Bikepacking.com Guide to Dynamos

[Aushiker]

A pretty comprehensive discussion of dynamos in the context of bikepacking (with carryover) is at https://bikepacking.com/plan/dynamo-hub ... ing-guide/.

[rifraf]

How have you gotten on with, if memory serves, your K-lite system?
I've never bothered to upgrade my Ogres original Edelux as I didn't see, back when I was looking, any headlight that appeared in use to be such an improvement that might inspire me to open the wallet.
The charging system still works too, so again, the wallet has remained closed awaiting something I could easily recognise as vastly superior.

A pretty comprehensive discussion of dynamos in the context of bikepacking (with carryover) is at https://bikepacking.com/plan/dynamo-hub ... ing-guide/.

An excellent read.
Thanks for the link.

[Thoglette]

Yup. A good read. Thanks!

[Aushiker]

How have you gotten on with, if memory serves, your K-lite system?

Yes, I still have and use a K-Lites prototype charger, but I do not see it listed on his website any more.

I hope all is well with you and you are recovering from your crash okay.

Take care.

[find_bruce]

Thanks for posting the excellent article Andrew. My only quibble is that it falls into the mistake of referring to the output of a dynamo by volts or watts.

A hub dynamo has a (mostly) fixed output of 0.5A. The volts & therefore the watts are entirely dependent on the speed at which it rotates and the electrical load. This is important in this context because it explains why (1) lights can be problematic on technical singletrack - the hub is simply not spinning fast enough & (2) you're phone probably won't like it - USB output is a constant 5v & converting a constant current to a constant voltage is tricky.

Klite gets around the speed issue by a neat trick that boosts the current output in a narrow speed range. It's not free power - it all comes from your legs, but its neat. I use the same approach to boost my commuter lights in the 20-25km/h range. It's more than a little disconcerting to see your light get dimmer when you're going downhill fast. Forumslader takes it to the next level by optimising it over a wider speed range

[rifraf]

How have you gotten on with, if memory serves, your K-lite system?

Yes, I still have and use a K-Lites prototype charger, but I do not see it listed on his website any more.

I hope all is well with you and you are recovering from your crash okay.

Take care.

Thanks for the kind thoughts.
I'm much better with the caveat of a changed walking gait and some excess anxiety when road cycling.
I'm confident I'll get past this once I can get over myself and start riding again.