Hi John J

I can't make any comparison with the Schmidt, because I have never used it, but I would say that overall I am reasonably pleased with the Shimano hub. I use the hub with Busch + Muller LED with standlight on rear and front, fwiw.

I have a 7 mile commute (but do the occasional 20-40 mile run on that bike), and I would say that the convenience of never having to charge/remember lights is worth the extra drag and weight. I also like riding with the lights on even during the day ('cause it makes me feel like a Volvo or a Canuck ). I would say that the drag is not huge but it feels like there's a significant weight gain (if you see what I mean by the difference)

HOWEVER, if I were you, with a much longer commute and apparently greater need for watts, I'd be worried that the thing would be too heavy over distance and not bright enough (mine is 6V - you can see a little ahead of you, and I get by at a pinch on unlit MUPs, but I wouldn't want to make a habit of it). Having said that, I don't understand watts or voltage, so...

I notice you're in upstate NY. If by any weird chance you're likely to be in NYC for any reason before you buy, feel free to PM me and maybe we can meet for you to have a quick ride on my setup.