Hub or Bottle dynamo?

"Agzee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am looking to purchase a new dynamo and am undecided whether to get
a bottle or hub dynamo, I will be having a new front wheel built in
the near future so my options are open as to what dynamo type to get.

On searching the web it appears that the popular bottle dynamos are
the AXA and Busch & Muller.

For hub dynamos it appears that SON comes out on top, although I am
interested in the Shimano ones though I cannot work out what hub is
top of their range (I will want a 36-spoked hub).

If you're happy spending the money, get the SON. Otherwise the Shimano ones
are fine, even towards the lower end.

I wouldn't get a bottle 'mo these days.

cheers,
clive

Clive George said:

If you're happy spending the money, get the SON. Otherwise the Shimano ones
are fine, even towards the lower end.

I wouldn't get a bottle 'mo these days.

Agreed. "Bottle" types are OK as a "bolt on" (literally) for
something-is-better-than-nothing, occasional use. Hub dynamos work
better but need a new/rebuilt wheel. As you're going to do this
anyway then this will be your best choice (money permitting, of
course).

PhilD

--
<><

Clive George said:

If you're happy spending the money, get the SON. Otherwise the Shimano
ones are fine, even towards the lower end.

<aol>yup</aol>

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't get a bottle 'mo these days.

I run a bottle on the 8 Freight because with a hub front brake and
monoblade fork a dynohub won't go on. I use the standard B&M, and it
works fine and is a solid, well made, reliable unit that I don't have
any real complaints about. But it's still a half baked Work Of Stan
compared to the dynohubs. They just sit there and work when you need
them and don't otherwise draw any attention to themselves at all. No
slip, no noise, no applying and disengaging, no fuss about tyre choice,
no fiddling with spring tension. None of those things are exactly hard
work or real fuss, but it's so much nicer not having to worry about them.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch twisted the electrons to say:

Quoted message said:

I run a bottle on the 8 Freight because with a hub front brake and
monoblade fork a dynohub won't go on.

As an aside, one of the 8-Freights used in York has been fitted with a
normal disc-braked fork.
--
These opinions might not even be mine ...
Let alone connected with my employer ...

Agzee said:

I am looking to purchase a new dynamo and am undecided whether to get
a bottle or hub dynamo, I will be having a new front wheel built in
the near future so my options are open as to what dynamo type to get.

On searching the web it appears that the popular bottle dynamos are
the AXA and Busch & Muller.

For hub dynamos it appears that SON comes out on top, although I am
interested in the Shimano ones though I cannot work out what hub is
top of their range (I will want a 36-spoked hub).

The top of the range Shimano dynamo hub is the DH-3N71 (or the DH-3D71
if you are using disc brakes).
They are available for 32 or 36 spokes, and cost about £60.

I have one, and it does the job nicely.

--
Craig Wallace
http://craig.neogeo.org.uk
http://www.neogeo.org.uk

Agzee said the following on 31/07/2007 12:00:

Quoted message said:

For hub dynamos it appears that SON comes out on top, although I am
interested in the Shimano ones though I cannot work out what hub is
top of their range (I will want a 36-spoked hub).

SON if you can afford it, but I have a Shimano 3N71, and it's wonderful.
Avoid the lower end Shimano dynohubs as the ones designed for 3-speed
shoppers are very draggy, according to various performance graphs :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Am Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:00:16 GMT schrieb Agzee:

Quoted message said:

I am looking to purchase a new dynamo and am undecided whether to get
a bottle or hub dynamo, I will be having a new front wheel built in
the near future so my options are open as to what dynamo type to get.

On searching the web it appears that the popular bottle dynamos are
the AXA and Busch & Muller.

I've used an Axa HR both on my old Dutch bike and on my current hybrid in
the years before changing to a hub dynamo. Compared to some of the cheap
bottle dynamos it's a very reliable little machine. But you will
occasionally come across weather situations where a bottle dynamo simply
stops working. The worst is usually in autumn when leaves and water create
a "greasy" compound - but also the winter months with frost can be
difficult times. It also depends a bit on the right combination of tyre and
bottle dynamo. I had for example problems with the combination Axa HR and
Schwalbe Marathon.

Quoted message said:

For hub dynamos it appears that SON comes out on top, although I am
interested in the Shimano ones though I cannot work out what hub is
top of their range (I will want a 36-spoked hub).

SON is the Rolls Royce of hub dynos. The Shimano top model is the DH-3N71,
but the cheaper models work fine as well. I also read good review of the
Novatec Hub Dynamos as an alternative to the cheaper Shimano hubs.

Quoted message said:

The tyres that I was going to fit are Schwalbe touring tyres 'Marathon
Supreme' but according to Schwalbe these tyres are "Not suitable for
use with a sidewall dynamo", therefore if I stick with this tyre
choice it rules out a bottle dynamo.

I wrote to the Schwalbe support some years ago, complaining that they
should test their tyres with bottle dynamos. So it seems they reacted. :-)

Andreas

Agzee said:

I am looking to purchase a new dynamo and am undecided whether to get
a bottle or hub dynamo, I will be having a new front wheel built in
the near future so my options are open as to what dynamo type to get.

If you cycle in the country at night use hub or batteries. A bottle makes an incredibly
annoying mosquito noise which spoils the peace of a moonlight night.

[Story] Luckily I'd disconnected mine one night and so rescued a kitten in the middle of
nowhere 'cos I heard a strange animal cy and wondered what it was. These two animal eyes
shone in the torch followed by a weeny meowing mouth. He was literally a handful - How do
you carry a Houdini kitten home on a bike? (A😄own your shirt.)

--
Peter Fox
Beer, dancing, cycling and lots more at www.eminent.demon.co.uk

Paul Boyd said:

Agzee said the following on 31/07/2007 12:00:

Quoted message said:

For hub dynamos it appears that SON comes out on top, although I am
interested in the Shimano ones though I cannot work out what hub is
top of their range (I will want a 36-spoked hub).

SON if you can afford it, but I have a Shimano 3N71, and it's
wonderful.

I too have a 3N71. Having seen SONs on friends bikes, and compared things
like the freewheel drag, I don't think there is any significant difference
in ordinary use.

If after night riding on a hub dynamo, I'd cost in the 3N71.
If there is spare money, I'd spend it on really good lamps, either a pair of
bulb lamps with switches, or one of the more upmarket LED options. Only if
there was spare cash would I then consider the SON over the Shimano (and
even then I might spend the money on other bits on the bike first).

Quoted message said:

Avoid the lower end Shimano dynohubs as the ones
designed
for 3-speed shoppers are very draggy, according to various
performance graphs :-)

Unfortunately this reputation of some older models tarnishes the newer hub.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:00:16 GMT, Agzee <[email hidden]>
said in <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

I am looking to purchase a new dynamo and am undecided whether to get
a bottle or hub dynamo, I will be having a new front wheel built in
the near future so my options are open as to what dynamo type to get.

Hub v. bottle is a no-brainer in my view, we have replaced every
bottle dynamo we've ever owned with a hub by now.

As others say, the SON falls into "surely it can't be THAT much
better?" territory - right up until you get one and you find that
yes, actually, it not only can be, it is. I have two, and can't
recommend them highly enough. I also have three Shimano hubs, for
comparison. They are perfectly serviceable, but the SON gives more
light at slower speed with less effort.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

Nigel Cliffe said:

Paul Boyd said:

Agzee said the following on 31/07/2007 12:00:

Quoted message said:

For hub dynamos it appears that SON comes out on top, although I am
interested in the Shimano ones though I cannot work out what hub is
top of their range (I will want a 36-spoked hub).

SON if you can afford it, but I have a Shimano 3N71, and it's
wonderful.

I too have a 3N71. Having seen SONs on friends bikes, and compared
things like the freewheel drag, I don't think there is any
significant difference in ordinary use.

If after night riding on a hub dynamo, I'd cost in the 3N71.
If there is spare money, I'd spend it on really good lamps, either a
pair of bulb lamps with switches, or one of the more upmarket LED
options. Only if there was spare cash would I then consider the SON
over the Shimano (and even then I might spend the money on other bits
on the bike first).

Quoted message said:

Avoid the lower end Shimano dynohubs as the ones
designed
for 3-speed shoppers are very draggy, according to various
performance graphs :-)

Unfortunately this reputation of some older models tarnishes the
newer hub.

- Nigel

There's a good deal going at the moment at Bikefix which is a Shimano
WH-3N71 built into a wheel for £60. I'm tempted to go for this and retire
my old Nordlicht 2000 (which is still pretty effective) but I am wondering
about the quality of the hub as the WH-3N71 is described as "Nexus" rather
than the Ultegra labelling you see next to the DH-3N71. So, does anyone
know whether the subtle difference in the identification of these hubs means
that the two are basically the same but with the DH having better quality
bearings, or is it possible that the WH is actually something like a
rebranded NX-10?

Maybe I should just go for the DH and use it as an opportunity to learn
wheelbuilding - or keep using the Nordlicht for another
winter.....decisions, decisions

--

Nigel

you know? said:

As others say, the SON falls into "surely it can't be THAT much
better?" territory - right up until you get one and you find that
yes, actually, it not only can be, it is. I have two, and can't
recommend them highly enough. I also have three Shimano hubs, for
comparison. They are perfectly serviceable, but the SON gives more
light at slower speed with less effort.

For the record I have one of the cheaper Shimano ones (I can never
remember the number, but it's ISO disc compatible). It is attached to
a pair of (now working) D'Lumotecs.

I've not yet tested it in absolute darkness (There's not too much of
that around here!), but on city rides it's fantastic and I get
flickery, but usuable light from the moment the wheel turns to around
4-5kph where it becomes stable. Unlike a filament the light is at full
brightness or off with no warm up time. The only real downside (cost
aside) is whether or not you like the colour of LED white (Think
really really cold).

Jon

In news:[email hidden],
Andreas Schulze-Bäing <[email hidden]> tweaked the Babbage-Engine to tell
us:

Quoted message said:

I wrote to the Schwalbe support some years ago, complaining that they
should test their tyres with bottle dynamos. So it seems they
reacted. :-)

Quite a lot of them these days have a ribbed dynamo track on the sidewall.
Leastways the Marathon Slicks and Marathon Racers did/do.

--
Dave Larrington
<http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk>
And I begged, "Angel of the Lord, what are these tortured
screams?" And the angel said unto me, "These are the cries of
the carrots, the cries of the carrots! You see, Reverend Maynard,
tomorrow is harvest day and to them it is the holocaust."

Before I could afford a hub dynamo I had a few bottle ones, which all
did the job until it was cold and wet, then they would start to slip,
and the lights would go out. Not what you want if you're using your
bike for cycling to and from work. I've tried a SON and a Shimano. The
Shimano is loads better than a bottle, and almost as good as the SON.
Be careful not to buy a 2.4w Shimano hub unless you're only powering a
front light. Also, the lights with built in standlight are worth the
investment in my opinion.
Bob.

Another good reason for a hub is they don't spoil the peace and quiet
of country lanes late at night. And in some situations a noisy bottle
might drown out the sound of other vehicles, so there could be a
safety benefit there too?

Bob said:

Another good reason for a hub is they don't spoil the peace and quiet
of country lanes late at night. And in some situations a noisy bottle
might drown out the sound of other vehicles, so there could be a
safety benefit there too?

Possibly, though pretty marginal. A bigger safety benefit is removing
the chance of slippage with associated darkness following...
But the "peace and quiet" argument is one that I can certainly appreciate.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Bob said the following on 01/08/2007 13:30:

Quoted message said:

Another good reason for a hub is they don't spoil the peace and quiet
of country lanes late at night.

That's certainly something I'd forgotten about - the noisy whirring of a
bottle compared to silence from a hub. Just need the cars to be equally
silent :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Thanks to everyone for the excellent advice given in this thread.

After reading all the postings, I have decided to go for a hub-dynamo
most probably it will be the Shimano HD-3N71, at the moment still
checking some websites for the best price.

At least I have the front and rear lights sorted out, I have just
received a Busch & Muller 'DToplight XS' rearlight and a 'D'Lumotec
Topal Senso Plus' frontlight should be arriving in about a weeks time.

The rearlight has been fitted to a Tubus Cargo carrier and it looks
quite neat.

Unfortunately I have not been able to fit the carrier to my bike as I
need Tubus carrier extensions part # ART 70024 and so far have not
been able to source any here in the UK.

If anyone has any idea where I can obtain them I would be grateful.

I have already emailed the UK Agent: Lion Equipment Ltd but so far
have had no response from them, Tubus Germany also suggested
contacting Dawes Cycles.

Agzee

Quoting Dave Larrington <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Quite a lot of them these days have a ribbed dynamo track on the sidewall.
Leastways the Marathon Slicks and Marathon Racers did/do.

Schwalbe UK don't admit to the Marathon Slick anymore (Schwalbe US do),
which means my LBS can't get them. Guess I'll check Bikefix at the
weekend...
--
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