Originally Posted by
noglider
My dynamo system cost me about $160. I saved money by being able to build my front wheel myself. I really like it. I can ride at 25 mph on a dark road. What more could I ask of the beam strength and pattern? I jump on the bike and go.
This is a good illustration of what I've been talking about. Looking at your link, you paid $160 for part. A wheel build, even when you do the build, would add another $25 to $40 for spokes. If you didn't do the build, that would add another $60. That pushes the price over $200...for
a light for
a bike. I understand the convenience factor but I fail to see the economics. For the same money, I could buy 3 lamps ($70), up to 6 battery packs (I've found them for as little as $11) and a taillight (PB Superflash, $25) and still be $70 to the good. With that much light, I can ride 25 mph on city streets...which require far more of my lights than a dark road does.
And that's 3 lights for any bike I care to put them To me, that's a huge part of the convenience of battery lights. I may not have them all the time but I can use them any time I like on any bike I like. Dynamos seem very limited to me in that respect.