Hub Dynamos in Australia

[Ross]

Cycling Tips have an overview (pretty broad) of equipment used (inc lights/dynamo hubs) by some of the Indian Pacific Wheel Race participants

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/03/bikes-2 ... heel-race/

Kristof Allegaert - Supernova dynamo hub powers both front and rear supernova lights

Mike Hall - The front light is powered by a Shutter Precision dynamo hub, nicely finished off with Hall’s name engraved on the surface

Jesse Carlsson - Carlsson’s lighting is supplied by Klite.com.au and is powered by a Shutter Precision dynamo hub

Harley “Durian Rider” Johnstone - a klite.com.au front light powered by a Shutter Precision Dynamo Hub

Matthijs Ligt - Supernova front light

Mark “Cycling Maven” Ferguson - Shutter Precision dynamo hub powers what looks to be a Busch and Muller front light. The rear light is the tried and tested Exposure Blaze which lasts for approximately 48 hours at low burn

Jan-Willem Bobbink - Busch and Muller front light powered by a dynamo hub

Claire Stevens - Exposure lights provide visibility both front and rear

[eldavo]

Thanks for the great info, great race/ride for spectators too.

I'm likely looking soon for a purple anodised or light blue/sky blue (teal in Salsa speak) anodised disc dynamo hub 15x100mm axle for a 29 plus bike with beach use salt spray on the sea breeze.

My B&M Luxos U on Sondelux has left with its bike to a new owner. I never used the USB charging feature as I didn't do any rides out of town, and having the cabling unused with no disconnect kills minimalism the original Edelux allowed, though the Edelux only lights spot light tunnel of wheel track ahead, no spread beam "armbeyonce" like the Luxos U, that's really nice for night trail rides with a bigger battery spread beam lamp o-ring mounted pointed high with easy tilt down. The LuxosU high/low power feature was nice for pedestrians on the trail too, polite gesture showing light dimmed, and the lens always able to ride seeing only peoples hips and arms moving, not blinding them in the face.

I couldn't tell if the Luxos U cache battery load was slowing the wheel, the light indicates when it's charging, at night in use that would be all the time I suppose, where the Edelux I think I knew if Edelux was switched off I'd have my freewheel without drag? It's been a couple years so need to get up to speed again. The Edelux has the strong solid mount not with the potential B&M housing issues... and I already have it, so likely start with it until I find one to beat the Luxos U love out of me.

[RonK]

Cycling Tips have an overview (pretty broad) of equipment used (inc lights/dynamo hubs) by some of the Indian Pacific Wheel Race participants

So, in other words all those with a dynamo are using Shutter Precision hubs, since Supernova and Exposure hubs (even if they are using 'em) are rebranded SP's.

[00tones00]

I couldn't tell if the Luxos U cache battery load was slowing the wheel,

FWIW - I transitioned from an 18 month old Shimano M475 hub (which hadn't been serviced yet after ~9,000km and was starting to get a bit notchy) to a SP PD8 hub with Luxos U light and my strava segment times (especially flat segments) on my commute got consistently faster by a few percent (a small but noticeable step change between the months before and after the change). The step change is less than the day to day variation in time though.

[eldavo]

00tones00 that's mouse wheel level scientific data, brilliant

All commute path riding, no rough trails involved with the Luxos U?

[00tones00]

All commute path riding, no rough trails involved with the Luxos U?

No "Rough" trails on the dynamo (I have a 29er wheelset for that). Commute is concrete bike path and reasonable to average bitumen (and the curbs between them). I've read about people having issues with the durability of the plastic bracket on the Luxos U so I'm reasonably careful not to smash it into potholes etc. and its removed if I take my bike on single track with appropriate wheels. I have used the dynamo + light setup a few times on the BMX and MountainX tracks at Homebush though but I never go fast enough to leave the ground as my bike is a touring bike and doesn't have suspension. I also use mudguards and the optional reflector under the Luxos U light to prevent water ingress in the hole under the light. Its been used in very heavy rain such as last week with no problems.

[eldavo]

Yeah I had the optional reflector on, but only fair weather rides so no mudguards.
My bike would be rigid road trail 29plus seeking urban offroad, bush track, beach, so rules out the B&M housing, plus from your reminder the drain hole I forgot about I'd probably not have a mudguard/shovel. I'll have to check the fork has steerer cavity for fork crown mounting bung, else it loses one of the benefits of the dynamo offroad path shadow casting of the bits to dodge.

[find_bruce]

I'm likely looking soon for a purple anodised or light blue/sky blue (teal in Salsa speak) anodised disc dynamo hub 15x100mm axle for a 29 plus bike with beach use salt spray on the sea breeze.

Know any good anodisers? Tough enough to find hubs for 15mm through axles.

[baabaa]

The Shutter Precision blue is by my eye pretty much bang on the same as the salsa or hope ano blue. Also a good match for 9mm but not such a good for 15mm...
viewtopic.php?f=77&t=91185&p=1362382&hi ... 0#p1362382
(Pic with the front blue hope skewer not showing but if I hold up any of the blue salsa or hope stuff up to the SP still looks the same to me)

[eldavo]

Thanks baabaa, that's a nice blue and wheelset.

I'll be looking for Salsa's "teal" aka baby blue, sky blue, light blue, pastel blue...

https://1554652485.rsc.cdn77.org/i/p/2/0/79602_00_c.jpg
https://www.universalcycles.com/images/ ... /62921.jpg

[baabaa]

Hmmm, I would say you will need to wrap your dyno hub in cellophane sheets to get that match.

[eldavo]

Yeah a cheaper black one and some teal/purple plastidip chameleon maybe

[MichaelB]

Crap

Appears that my SP dunno Hun has pooped it's bearings. Wheel has been making some creaking noises and thought it was a loose spike or crack in a rim/hub, changed the wheel with a spare, and noises gone.
Finally got around to having a good look at the wheel and couldn't see anything, so re-fit it to bike but it seemed not hay. And I mean REALLY notch and it was quite a bit noisier.

So it seems the hearing may be cactus and due for replacement.

Any suggestions on best/quickest way to get them fixed and what the cost is ?

Ta

Michael B

[wqlava1]

Post the hub to SP in Taiwan and pay them USD30 for changing the bearings and return post. If it's still inside the 2 year warranty it may be even cheaper.

[MichaelB]

Post the hub to SP in Taiwan and pay them USD30 for changing the bearings and return post. If it's still inside the 2 year warranty it may be cheaper.

It's built up in a wheel, so I'd prefer to post it while, hence an option in Oz.

If I'm going to I build it, might as well buy a new one and get 2 year warranty again

Hub is 3 years or more , so no warranty

Have sent email to k-lite and see if they can help.

Other options are a new one from eBay (AT) $180 or one from Germany at about $155 or so landed.

Hmmmmm

May just try myself .....

[wqlava1]

AUD60 total including upgrading the postage to tracked on the way there plus a bit of your time to unbuild & rebuild the current wheel is cheap compared to buying another dyno hub and the bits for another wheel. You can always get a wheel with one of the Shimano hubs from xxcycle, but that's a bit lesser quality solution.

[Edit - xxcycle doesn't seem to have cheap postage on wheels to Australia any more - but Bike24 isn't bad for postage and has some dynohub wheels.]

[find_bruce]

Woeter's site seems to be down ATM, but if you go here, you will see how the hub comes apart. I can't see how you could separate the two flanges like that with the hub built in a wheel.

[MichaelB]

Thanks for the feedback wqlava and also, thanks for the link find_bruce.

Both helpful and give me ideas. Will try pulling it apart per Wouters page 1st and see how I go.

Thanks

[MichaelB]

Update : Took a few moments as to why I had to demount the hub from the wheel. Doh !!!

Email back from Kerry at K-Lite confirms SP only for hub refresh.

Alternates are getting a new hub from bike-components.de landed at $132, a full wheel (with CL hub but 32 spoke) for $230. I can get a black 28 hole PL-8 from Intelligent design for $200.

Seems the only sensible route is to demount, have a quick crack myself or ship to SP in Taiwan.

Almost any way around it involves a demount out of the wheel assy.

Bugger. Double bugger. PFBB.

Will print out the pics from Wouter, and see how I go. Wish me luck !!!

Thanks

MB

[MichaelB]

Well, sometimes yiou just can't be told

Pulled it apart, but damaged the wires, so it's time to get a new hub and see if I can resuurect the SP at a later date as a spare.


Trying to decide what the best course of action is. Options are ;

a) New PD-8, 28 hole, 6 bolt disc mount, A$132 delivered - rebuild to existing rim
b) New PL-8, 28 hole, centre lock disc mount, A$200 delivered - rebuild to existing rim
c) Wheel assy with PL-8, centre lock disc mount 32 hole, $230 delivered
d) Son 28, centre lock disc mount, 28 hole (need new spokes), $323 delivered (+ spokes) - rebuild to existing rim
e) Hunt SuperDura dynamo wheelset with Son 28 centre lock disc hub, $550 delivered

I like Options B & C because of the centre lock disc mount, but still faced with the potential unbuild-rebuild to redo trhe bearings at some stage

Or plunk up now for the Son 28, but are they user rebuildable ?

[avolve]

So, in other words all those with a dynamo are using Shutter Precision hubs, since Supernova and Exposure hubs (even if they are using 'em) are rebranded SP's.

I am looking at either the SPPD 8X 150mm or Son 28 150mm for a new build. Quite a bit of difference in price (approx. $250 v $400)!

MichaelB's Q is very relvant...

Or plunk up now for the Son 28, but are they user rebuildable ?

[wqlava1]

Or an already built Shimano DH-3D72 with DT Swiss 466 rim for about $200 delivered from bike24. None of the Shimano hubs are as efficient as SON or SP, but still pretty reliable - just avoid the cheaper numbered Shimano hubs with 20-something or 30-something as the last two characters.

[find_bruce]

$132 delivered for the PD-8 is a good price - whereabouts did you find it ?

I went with the PL-8 on my latest build because I can easily swap between my disc brake & rim brake bikes. I have seen the PL-8 from €95 delivered ~$A138, but not in 28 hole

What condition is your rim in Michael ? Personally if the rim is good, I would go for option B.

[MichaelB]

..

Or plunk up now for the Son 28, but are they user rebuildable ?

Answer appears to be a resounding no. Same as the SP hubs. But, reports seem that they last 2 - 3 x longer.

Or an already built Shimano DH-3D72 with DT Swiss 466 rim for about $200 delivered from bike24. None of the Shimano hubs are as efficient as SON or SP, but still pretty reliable - just avoid the cheaper numbered Shimano hubs with 20-something or 30-something as the last two characters.

I can get the PL-8 with the DT 466d for $230 delivered. Shimano hubs are just as user serviceable too ....

$132 delivered for the PD-8 is a good price - whereabouts did you find it ?

I went with the PL-8 on my latest build because I can easily swap between my disc brake & rim brake bikes. I have seen the PL-8 from €95 delivered ~$A138, but not in 28 hole

What condition is your rim in Michael ? Personally if the rim is good, I would go for option B.

PD-8 cheapest was bike-components.de, but bike24.de is only a couple of euro more.

Rim is good (DT Swiss R460db only 12 months old), so will probably go Option B. Have found a 28 hole in black with an Aussie supplier foir $205 delivered, so will go with that option. I like centrelock, a lot.

BTW, St Kilda cycles have some Son Delux hubs for $169, but only 36 hole in silver or black
https://stkildacycles.com.au/lights-dyn ... -sale.html

Didn't go that route because it would mean a new rim, spokes and then faff about with the connection.

[hamishm]

I spoke too soon about liking the Luxos U. Suddenly it has quick release.

What's next? Another one ($290 locally, ouch), or something else? K-Lite? Can I fix it?

I like
- compact for combination light, battery, charging (charging essential for my Edge 1000 on long days)

Less impressive
- Cable insulation coming away at the remote switch
- Beam not super impressive
- Would like flashing mode if possible

Didn't like
- Weatherproofing
- That it broke after a couple of years on the road.