GabeMcG

Hi!

I bought my Electra Amsterdam (sport 3) model this past spring, and have been riding it all summer. I love it to death, and am ready to put some $ into it to make it a bit more functional/safe.

I'd like to go with a dynamo hub, and am looking for some guidance in choosing the right one...

The bike has a stock Nexus-iter3 rear hub, and a standard 36 spoke 26" front... Aesthetics are important to me, as is value. I don't need the best of the best if it comes at an outrageous premium. I've been able to ascertain that my choices come down to offerings by Shimano and Son.

I would like a front and a rear light, both in chrome, or silver alloy fitting with the classic Dutch style of the bike, so the hub should be able to power both sufficiently. It would be nice to have an on/off switch as well.

My budget goal is around $150 for all parts, and hopefully that will cover the cost of installation.

Thanks in advance for any/all tips

n4zou

It's going to be really hard to do a hub dynamo with just a $150 budget! Peter White Cycles has very good hub dynamo and light systems. Go there and learn about these systems but there expensive and out of your budget. You may want to consider a bottle dynamo, which would drastically reduce your costs.
Can you make/modify your own stuff? If you can you can DIY an outstanding lighting system. Here is how I used an "off the shelf" 3-watt LED flashlight as a dynamo headlight and a cheap Schwinn dynamo lighting kit I purchased for $7.20.

https://www.bikeforums.net/electronics-lighting-gadgets/339965-dynamo-powered-3-watt-led-flashlight.html


As for a dynamo-powered taillight, remember that it will stop working as soon as you stop. You can purchase what is known as a stand light that will continue illuminating for 5 minutes or so but it's much safer to simply use a standard bicycle blinkie as a taillight. Most of them will operate continually for hundreds of hours on just 2 AAA batteries.

tspoon

If you build the wheel yourself you may be able to afford one of the better Shimano hubs. If not you could get the cheapest from here :
https://www.roseversand.de/output/con...0&detail2=6980

Combined with the cheapest light they have:
https://www.roseversand.de/output/con...0&detail2=3462
and tail light:
https://www.roseversand.de/output/con...0&detail2=3478

You could still have a system built up for perhaps that cost.

My preference though would be to spend a little more and end up with a lot more lightwise. The B&M IQFly light will be released in october apparently, and features the latest LED technology, which is very efficient.

hotbike

Hey,

I saw an authentic Amsterdam bike the other day, and it had a sidewall generator.
The hub on the front wheel had a hub-brake, activated by the handbrake lever.
Could have been confused with a dynamo-hub?

The Amsterdam on electrabikes wesite comes with an optional generator, and it's sidewall mounted.

I'm just mentioning this in the hopes you'll keep it authentic 'looking'.

n4zou

+1

GabeMcG

Thanks for the tips... I prefer not to have the hassle of a sidewall generator... and I'd be willing to spend more than $150 if it gets me a good front/rear light config that will last the life of the bike. It's important that the lights be chrome, and the brighter the better.

Lets say I doubled my budget, to $300... What would you reccomend?

d_D

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schm....asp#schmidte6
Schmidt E6 is shiny metal of some description but costs over $100.

The B&M Lights are good quality and a fair bit cheaper but not chrome.