kickstart

Sullalto

Why? On my old ~10 mile commute, I could do 8 of it without stoplights, and the MUP was virtually empty when I'd leave work between 9&10 pm. If I didn't go at least a mile between people(generally other cyclists), I was surprised. Absolute safest and most enjoyable commute route. Sure, on weekend afternoons? I'd alternate the MUP and parallel streets that were lightly trafficed/stoplights(or signs) I could safely regard as optional. But that was still much faster than the route google maps would take me.

tarwheel 

I rode with my new dynamo wheel and lights this morning for the first time. It wasn't dark enough for the lights to show up much, but they do make me more visible. More importantly, I didn't notice any drop in speed or increased rolling resistance. However, I can't really compare to my previous setup because I switched tires and wheels from what I previously had on that bike. I got the light system wired up last night and took the bike for a short ride through the neighborhood to make sure the lights were working, and everything seemed to be OK.

The dynamo light (B&M Luxos U) has a much different beam than the LED rechargeable light I've been using (L&M Urban 800) -- not as bright, but more focused with a lot of variations in light intensity, compared to the evenly smooth beam from my L&M Urban. The B&M lights have some cool features. They stay lit up when you stop for several minutes, both the headlight and taillight. The headlight has a switch that mounts on the handlebar, with a cable that can be used to charge devices such as smart phones.

I'll post some photos later and a more detailed review, once I've had more opportunities to ride in the dark. The days are getting noticeably shorter, so it won't be long before I'll be commuting at least part of the way in the dark.

wphamilton

Nice setup. I've been on the fence on a dynamo light myself for several years, mainly the weight, drag and maybe dimmer light holds me back but that doesn't sound like an issue with yours. Especially with a more or less dedicated commuter, that makes perfect sense.

I'm looking forward to an in depth review. Do you mind divulging the total cost of the setup?

mconlonx

I like the idea of dynamo hubs and dedicated lights and have been running such a setup for years.

Initially, I was worried about weight and drag, but the additional weight on a commuter bike is not a big deal and the drag is nothing I ever noticed.

I am running a Shimano dyno-hub with Supernova E3 Asymmetrical headlight and E3 tail light. The light I'm using looks like it is out of production, replaced by the E3 Pro 2. I thought mine was rated at 350 lumen, but the new one is marketed at 205. Huh. In any case, it is a focused-beam with German-law-spec shaped beam made to cut glare to oncoming road users. The rear is very bright but since it is German, steady-on, which I supplement with a blinky rear light on my helmet.

Mine are always on, daytime running lights. No hard data at all, but consider this an anecdotal thumbs up for feeling like they do add something to daytime conspicuity and resulting safety.

I also have a rechargeable 700 lumen headlight which I can swap between any of my other bikes which are not equipped with dynohub and dedicated headlight setup. Between the two, I really love the dedicated setup for not having to worry about recharging or misplacing the rechargeable light, but I also like the swap-ability of the rechargeables. On my dedicated commuter, it makes a lot of sense to have gone with the dyno setup; with today's LED and rechargeable battery tech, I could easily go with a rechargeable system and not look back.

tarwheel 

Prices seem to be about the same everywhere unless you order from overseas. I got my dynamo wheel and lights from Longleaf Bicycles in New Hampshire. They used to be located in Wilmington, NC, so I was already familiar with them. The wheel has a lifetime warranty against spoke breakage, not that it would be worth my while to ship it back to NH, but that provides some assurance of build quality.

The wheel build cost $293 plus $20 shipping. That included 32H Velocity Dyad rim, Shutter Precision PV-8 hub, Wheelsmith DB spokes, brass nipples and Velox rim tape. The B&M Luxos U headlight cost $223. I had initially selected a different light that cost $104, but changed order to the Luxos because it can be used to charge devices such as iPhones. That was after I found out that a separate charging device would cost about the same as the Luxos light with built-in charger.

So the grand total was over $536, which is not cost-effective compared to rechargeable LED lights. However, like I said earlier, I knew the dynamo system would be much more expensive than a rechargeable LED system, particularly since I already had a nice one. I simply decided that I wanted to try a dynamo light. I bike commute most days year-round, 30+ miles round trip, so I am using my lights a lot. I also run them during daylight. It will be nice not having to worry about forgetting to charge my headlight, although I plan to continue using a rechargeable helmet light. I could have saved at least $120 for choosing a dynamo light without a charging system for other devices.

The big plus for me will be bike touring, which I have been doing a lot more of the past few years. The Luxos U will allow me to use my iPhone for navigation without worrying about running down the battery. It will also provide me running lights during the day and a guarantee source of lighting if I need to tour in the dark for some reason.

Mr IGH

Apparently SuperNova is being honest now. I have the same older E3 and it's a laser beam compared to my Phillips SafeRide (dyno version). I have my E3 on my other commuter bike and when I ride at night with it, I have to slow down on MUP turns as I can't really see the path. The SafeRide's beam pattern is cut off and spread out like a modern car headlight, I can see the MUP path even when turning.

Mr IGH

Next big product: removable bike headlight that has enough battery power reserve to be a camp flashlight at night, then charge during the day whilst riding.

revcp 

My commuter has a shimano dyno hub and Luxos B light and taillight. It's great. If I'm worried about drag on a converted Stumpjumper with rack, pannier, Brooks and 35mm Schwalbe steel belted Marathons I'm worried about the wrong thing. Not sure why I would want to supplement it with additional lighting, as it's plenty bright.

fietsbob

All it takes is a Line of Credit and a visit to the next Taipei Bike trade show to sort out the contract.

enigmaT120

Tarwheel, get ready for nice people to tell you that you left your lights on. When they see the stand lights.

pdlamb

Ahh, forgot about that. Drives some people nuts, particularly the tail lights that stay on for a LONG time. Fortunately for me, that's usually evident when I get home (it's light when I get to work!).

tarwheel 

The taillight actually has a little red button that will switch it off, so I use that when locking it to the bike rack when I get to work. I also shut off the headlight for the same reason. It drives me crazy when car drivers leave their lights on in parking lots. I never know whether they just forgot to turn them off or have lights that automatically shut off. I don't want to be that person.

mconlonx

When I search for the Phillips SafeRide, their site indicates 60lux/110lumens. Do you find it bright enough for travel in otherwise unlighted situations? A good portion of my commute is rural, w/ no streetlights. If I do longer rides at night I will usually supplement my dyno light with a handlebar-mounted Bontrager Ion 700, running it in 450 lumen mode.

TroN0074

Dynamos are awesome, I just wish they were more affordable. So far I have only been able to buy two, one for my winter commuter and one more for my other commuter. But I wish I could get one on my recreational bike as well. hopefully too in the future they can make them a bit smaller.

Mr IGH

Yes, the MUPs and side streets are unlit here and the Phillips was a big difference. It was worth every penny. Too bad it's out of production (the dyno version). The B&M seems to be the new front runner and with more up-to-date LEDs might even be brighter. I had to supplement my SuperNova E3 Lazer or really slow down on dark corners but not the Phillips.

no motor?

I've been using lights on my bicycle since about 2007, and figure the total costs of the lights, mounts, batteries and chargers is somewhere around that figure.

jade408

Love love my dynamo lights. I have the SP pv-8 hub, lumotec eyc front light and lumotec secula plus tail light. I ended up rebuilding my wheel to get the hub. The lights were about $100, the hub was $130 and labor was around $80. So to me it was $300 well spent! I got a less bright front light as I ride urban streets with some lighting. Though I may switch my front light.

For me, the dynamo hub setup made my bike the easy choice over my car. I can come home late and not worry about forgetting my lights of forgetting to charge. It makes my bike worry free.

HardyWeinberg

Would be nice to see some pix when you get a chance! We have 3 bikes in the garage w/ generator lights, all fork-crown mounted, with v-brakes. There is a 4th bike I am wondering about a fork-crown generator light mount but it has road caliper brakes so the bolt that holds the brakes and fender would also have to hold the light mount.

tsl

Non-issue.

The stock mount that comes on the Luxos-U and many other B&M lights works just fine with road caliper brakes and standard fender mounts. That’s the mount I use on my blue bike with Shimano BR-651 mid-reach road calipers and SKS P-35 fender.

Worst-case scenario is that you'd have to get a longer nut for the back side of the fork crown. Stock item at the LBS. They may even just give you one.

It's a little tricky getting everything tightened down and straight. Four hands would help. But once it's done, it's done.

Pic of the mount. It's just bent wire. Stainless too.


I use that B&M mount with my Schmidt Edelux on the blue bike.

tarwheel 

Here's a review my new dynamo light system now that I've had a chance to use it for nearly two months. The light is a B&M Luxos powered by an Shutter Precision PV-8 hub in the front wheel.

THE GOOD: It's easy to see how cyclists get hooked on dynamo lights from a convenience standpoint after using it a few weeks. I don't have to worry about charging the batteries for my main lights, and they start right up as soon as my bike starts moving. I also don't have to worry about the batteries going dead during a ride. My bike seems to ride just as fast with the dynamo system and I don't sense any additional drag, except at high speeds ironically. However, I also changed the wheels and tires on my bike when I installed the dynamo lights, so it's hard to make a direct comparison because the tires I had been using previously were slugs. My bike is probably a little lighter than it was previously, even though the new wheelset weighs more than the old one, because I removed the front rack that had been on my bike -- mainly as a place to mount my LED rechargeable light. I really like the B&M taillight, which is visible from wide angles and larger than most battery powered taillights.

THE BAD: From a cost standpoint, I remain convinced that dynamo lights don't make sense for most cyclists. My dynamo system cost more than $500 including the new front wheel with SP hub, the headlight and taillight. In contrast, you can easily buy a high quality rechargeable LED light as brighter or brighter than my B&M Luxos -- which is one of the brightest dynamo lights available -- for about one-fourth or less than the cost of a dynamo wheel and headlight. The costs for a dynamo system climb even higher if you need lights for multiple bikes, because you would need to buy at least new head and taillights for each bike. Regarding brightness, the dynamo light simply cannot compete with rechargeable LED lights. My rechargeable LED headlight (Light & Motion Urban 800) is brighter on medium than my B&M Luxos on high. Although though the dynamo light's shaped beam uses its light output more efficiently, that is offset by the poorer quality of its beam. The beam from my Luxos is very uneven, with bright areas and darker areas, making the beam appear striped. I prefer the evenly bright beam of my Urban 800 (and other rechargeable lights I have used in the past) much better than "striped" beam of my Luxos light. This is the major drawback of the dynamo light from my standpoint, and perhaps it is peculiar to the Luxos or other B&M models. Finally, a dynamo system is not very practical if you commute on several bikes because it is a hassle and much more expensive to swap the light among bikes. In contrast, I can easily swap my rechargeable LED light among bikes in about 10 seconds. I commute on all 5 of my bikes at times, but have mainly been using my touring bike since I installed the dynamo system on it. As a result, I'm getting tired of riding that bike all the time and grab one of my other bikes using the LED rechargeable light on days when there is little or no threat of rain.

FINAL POINT: One of the reasons why I got the dynamo light system is for bike touring, which I've been doing a lot more of during the past few years. I purchased the B&M Luxos light because it has a port for charging iPhones or other devices while riding. Although I haven't used the charging function yet, I assume that it will work as designed and will be a nice feature for touring. As a result, I'll be able to use my iPhone for navigation without running down the battery. I also will always have lights at my disposal if needed, without having to carry a rechargeable light and batteries. That is one of my main reasons for buying the dynamo system, although I have used it almost entirely for commuting so far. The advantages for touring would also apply for cyclists who do randonneuring and other long-distance rides.

pdlamb

tarwheel, good points on your review. If I may add a few comments:

I think the stripes you see must be peculiar to your light or model. Neither of my dyno lights (older Cyo and eDelux) has such a problem; they both provide even illumination across the beam..

Your point on cost is fair. However, you might also consider the lifetimes of dyno and battery powered lights. I never got more than two or three years out of headlights, while my older dyno light is going into its fourth winter. I can't see any reduction in the light it produces. (To be fair, I'm considering buying a new, higher powered light anyways, just because.)

Finally, if you mounted battery powered headlights on a front rack you might not have noticed, but the lower crown mount typical of dyno lights really does show up cracks and potholes on the road better than bar-mounted lights typical of battery lights. My commute often includes a mile of MUP which has seen better days, and is now suffering from tree roots and crumbling edges. It's much easier to navigate with the lower light illuminating the obstacles to be dodged.

RidingMatthew

thank you @tarwheel excellent review and analysis.. thank you again.

PaulRivers

Thanks for writing back with your experience.

"Luxos" isn't a specific model of light though, I believe it's a preface on any number of B&M lights. Since you mentioned usb charging, do you mean the B&M Luxos IQ2 U?
Busch & Müller Luxos IQ2 U - Harris Cyclery bicycle shop - West Newton, Massachusetts

What I'm about to write doesn't change that a dynamo system is still much more expensive, but I would just point out that it's not necessary to buy the most expensive stuff that you did either.

A very reliable system can be bought for around $350 with a Shimano front wheel/hub and a Cyo Premium front light (though no usb charging that way) -
Shimano Dynamo Wheel w/ Busch & Muller Lumotec Lyt N Plus
LUMOTEC IQ Cyo T senso plus premium

A cheaper Sanyo front hub is $134 (rather than $220), so more around $250 for a cheaper setup.

That's still definitely more expensive than a lot of battery lights (your L&M Urban is $135 on amazon right now), just wanted to mention that it's not necessary to spend $500. (Though it might be necessary to spend $500 if you want both lighting and usb charging).

Stripes or lines happen because of a combination of designing a shaped beam, and the design they choose for it.

We know it's possible to make a very smooth shaped beam light because the Philips Saferide did it (it introduced artifacts outside the main shape of the beam but the beam itself was very smooth). The IQ2 U had those "stripes" you mentioned, the light after that (Cyo Premium) had lines in the beam - better than the stripes but still not smooth. They're coming out with a new IQ-X - we'll see how well they do with it this time. My older Cyo was actually better for having an even beam pattern, though it also put out much less light than the current models.

I really wish Philips hadn't left the bike lighting business.

Another thing is that they've come out with LED's with better light output for night riding, it's called "Neutral White". Your Light And Motion Urban most likely has it, my Philips Saferide has it, another poster was telling me the Fenix BT20 has it as well.

Unfortunately there are no current dynamo lights that are both the higher output of the current generation of lights, and also use the "Neutral White" led. Even the more expensive Schmidt Edelux does not.

It's a rather annoying time for dynamo lights - a few battery lights have caught up with better tech for light output and beam output, but dynamo lights have not yet. I would add though that a lot of battery lights are also crappy, but the best dynamo lights have not caught up with the best battery lights in tech.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and experience.

kickstart

I agree my Cyo plus has a much more even light pattern than The Luxos U, but the uneven portion of the Luxos is outside the main beam illuminating areas that are left dark by the Cyo and most other lights.

Unfortunately a large portion of the cost seems to be due to price gouging, I got my lights from Holland for less than half the retail price here in the US.