Dynamo lighting

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05-29-15 | 02:59 PM

#26

jade408

Senior Member

Joined: May 2014

Posts: 1,532

Likes: 97

Bikes: Working on replacing my stolen Soma Buena Vista Mixte

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norg

My commuter bike has a dynamo light and it is extremely handy, but I'm concerned that a) it might not be bright enough, and b) the light goes off a few seconds after I stop pedaling, so I will be invisible if I stop at a traffic light, for example.

I'm thinking of perhaps buying a battery-operated light to complement the dynamo light.

Swap your front light for one with a "stand light." I have a b&m lumotec eyc light. It is bright enough for urban riding and mine stays on around 5 minutes after you stop pedaling. The my rear light lasts around 10 minutes.

05-29-15 | 06:04 PM

#27

steve0257

Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2008

Posts: 925

Likes: 11

From: Rochester MN

Bikes: Raleigh Port Townsend, Raleigh Tourist

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyccommute

No, it's exactly the same. If both lights have a single emitter, modern LED generator lights put out about as much light as modern LED battery powered. But old incandescent systems aren't comparable at all. An old incandescent generator light is barely adequate as a "be seen" light and isn't even that for something as old as your generators if you aren't moving.

I picked up my liking for generator lights back in the early 70s. My choices were incandescent generator or incandescent battery power. At that time i don't remember seeing alkaline cells so batteries were the old carbon zinc fry cells. Talk about short run time. Anything much over an hour the batteries died.

Then I ended up not biking for about 20 years, so when I started again I just went with what I was used to and remembered.

Last edited by steve0257; 05-29-15 at 06:06 PM. Reason: added more info

05-29-15 | 09:27 PM

#28

delcrossv

Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2011

Posts: 1,454

Likes: 5

From: Scalarville

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norg

To be honest, I haven't really tried using my dynamo yet, I only just tested it for a second to make sure that it works. Could it be that the standlight feature will kick in once I have been cycling for a couple of minutes and it has generated enough power to have some to spare when it's stopped? It's a brand new bike, so I'd be surprised if the dynamo didn't have that feature.

Yes, you have to ride it for a few minutes to charge the cap. Even now not all lights have that feature, but i wouldn't buy a light without it.