I was unfortunate in that the Raliegh Superbe that I've gotten fell into a couple years (99.9% sure mine is a 71) where the light package was optional, well at least in the states. Of course the original purchaser of my bike didn't get the option.

So I'm finally in a position that I'm looking to get a vintage SA Dynamo and light system to upgrade/restore my bike to what it should have been. However I'm not sure which Dynamo to get, should I get the standard Front hub model? Or what about the AG? Anyone know which would be more appropriate for my american market (no white tail on the stock rear fender) 71 Superbe?

A 32-hole front Dynohub would have been standard on a 1971 Superbe with a 40-hole AW rear hub.

I've got a 1974 Raleigh superbe that has 36 hole hubs front and rear. I was surprised actually, I was expecting a 32 front 40 rear as well. My rear hub is a AW.

Yes but Raleigh changed over to 36/36 holes somewhere around 73'. I know this because Kurt once told me so when I was being a belligerent know it all who didn't know it all.

Good to know, I was mainly curious as to when they switched.

To be "period correct" 32 hole front dyno hub. However they can be a pain to find sometimes. I got my hands on an AG a while back and used it on my Raleigh Twenty, however from what I gather the AG puts a bit less power than the front hub. I also have the front hubs and they do fine. You could buy a modern hub and get the full 3 watts at 6 volts.

Aaron

My 1972 Superbe is 32/40; my wife's 1974 Sports is 36/36. So I think the changeover was 1973 or 74.

I too believe that 1973 was the transition year, I have seen both on bikes that had hub dates showing them to be 1973.

Aaron

Xfdd

Yeah my rear is 40 holes, I was planning on (and still will) the front dyno. I'm saving the newer dyno/drum (and a new SA 5 drum, for a latter build with a 74 Carlton Super Coarse sitting in pieces in the garage right now. Just gotta figure out how to sneak $350 without the wife knowing.

Mostly I was just asking cause I ran across an AG that is the correct year, but I didn't recall seeing the AG on that or other years near the late 60s or early 70s Sports or Superbes.

Now comes the fun part of tracking one down. Been watching them on Ebay and thinking I might have to jump on a donner bike that hits CL at a reasonable price, happens about 2 times a year round here.

If you upgrade to LED (which I heartily recommend) then either the AG or the front hub dynamo puts out enough power to do the job nicely. But I found hooking the wires up to the AG to be more of a nuisance than on the front. Not a big deal; I'd probably go with whichever turns up first. I went with an AG on my 1950-something Norman because the front wheel was original and the back wheel was not; how's that for a silly reason?

I don't consider that silly, makes perfect sense to me. I have an FG hub that I am going to lace into a wheel for my DL-1 Roadster just to get some extra gears and a dyno hub.

Aaron

I've thought about the FG too. An extra gear or two would be nice here in Portland. Though 99% of the time 3 is fine, and I don't think that an extra one or two would really work any better on the big hills round here, it'd perhaps give me a couple more yards up before hoofing it.

I am planning on converting the lights to led. Even played with the idea of getting dynos on both hubs for two sets of lights and/or perhaps an ipod charger/player. But I think I'll wait to see what the drag is like on one first, having never ridden with that type of hub before.

Both my hubs are original though, so no problems there. I'm kinda kicking myself for waiting too long on a Herc that hit Cl in the last week here. Had the front dyno and front light on it. Even had new tires on it (which I'm gunna need by fall anyway). It went for $150.00, and it would have been an easy part swap then resell for most if not all my money back. Though I might have kept it for the wife, just bought her a 59 Murray Cruiser cause she has insisted on a cruiser (which of course is now my current project bumping my Super Course back a spot), though I think she'd like the three speed better round here. I'm not going to make that mistake again, already warned the wife that next time it happens I'm jumping.

And hey I'm all about the original parts too. I would have made the same choice in your case too rhm.

I have two old crusty dynohubs kicking around here somewhere, along with an old 3 speed hub with a drum brake.... I will try and get them out and photographed tomorrow but would be interested in trading for something I guess. I have a modern SA dyno-drum and it's a fantastic unit.