How is dynamo operated

Measurements of brightness of bicycle lights is fraught with confusion and inconsistencies. There are two commonly used values, Lumens and Lux. Lumens refers to the total amount of light output from the bulb. Almost all of our battery lights give output in Lumens. It is typically a large number of between 50 and and does not take into account how the light is shaped by the reflector surrounding the bulb and how it is distributed on the road in front of you.

Lux is a measurement of lumens per square metre. Confused yet? As a rule of thumb, an equivalently-priced dynamo light is probably going to be as bright as a battery light.

As mentioned, 30 Lux is just bright enough for an unlit bike path. We place more importance on beam shape than most bike shops. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, a well-shaped beam makes for a more efficient distribution of all of those Lumens your light is pumping out, increasing the Lux on the road in front of you.

Secondly, a well-shaped beam is a whole lot more pleasant for riders and motorists travelling in the opposite direction. To achieve a well-shaped beam the LED sits in the top of the light housing and points backwards into the reflector. By contrast, most battery lights have the LED in the middle pointing outwards with a reflector surrounding it to coax light into the right direction.

The aforementioned Owleye Highlux is the only battery light we have found that has a properly shaped beam. A standlight is a capacitor inside the light that holds a bit of charge ensuring that the lights stay on for a small amount of time after the dynamo stops generating electricity. In practice riding a couple of hundred metres is usually enough to charge the capacitor and ensure the lights stay on for the length of a change of traffic lights.

High-powered lights often drop to a low-beam while on the standlight to conserve power and lengthen the time the standlight stays on for. Rear lights can sometimes hold enough charge to stay on for upwards of 15 minutes. Some even have a discharge button so you can effectively turn them off when parking the bike. The short answer is no. Because dynamos produce AC electricity the light can flash when the wheel turns very slowly and without any charge in the standlight, but they do not have a flashing mode.

The primary reason for this is strict German regulations most dynamo lights are German against flashing lights. Views differ, but my own opinion is that once a light is greater than 15 Lux or about 40 Lumens as all of our dynamo range is it is bright enough that a flashing mode is a unnecessary for being seen and, b detrimental to all other road and trail users around you.

Exceptions would be on desert highways and country backroads where I would still argue that bright, reflective clothing or flags would be more effective for high-speed traffic. To get a dynamo hub onto your bike there are two ways to go about it. Either you can replace the hub and spokes alone, or you can replace the whole wheel. But it is very small. It depends on what you're using your dynamo to power too. Here are a couple of ways to show the effect a dynamo has.

Compared to a standard hub, a dynamo hub would add around 30 seconds to the time it would take the average person to ride km. This is without the dynamo charging anything. So there it is! Everything you need to know to help you decide whether to go dynamo. Once you do, you'll never look back! Supernova E3 Triple 2 Powerful lumen dynamo light designed specifically for racing with three speed-controlled high-performance LEDs. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published.

By adding your email you consent to our terms and conditions. Men's Midlayers. Under overs, over unders. Versatile, unstoppable performance. Camping stoves. Brew up a winter warmer. Offers to brighten your day. Dial XC Trail Bike. If you plan to power your electronic devices as well, you might prefer a 2. Dynamo hubs connect to lights and USB chargers with a spade connector. There are two different connector designs on the market. In terms of performance, they both work about the same.

Both connectors transfer power from the hub to the light or USB charger. This allows you to choose the connector type that you need for your hub. You must install the connector on the wires of your light and USB charger. There is a third connector design from Schmidt called Schmidt SL. With this design, the side of the dynamo hub forms its electrical connection with a plate that is mounted on the fork dropout. The plate is soldered to wiring that is built into the fork.

The hub automatically connects when it makes contact with the plate in the dropout. The drawback is that this setup requires a custom fork that is designed to work with the Schmidt SL system.

Chances are, you would have to install a new fork. FOr more info, check out this great guide. Not all dynamo hubs are compatible with all bike frames. The hub needs to be designed for your specific axle type and hub spacing. Dynamo hubs are available in a range of different sizes to fit pretty much any bike. In the list above, the first number represents the axle diameter. The second number represents the axle length.

The hub width you need depends on your front hub spacing. Dynamo hubs are available in a range of different spoke hole counts including 20, 28, 32, 36, and Many lightweight road bikes and folding bikes use 20 or 24 spoke front wheels. Most mountain bikes and touring bikes use 32 or 36 spoke front wheels. Tandems and expedition touring bikes often feature 48 spoke wheels. The spoke count of the hub must match the spoke count of the rim.

The number of spokes plays a role in the strength and weight of the wheel. More spokes create a stronger wheel. Of course, the extra spokes also add weight. The spoke tension needs to be balanced across the entire wheel to ensure that the wheel stays true and strong.

Dynamo hubs are available for both disc and rim brake bikes. Dynamo hubs for disc brake bikes have rotor mounts. Usually 6 bolt. Hubs for rim brake bikes do not have rotor mounts. For more info on bike brakes, check out my disc vs rim brake guide.

Dynamo hub options are pretty limited. Really, there are only a handful of dynamo hub manufacturers. Schmidt makes some of the most efficient and reliable dynamo hubs on the market. In fact, these German-made hubs are pretty much the industry standard these days. They offer excellent weatherproof sealing with high-quality SKF sealed bearings. These hubs can run for 50, km before they need servicing.

They are also guaranteed for 5 years. When it comes to performance, the Son28 offers incredibly low resistance while the hub is not in use. It produces less than 2 watts of resistance at 30 kph. The drawback is that Schmidt SON hubs are some of the most expensive. The Schmidt Son28 is available in both thru axle and quick release varieties for both disc and rim brake bikes. They are available in 28, 32, 36, 40, and 48 hole options.

Shimano is the largest manufacturer of dynamo hubs. They offer a wide range of options including some of the most affordable hubs on the market. Shimano dynamo hubs are also reliable, easily serviceable, and offer excellent performance for the price.

Shimano probably makes the best value hubs. On the higher end, Shimano offers the UR This is one of the most powerful and efficient dynamo hubs on the market. It is a great choice for off-road riding or riding in hilly areas. Shimano also offers a wide range of mid-range and lower-end dynamo hubs. On the lower end, they offer the Alfine and Nexus ranges. These hubs offer an excellent value with solid performance at a slightly higher weight than more premium hubs.

Shimano offers both quick release and thru axle dynamo hubs in both disc and non-disc options. They offer 32 and 36 hole options. Because they offer such a wide range of hubs, you can find one to fit pretty much any bike. Shutter Precision offers some of the lightest dynamo hubs on the market. Their prices are also pretty reasonable for the quality that they offer.

They are reliable and long lasting as well. They are less efficient and output less power. Shutter Precision offers both thru axle and quick release dynamo hubs with a wide range of spoke hole counts including 20, 24, 28 32, and 36 hole.

For this reason, they are popular among road riders who use 20 and 24 hole wheels. They are also available in disc and non disc options.