Originally Posted by
Justin J
good point - I don't think they expect everyone to ride as a team, more like go at your own pace. extenders are really the only mod I need to make.... except for the front generator hub.... I can just picture myself staring at the useless light the whole ride, thinking it's to blame for my slower than average pace.
There's
always something you can blame it on. During my last 200k, my ride partner kept checking her brakes, thinking something was rubbing. I finally blamed it on her rear tire being mounted with the tread facing the wrong way.
Originally Posted by
Justin J
aside from the added weight of the front generator hub, does anybody know if it still adds resistance when the light is turned off? Or is the resistanc always there just because of how the mechanism works?
THIS is the best article I've seen comparing generator hub resistance.
Don't worry about the weight unless you're a total weight weenie speed demon and plan on swapping front wheels every time you won't need the generator. If you want to lower your hub resistance with a generator, your best bet is to get the SON20R hub. It's the lightest one Schmidt makes, and has lower resistance because it is designed for use on a 20" wheel which spins faster than a 700c wheel at the same speed. The difference in power output at the same speed means that you will have to reach about 9mph to fully illuminate an LED headlamp (Edelux, Cyo, E3, etc.) instead of the 4.5mph you need with the SON28 hub, but you scrub the resistance by over 30%.
I ride with a SON28 hub powering a SON Edelux and B&M Seculite which I leave (both) on 100% of the time. I have never been concerned with the hub resistance. At a slight increase to resistance and almost a 150g weight savings (and half the price) you can get the Shimano 3N80 hub instead of the SON28. If you shop around, you can still find the 3N71 hub for about $100 (even cheaper than the 3N80) and it is also a very capable long-distance hub.
Originally Posted by
EGUNWT
And remember, as the Rando crowd says: It doesn't get harder, you just go slower. It's not a race.
