Hello all,

I am looking for a rim brake compatible dynamo wheel for my SWB bent. My only Google results show a very cheap Shimano 3n20 with a single walled rim from a UK shipper... USA here. I would like at least 3n72 Shimano quality with a rim comparable to a Sun Rhyno Lite.

Anyone got any tips?

Thanks,
Jon

Hi Jon,

I know this is the "obvious" counter-question, but do you not have a shop nearby that can lace up one for you (or service the one you are going to get for that matter)?

Otherwise, you might check with Utah Trikes. While I was looking at kits for my wife's bike I think I can recall seeing them "stock" a dyno hub wheel in 20" but not sure of the specs. I could be hallucinating as well...

1. Any halfway decent bike shop could lace a hub to a rim.
2. You could ask any number of online wheel builders about a custom build.
3. Bike Friday builds lots of bikes with 20" wheels. Ask them if they have one sitting around (I've gotten interesting stuff from them this way.)
4. The potentially iffy point is getting the number of spoke holes to match.

But... after some research online.

Most Shimano generator hubs are 32-hole, but there's a 36-hole here: https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...&category=3680
Universal Cycles also sells a 36-hole Rhyno Lite: https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...&category=3874
If you want 32-spoke, the CR-18 rim is the way to go: https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...&category=3874
Also, Universal Cycles builds custom wheels: https://www.universalcycles.com/wheelkit.php

FWIW: I have hub dynamos on two wheels in my garage. One is a SON laced to a 28-hole 451 Velocity Aero rim. The other is a Shimano laced to a 32-hole Sun CR-18 rim. I built both of them, and they have functioned perfectly for several years.

Just have one made up with the rim and hub you want. If you don't have a rim in mind, let the wheelbuilder know how much you weigh, what you're using it for, what your rear rim is, and they can pick one. Actually "building" the wheel doesn't take that long, and it's not expensive unless you use expensive parts (speaking of which, the dynamo hubs are not cheap, but I assume you knew that.) Try to find a good wheelbuilder (ask around locally if you're buying locally, many regular cyclists have had wheels built up) as opposed to just running down to the nearest bike shop.

Take a look at how the light will be mounted. On my bikes (uprights), I use a skewer mount, which works great, but that might put the light too low on a 20" wheel.

I'm not sure of the details, but I understand some of the hubs are optimized for particular wheel sizes. I understand the popularity of the Son20 is lower drag, and one reason for this is it is actually intended for 20" sized wheels.

Exactly. I picked up my SON hub in the version built for the faster rotation of the 20" wheel in the hopes there would be less buzz at 25+ mph. It's somewhat better than the Shimano, but the buzz is still there.

aebike.com is where I got my dynamo wheel for my EZ-Sport. I got a Rhyno Lite rim but an Sram dynamo (they didn't stock the 3n72 when I ordered).