Sturmey Archer does make front hub dynamos combined with either 70mm or 90mm diameter drum brakes. Shimano, SON and SRAM all make hubs that brake discs can be bolted onto and Shimano does make a dynamo that a roller brake can be installed on though you will have to order it from Europe as it is not available in the USA.

Now that is definitely old school C&V. Per something I read in the last year or so some company in India still makes carbide bicycle lamps.

I have a BB dyno on one of my bikes and I am glad to see it is still available. I may get one for another bike that I have. Hub dynos are great and I will use them every chance I get, but for a bike that only sees occasional night time use, the bb dyno is a viable alternative. The one I have has always worked when I needed it, is unobtrusive. I have a one bike with a sidewall dyno on it because it was the right choice for that bike. IMHO there is no one answer, you use the one that works for you. I am happy to see another option still available.

Aaron :)

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Aaron;

Agrees 100% and why I posted here regarding availability rather than in the Electronics section. This is a item relevant to C&V bikes from the 70s or so but it is also a relevant piece of technology for current bikes. In the same price range as bottle dynamos but more efficient and a lot cheaper to install than a hub dynamo once you add the cost of a rim and spokes to the price of the hub dynamo unit.

The biggest disadvantages I can see are the inability to fit to a CF frame or one with very tight BB to wheel clearance and difficulty of mounting along with many center and side stands which want the same frame territory for their mounting clamp. The BB dynamo does also limit the tires that can be run to relatively smooth tread tires too.

Actually the bike I have one on is a late 1980's model. Giant Excursion. It was only sold in the US for a year or so, a bit longer in the EU market. It uses the fenders as part of the wiring system. Neat idea but a PITA if you need the snaps to hook the wiring up.

Aaron :)

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Just wanted to throw my two cents in.

My Pro Tour came with internal wiring for this type of generator (very similar to the Velo Sport above) and I like unique, outdated tech (be honest, who here doesn't feel the same way about certain things, if not dynamos?) so i thought I'd give the BB generator a try. Posted in the Looking For thread and Iowegian was there to supply me with the goods (Union BB dynamo... not sure of age, but before Germany's reunification).

I love it. I'm sure that a hub dynamo is probably better, but I saved at least $80-100 doing it this way; not too shabby. So far it works when I need it to. Once or twice a major bump has knocked it out of alignment and I get the flickery light that others of talked about, but that's still better than running out of batteries on the road. If it breaks, I had planned on getting a hub dynamo to replace it, but with the $45 replacements from Peter White now.... It's a more complicated decision (thankfully not one I have to make just yet).

My only complaint is that the headlamp isn't as bright as I want it to be sometimes, but besides being a minor complaint (it's always bright enough, sometimes I just want brighter), I also feel this has to do more with using 30 year old lamp technology than 30 year old dynamo technology.

jtgotsjets;

Good points on the cost savings over a hub dynamo. IMO the hub dynamo is the way to go if you are a commuter or randonneur who does lots of night riding but is overkill for occasional night riding use.

Current LED light technology can give LOTS more light than older dynamo lights. The latest version of the Supernova E3 Pro light claims an output of 375 Lumens. Unfortunately Peter White does not expect to have them in till about November.