Dynamo Hub questions?
OK just getting around to thinking about wheels and have a few questions about dynamo hubs. Im assuming in the long term they are supposed to save money over rechargeable batteries in lights?
1) How much do they slow you down when your lights are switched on and can you still feel the difference when they are not in use? Particularly on steep climbs?
2) What happens when you stop at a set of lights? Is there some sort of capacitor in the system to keep the lights lit for a couple of minutes?
1) How much do they slow you down when your lights are switched on and can you still feel the difference when they are not in use? Particularly on steep climbs?
2) What happens when you stop at a set of lights? Is there some sort of capacitor in the system to keep the lights lit for a couple of minutes?
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Comments
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1) Not really
2) That depends on which light you use. Solidlights remains on for 5 minutes or so.
<font size="1">'To be is to do' Jean-Paul Sartre
'Do Be Do Be Do' Frank Sinatra</font id="size1">0 -
1) I can't notice any difference at all with the Schmidt hub, if it's going onto quite a racy bike then you may notice the extra weight compared to a standard wheel.
2) Standlight on most lights for dynamo use due to many euro country regulations - mine are both Busch & Muller, no complaints but I supplement the rear light with a flashing LED for better visibility.0 -
I had a problem when i bought a rear light with a stand light. Fellow cyclists at work thought i had left the light on so tried to switch it off but there is no switch. Somebody pulled out the wires to turn it off! I didn't notice till the front bulb blew!
remember to keep pedalling in circles.remember to keep pedalling in circles.0 -
The facts and figures
If you can't be bothered to read the whole article, scroll down to the end where there's a chart detailing how much it will slow you down.
At one time there was quiet a difference between the Schmidt and Shimano hubs, that gap has almost closed. If on a budget save money on the hub abd buy a better light. The supernova E3 is my favorite if you have deep pockets.
I don't bother with standlights, it's a good idea to run backup LEDs which do the same job.0 -
i got a Schmidt hub and didn't notice any differance compared to a normal hub.
i use a small batery front light as on my commute i stop only once
edit man my spelling getting bad [:(]0 -
Thanks for that article ph, Was worried about a dynamo hub being the straw that broke the camels back up some of the steeper climbs on my commute [:D], but by the sounds of it on climbs the effect of the dynamo is negligble.
Will look into the costs of getting a dynamo hub in a wheel for winter use. given the likelyhood of rain etc over the winter the dynamo probably wont make much difference to speed there.0 -
1) No, I honestly don't notice with a Schmidt hub on of off (although it must have some effect). I heard it's like climbing 30 feet per mile (ie, flatter than most "flat" roads).
2) Solidlights 1203D. Very bright with a capacitor Standlight.
If you get a Schmidt SON dynamo and Solidlights you won't regret it (well, if you check your Bank Balance afterwards you may)0 -
I have a cheap Shimano one which is a few years old now - I don't notice the drag but there is a slight vibration in the bars at higher speeds (over 25mph).
I have found that dynamo hubs/wheels/lights are much cheaper in Germany. The service from http://www.Roseversand.de is very good (with an English website option) and if your German is up to it, this place looks very cheap http://www.laufrad-shop.de/
Personally I don't bother with standlights - they restrict the power a bit. Instead I have two front lights and a rear (one Basta front, one DIY front and DIY rear with 18 bright LEDs in it), then I just have some small battery powered lights for when I stop (well they are on all the time, but lost in the powerful glow of my dynamo lights ). I like to carry spare lights anyway in case of failure.[:D]0 -
Impressive table, re' the Schmidt 28 hub and perhaps to simplify the data, Chris Juden in the October/November 2002 issue of 'Cycle' commented that the 'lights on drag' is equivalent to riding up a hill that climbs five foot over a mile; so not much then [:D], lights on is even less of course.
Paul_Smith
www.bikeplus.co.uk
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by PH</i>
The facts and figures
If you can't be bothered to read the whole article, scroll down to the end where there's a chart detailing how much it will slow you down.
At one time there was quiet a difference between the Schmidt and Shimano hubs, that gap has almost closed. If on a budget save money on the hub abd buy a better light. The supernova E3 is my favorite if you have deep pockets.
I don't bother with standlights, it's a good idea to run backup LEDs which do the same job.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Surrey Road CC, articles of my tours; Lejog, North Sea to the Alps, English Channel to the Med', 'End to End' Ireland,London to Paris,Corsica0 -
Clearly the laws of physics mean that there is more drag however I don't notice it on the Schmidt while cycling. I notice that if I spin the wheel with the light off then the wheel spins just like any hub whereas if I switch the light on then it barely goes one complete rotation.
I would never go back.0 -
The apparent resistance is often commented on, often the 'drag' of the magnet seems higher than anticipated, when the hub is actually built into a wheel with tyre plus tube fitted and actually being ridden this will become much less evident, I even warn people with a civering letter as some assume the cones are to tight
Paul_Smith
www.bikeplus.co.uk
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by abm</i>
Clearly the laws of physics mean that there is more drag however I don't notice it on the Schmidt while cycling. I notice that if I spin the wheel with the light off then the wheel spins just like any hub whereas if I switch the light on then it barely goes one complete rotation.
I would never go back.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Surrey Road CC, articles of my tours; Lejog, North Sea to the Alps, English Channel to the Med', 'End to End' Ireland,London to Paris,Corsica0
