both DH3-N71 shimano) and love them.
You could use a light mount like this one from VO. Nitto and IRD both make a mount that takes the place of a Q/R skewer nut to mount a light as well. There are also the Paul’s Gino to mount to a rack eyelet or low rider boss.
I wish I had a hundred bucks for a dynamo hub. I spend plenty of money on bike stuff, I guess I should just allocate some and do it.
I’m looking into building a dynamo front for my crossmuter in the dark dark SLC winter. Thanks for the info on the relatively cheap Shimano hubs, was on the fence about them. Has anyone played with the more expensive (200-300) hubs? I’m wondering if there is some great difference or not…
I have the same combo as surfimp (Cyo/ 72) and endorse it too. The only problem I have with the cyo is that the switch can clog up with mud, but it’s not a huge issue. The big prob with the 72 is that the bearings on the generator side are not user serviceable, and it’s not clear whether it is even possible to find someone to service them.
I wrote a tarck review of both these things if anyone’s interested, though it doesn’t have too much more than what’s already been said in this thread.
http://www.tarckbike.com/node/12416
Kemmer there are a bunch of cheaper generator hubs out there for town or utility bikes, and you could even just use a bottle dynamo.
[quote=mander]
Kemmer there are a bunch of cheaper generator hubs out there for town or utility bikes, and you could even just use a bottle dynamo.[/quote]
Can’t use a bottle dynamo here coz snow, but I was searching out some cheaper options after reading this thread and the Sturmey Archer X-FDD looks pretty good.
Righty-o, I’ve decided to bite the bullet and get a SONdelux (20R). Doing a mini group buy from Starbike for the cheap freight.
What light should I get? Blazed Elf, I’m looking at you.
Is it worth getting a dynamo-run tail-light? Or just stick with the Planet Bike Superflash?
Best all around headlight choice is the B&M Cyo. I prefer the kind “without reflector”, they let out more light at a distance (fukka “near field illumination”).
DGAF about the ‘senso’ feature since I’ve always had a bag shading the light. Doesn’t really matter anyway since the only time I turn it off is locking it up on the street, cause people are always “your light is on” while the standlight runs down.
The plastic housing is not super durable, I smashed mine once and had to epoxy the mounting boss back on.
I bought an edelux for my next generatored bike, same awesome reflector but in an aluminum housing with a glass lens. It might spec a brighter LED too. Problem is it costs twice as much, and isn’t fully twice as good. Main reason I got it is just durability for long backcountry touring, but it probably would have been better to just get a Cyo.
You’re gonna have to bargain with yourself for a while about wired taillights and how you’re gonna run it. They’re definitely something you can make yourself and be proud of. B&M does have a few great ones that would be harder to homebuild:
Fender mount: http://www.starbike.com/php/product_info.php?lang=en&pid=3751
Rack mount: http://www.starbike.com/php/product_info.php?lang=en&pid=12412
I’ve had two Cyos fail with less than 100 hours of use, the eDeluxe is worth the extra money.
In regards to a tail light, I have a Secure-Lite that I used twice that I’ll sell you for cheap.
eDeluxe is just such a quality item. Rear light: I’m a little partial to the schmidt E3
Blinglespeed (with light)
Ohlala.
It runs on DC current only, so you’ll need hax to use it with any headlight other than the matching supernova.
DQ: Does a dynamo hub making changing a front flat a pain in the ass? Is hooking the wiring in a big deal, or is it more like hooking in speaker wire?
Did not need this thread to be refreshed before building tzurims.
I’m going to have to wait on this decision since I’m already biting a few bullets right now. But were I to bite this one it would have to be eDelux & SONdelux. And then one day some home made taillight. I draw my bike bling line well before the E3.
Even easier than that, more like a lego wire
