SP Dyno Hub?
#2
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: West Palm Beach, Florida
Bikes: 1984 Cannodale full touring bike, Giant full carbon dura ace, Belinsky frame Tandem
Subscribing as I'm considering the new SP 9 dynamo for a fast and light bike. I feel like just going for it and see what happens!
Double O
Double O
#4
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: West Palm Beach, Florida
Bikes: 1984 Cannodale full touring bike, Giant full carbon dura ace, Belinsky frame Tandem
#5
?
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,775
Likes: 0
I have the following: Shimano LX, Shimano XT, and the SP PD-8. SP PD-8 has the least resistance, lightest, and least chunky looking. Durability wise (such as extended backcountry touring) I would go for Shimano XT. I had the SP PD-8 for over a year now and it works great, very dependable.
Buy them all and find out for yourself.
Buy them all and find out for yourself.
#6
Senior Member

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 691
Likes: 29
From: Bonsall, Ca
Bikes: 2003 Cannondale Jekyll 1000, 2014 Fuji Finest 1.5 (wife), 2008 Fuji Finest 1.0 (Daughter), 2012 Fuji Cross 2.0 (son), 2011 Cannondale Road Tandem 2
We have run an sp pd-8 on our tandem and have about 1500 miles on it. While I have no experience with other hubs, this one has proven flawless. I did not notice any additional resistance going to this wheel from the original one. We have now built a 16" wheel with an sp pv-8 for our Bob yak and use it to charge an auxiliary battery.
#7
Randomhead
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 25,930
Likes: 4,825
From: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
I have had the PD8 for over a year now, but I wasn't' riding it until this year. Probably 1000 miles on it by now. I would say our gravel is pretty extreme conditions. I never had trouble with a shimano under those conditions either though.
#8
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,178
Likes: 6,411
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I can sometimes feel my Sanyo on my Bianchi Volpe, usually at high speed. It's a vibration. I can't detect that it is slowing me down.
I recently put another Sanyo on my Viscount. That vibrates a lot more. I'm not sure why! Maybe it's because the bike is a lot lighter. The fork is aluminum, so that could pass on more vibration. But again, I can't say I really perceive the drag, though I'm sure it's there. I perceive the vibration.
I recently put another Sanyo on my Viscount. That vibrates a lot more. I'm not sure why! Maybe it's because the bike is a lot lighter. The fork is aluminum, so that could pass on more vibration. But again, I can't say I really perceive the drag, though I'm sure it's there. I perceive the vibration.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,773
Likes: 105
From: West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Have had a SD-8 for about 6 months, and 3-4000km, works just as well as the SON it replaced, would have preferred a SON but was swapping forks to one with a disc brake, and the SP was half the price.
For resistance, not really noticed any difference between this and the SON it replaced, or a Shimano XT I have on another bike.
For resistance, not really noticed any difference between this and the SON it replaced, or a Shimano XT I have on another bike.
#10
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,162
Likes: 647
From: Brooklyn NY
Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others
I have the Shimano 3N72 with a Cyo Premium light and I can feel the difference between on and off when I switch back and forth, but in ordinary riding I don't much notice it. I was going to get an SP hub, but decided on the Shimano because it was cheaper. If I were building for a road bike I'd look again at the SP because it is much lighter.
#11
Full Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 339
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta, GA
Bikes: Dave Kirk Custom, Clockwork Bikes Custom, Batavus Course Specialized HardRock x2 Trek 700 MultiTrack 1991 Trek 950 SingleTrack. Miyata Three Ten
#12
Banned
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast
Bikes: 8
1 Shimano-Brompton wheel, and 2 black Schmidts [& a Polished 32 hole (classic) not in a bike.. ]
NB .. newer SON dynohubs are lighter than the classic.
I think the Supernova hub dynamo is a rebadged Shutter Precision..
NB .. newer SON dynohubs are lighter than the classic.
I think the Supernova hub dynamo is a rebadged Shutter Precision..
Last edited by fietsbob; 09-20-14 at 12:34 PM.
#13
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,178
Likes: 6,411
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Did you ever notice that all dynamo hub brands start with S?
Shimano
Sanyo
SP
SON
Shimano
Sanyo
SP
SON
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#14
apocryphal sobriquet
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,083
Likes: 7
From: Star City, NE
Bikes: 2008 Surly Long Haul Trucker "The Truckerino"
#16
Randomhead
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 25,930
Likes: 4,825
From: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
I can sometimes feel my Sanyo on my Bianchi Volpe, usually at high speed. It's a vibration. I can't detect that it is slowing me down.
I recently put another Sanyo on my Viscount. That vibrates a lot more. I'm not sure why! Maybe it's because the bike is a lot lighter. The fork is aluminum, so that could pass on more vibration. But again, I can't say I really perceive the drag, though I'm sure it's there. I perceive the vibration.
I recently put another Sanyo on my Viscount. That vibrates a lot more. I'm not sure why! Maybe it's because the bike is a lot lighter. The fork is aluminum, so that could pass on more vibration. But again, I can't say I really perceive the drag, though I'm sure it's there. I perceive the vibration.
#17
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,178
Likes: 6,411
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I could run some experiments. Another thing I forgot to mention is that the Viscount has a weird hybrid light. It has a halogen bulb for the main beam plus a standlight feature with an LED. The halogen might present a greater load than an LED bulb, but I doubt it. I'm under the impression that most bike headlights intended for dynamos are designed to use 2.4 watts or so.
It should be easy to swap the front wheels to see if the hubs are different somehow. Swapping the headlights isn't terrifically hard, and I'm thinking of doing it anyway.
I'm told that I have version 2 of this fork (as it has a steel dowel in the bottom of the steerer tube) and that I should be OK.
It should be easy to swap the front wheels to see if the hubs are different somehow. Swapping the headlights isn't terrifically hard, and I'm thinking of doing it anyway.
I'm told that I have version 2 of this fork (as it has a steel dowel in the bottom of the steerer tube) and that I should be OK.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#18
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,178
Likes: 6,411
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Darn, and you had to tell me of its existence!
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#19
Randomhead
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 25,930
Likes: 4,825
From: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
all my dynohubs have exhibited vibration at some particular speed, I just never thought to turn the light off on the same stretch of road. I don't find the vibration bothersome, but I can feel it
#20
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,178
Likes: 6,411
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Yeah, try it. It's interesting. I can reach my headlight's switch, and I can definitely notice the difference. Like you, I don't find it annoying, but I notice it.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#22
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,179
Likes: 17
From: Cypress TX
Bikes: Salsa Fargo Ti, Cannondale CAAD9, Carbonello Fixed Gear, Specialized Epic Disc
I've had the SP pd-8 for a little over a year now and have had no problems. A friend had his go out on him with no warning. SP sent a replacement first then asked for the return second. Pretty good customer service considering it's a small company so far away.
I've never noticed the vibration while riding but only when spinning the wheel on the work stand.
I've never noticed the vibration while riding but only when spinning the wheel on the work stand.
#23
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,178
Likes: 6,411
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Yes, you definitely need 3 watts if you want to run headlight and tail light.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.







