Classic & Vintage - Dynamo lighting sets?

I'm refurbishing a pair of early '70s Raleigh Sports for my sister-in-law and her husband. They bought them new, and when she started having hip trouble they were consigned to the back yard under a tarp. Sis has got shiny, new titanium hips now and they want to ride again.

Both bikes had dynamo light sets, but the dynamo bottle on one was all rusted up. It seems that dynamo sets have pretty much become extinct. Can't find one in any area stores; does anyone still make them? Barring that, how hard would it be to rebuild a dynamo bottle?

I would suggest two sources :
- http://sheldonbrown.com/harris for the Shimano Nexus Dynohub, if you want to buy it alone and build the wheel yourself,
- http://peterwhitecycles.com for all your other needs.

Peter White explains fairly well all generator-based lighting options, their advantages and limitations. I would suggest that you take a good look at that and that you replace the dead generator and headlamp with new stuff from Peter White, as it is much better than the old stuff.

You could also search for a few of my posts with "Schmidt" on this forum. I have one bike with a Nexus dynohub and two with a Schmidt dynohub; all three have a Lumotec headlight and I am really satisfied with the system, as well as with the service I got from Peter White. I use a battery taillight, which avoids lots of wiring on the bike.

The B&M bottle generator he sells is a really cheap way to get good lighting without battery concerns.

The gear at Peter White's website is mighty impressive, but also mighty expensive and a bit too modern-looking for my application. I'm looking for a light set that would look more or less like what the Raleigh had on it 30 years ago; chrome teardrop headlamp, cast metal dynamo, etc.

I understand they're nowhere near as effective as a modern light set, but I doubt the lights on this bike will see much serious use -- it's more a part of the 'old Raleigh' ambience, like the B72 saddle.

The Swiss-made Nordlicht dynamo has a shiny chrome classic look. It is also a very efficient modern model.
The one on my touring bike is bolted to a braze-on mounting on the seatstay; this is much more effective than a seatstay clamp mounting and solves most of the ills of bottle dynamos.

Find a bike store that sells used stuff and look for the older Union bottle dynamo sets, I pick these up all the time for less than $10 complete with lamps, they usually work just fine; just spin the bottle first to make sure the bearings are good, you really can't test the output unless you mount it up on a bike first. For replacement bulbs for older Union lamps that use bulbs w/ screw-in bases, I buy from Reflectalight:

http://www.reflectalite.com/halogenpage.html

They've got halogen or regular screw-in bulbs for the old Union lamps (halogens: GH93 or GH106, depending on whether you're also using a dynamo-powered taillight; GV605 is their standard bulb). Reflectalite also sells dynamo regulators so you won't burn bulbs out going fast downhill:

http://www.reflectalite.com/regulater.html

Reflectalight's service and delivery times are excellent.

The gear at Peter White's website is mighty impressive, but also mighty expensive and a bit too modern-looking for my application. I'm looking for a light set that would look more or less like what the Raleigh had on it 30 years ago; chrome teardrop headlamp, cast metal dynamo, etc.

I understand they're nowhere near as effective as a modern light set, but I doubt the lights on this bike will see much serious use -- it's more a part of the 'old Raleigh' ambience, like the B72 saddle. check ebay for these light sets--i always see them there...

Find a bike store that sells used stuff and look for the older Union bottle dynamo sets, I pick these up all the time for less than $10 complete with lamps, they usually work just fine; just spin the bottle first to make sure the bearings are good, you really can't test the output unless you mount it up on a bike first. For replacement bulbs for older Union lamps that use bulbs w/ screw-in bases, I buy from Reflectalight:

http://www.reflectalite.com/halogenpage.html

They've got halogen or regular screw-in bulbs for the old Union lamps (halogens: GH93 or GH106, depending on whether you're also using a dynamo-powered taillight; GV605 is their standard bulb). Reflectalite also sells dynamo regulators so you won't burn bulbs out going fast downhill:

http://www.reflectalite.com/regulater.html

Reflectalight's service and delivery times are excellent.if you find an old union bottle generator, i would like to buy it. i'm looking for a replacement for my old worn out one on my bike that i bought in the 80's. it is a typical aluminum bottle with the name "union" on the black plastic trim over the bracket. HERE IT IS: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/saturnsc2/bikeseatdynamo002.jpg

While you are searching, look for a Sturmey Archer "dynohub" wheel which was the top of the line 6v source for your bikes. They are very long lived. I use one on my winter rain bike to drive a modern Lumotec headlight & it has had no problems for 2 years of heavy use. Don

check ebay for these light sets--i always see them there...

Yup, put bids in on a couple of them. Now the rest of you guys leave 'em alone! :p

Yesterday I got either brave or stupid, and pulled that rusted dynamo apart. Got everything cleaned, oiled and reassembled, and now she spits out electrons like nobody's business.

If it's put together with screws and bolts, it CAN be disassembled and fixed!!! Congratulations!!!

While you are searching, look for a Sturmey Archer "dynohub" wheel which was the top of the line 6v source for your bikes. They are very long lived. I use one on my winter rain bike to drive a modern Lumotec headlight & it has had no problems for 2 years of heavy use. Don www.bikeville.com they list a s/a n.o.s. dynohub set like you requested for $120.00

For that kind of money I could hire a taxi cab to follow me with his lights on. :D

I bought mine used on e-bay, two for $35.00 total,no shipping cost as they were local. One I built up a wheel for my Centurion ProTour rain bike & traded the other for a perfect Motobecane bar & stem taken off a Grand Record. Mechanic in the LBS told me he had never seen a Dynohub that didn't work, only drawback is they are Heavy as sin. Don

We've got a strong used Sturmey-Archer Dynohub for sale on our site for $30.

Part number Y0DYNO1 on page:

http://oldroads.com/fs_p_eng.html

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles, Inc.
http://OldRoads.com

Most bottle dynos have an output of 6V, 3W (or .5 amps). What's the output of a Dynohub -- any higher?

Dyno hub has the same output. I did have a chance to ride side by side with a friend who has the same Lumotec headlight as mine but powered by a new Schmidt hub generator & we Couldn't discern any apparent difference in light output.

Yes, 6 volts on the Sturmey-Archer Dynohub

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles, Inc.
http://OldRoads.com

The only dynamo over 6V / 3W that I know of is the 12V Dymotec S12. For the kind of money needed for an S12 you could hire two taxis to follow you with their headlights on :D.

--J

Well, I came up with a couple '70s-vintage dynamo light sets at eBay over the weekend, but I'm afraid the experience is turning me into an eBay junkie -- just noticed a gorgeous Brooks B66 saddle... ;)

Here's another dynamo-related question that came up while I was fooling around with the dynamo I rebuilt: Is the wattage in the headlamp bulb supposed to be different if you're also running a taillight? I cobbled up a taillight with another 6V 3W bulb in it and it had a really poor effect on the headlamp. Is it the case that the total wattage of the bulbs has to equal 6?

I believe current systems at least are designed for 3w total. Quite often headlights sold for dynamos come with a 2,4w bulb as standard assuming you then hook up a 0,6w tail light to the system. If you do not, you will be better off replacing the 2,4w bulb with a 3w bulb.

--J

I believe current systems at least are designed for 3w total. Quite often headlights sold for dynamos come with a 2,4w bulb as standard assuming you then hook up a 0,6w tail light to the system. If you do not, you will be better off replacing the 2,4w bulb with a 3w bulb.
This is correct. A total of 3W for all lights connected. That's usually 2.4W head + 0.6W tail or 3.0W head w/o tail.

Maybe also look for soubitez, I have an old block generator of theirs that will also power a rear light. Here's one on e-bay now (if I post link correctly)- you may have to copy and paste.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=56197&item=7100543178&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Soubitez also made a bottom bracket generator that is driven by the rear tire tread. I have one on my Specialized Touring bike, works great even in the rain. Don

How about good sources for bulbs for dyno light sets? Neither of the LBS close to me stock them. Radio Shack has a good assortment of bulbs with 9mm threaded bases, but the voltage and wattage ratings aren't precisely right.

Reflectalite. They've got what you need, and their service and delivery time is excellent. They've also got an inexpensive dyno regulator if you're burning bulbs too fast, and other links including a cross index for dyno lamps (check the bottom of the web page).

http://www.reflectalite.com/halogenpage.html

Interesting site. According to their chart showing the relative brightness of the various bulbs, it looks like the smart thing would be to use the whole 3 watts for a halogen headlamp, since the bulb is a third again as bright as a 2.4w, and go with a battery-powered tail lamp. And a regulator to safeguard the little $6 gems.

On principal, I don't like to use batteries if I can help it, and so I'd rather use a dynamo tail light w/ the lower wattage 2.4W lamp. I haven't personally found that there's a whole lot of difference in brightness between a 2.4 and a 3.0W headlamp. In fact my dimmest headlight is a 3.0W B&M Lumotech Oval plus running w/o a taillight off a Shimano hub generator. My 2.4W B&M Lumotech standard plus headlamp running w/ a taillight off a B&M bottle generator is brighter. I half suspect the Shimano hub may not be putting out full spec volts / amps, but I haven't tried to hook it up to a meter to test it yet.

I agree with you about not wanting to use batteries on principle, but I have to admit based on coming up behind other cyclists in traffic, that the battery-operated tail lamps with flashing LEDs are a lot more attention-getting.

Also, I suspect a lot of the variance in brightness from one headlamp to another rests with the quality of the reflector and lens. I don't have a lot of confidence in the headlamps I've seen that use a faceted reflector rather than a Fresnel-type lens.

That's why the old Union generator lamps throw such a nice beam - they've got the Fresnel-style lens.

I generally make up for the lack of a rear blinkie by using pedal reflectors and stategically placing reflective tape on various components such as the pedal cranks. These reflectors move and 'flash' as you ride, and attract attention in much the same way a blinkie does, but use free retro-reflective light and not batteries.

Yeah, the wife's Raleigh has a Union headlamp. Once my NOS Onward light set shows up in a few days, I think I'm going to start a campaign on how much nicer the larger Onward lamp would look on her bike...

:rolleyes:

I've got rat traps without reflectors, and I'm a bit reluctant to plaster reflector tape on the crank arms. Maybe I'll devise a pattern of tape on the back of my helmet, and roll my head about hypnotically as I ride.

Most rat trap style pedals have mounting holes for pedal reflectors, unless they're the curved type...you can also put reflective tape on the pedals, curved or flat, instead of reflectors...

Yup, they've got holes to mount pedal reflectors. I'll go rummage through my donor bikes.