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So, the dream audax/touring set up is being scoped and I'm looking for a dynamo hub that will power a light bright enough to see when you fly down hills as well as generate enough light at low speeds crawling up them.
And also be able to charge a phone/GPS.
Both Son and SP bubs are available from the not so LBS
Cheers
Shimano hubs are good too, just make sure it is 3w, not 1.5w if you want to run a charger. I have an Alfine hub powering a Cycle2Charge USB top cap and a B&M IQ-X. I also went to maplins and made my own switch so I can flip between charging and lighting, works perfectly and was pretty easy to make.
If you want to spend more you can go for SON/Schmidt stuff but maybe avoid the SP/exposure hubs as there's been a few reports of bearing failure.
The short version - SP hubs cheaper (although alpkit dyno is even less money) but variable QC. I had 4 (on warranty)none lasted more than 4000km or 5 months. Others I've heard of have lasted between 400miles and several thousand. the QR version seems more reliable
SON hub, that I have now, so far so good. I've not heard of failures in the SON. Yet!
My advice is to buy the whole lot from a trusted LBS - that way any warranty will (or should) include the cost of rebuilding. I'd recommend 18 bikes in Hope for this if you don't have availabilty local to you
and some good indstruction for a home made switch on Barringtons blog
https://ianbarrington.com/2016/03/08/switch-over/
I have the Shimano XT dynamo hub, seems alright, not really used it much. Have been thinking of selling it on to be honest.
Also got a set of B & M lights for it too.
An SP hub / Luxos U serves me well for audax purposes.
Shimano dynamos are cheap from Germany, and work fine, last thousands of miles without problems. Maybe slightly heavier and more drag than SP or SON, but you won't notice any difference while riding.
SP hub with a B&M Cyo T Premium.
Very impressed.
80 Lumens seems plenty, really useful spread of light on road, seems well built.
Has built in daytime LED's and a sensor which apportions power between them and the main beam depending on ambient light.
Bit sceptical at first, (this model was an unexpected upgrade), but I'm converted.
I just leave it on all the time.
Flickers on walking speed climbs, otherwise I can't fault it.
Have a B&M Selectra rear as well.
The performance is excellent, but it's the car like convenience that really impresses.
I have an SON on the road bike which has soldiered on for years, doing Paris-Brest-Paris under its previous owner, daily commutes, Audaxes, etc. It did fail completely a couple of years back due to water ingress but it was fully repaired under warranty (which was a pleasant surprise as I'm its third owner and I'm sure any warranty expired years ago).
I also have an Exposure (SP) hub on the cargo bike which has worked OK so far but has had nothing like the same amount of use. The connectors on the Exposure are way less fiddly than the spade terminals on the SON, which is worth bearing in mind.
The SP hub is running a Supernova E3 which is fine for commuting but a bit pale compared to modern off-road lights. The beam shape means you don't blind other cyclists which is nice for things like the Bristol-Bath Railway Path (although I used to get some sanctimonious ****ers deliberately dazzling me, as they assumed a light that bright HAD to be safety risk. 🙄 ) Before that I had a B&M Cyo which wasn't as well sealed and had to be retired after the stand light died.
Charging-wise I've used a Kemo (worked OK but was fugly and eventually the plug broke), a LightCharge (died almost immediately after the switch unit fell into the wheel), and now a [url= http://www.adeptelectronics.co.uk/velohub.html ]Velocharger[/url]. I've only done one ride on it so far - it feels a bit home-made and you need to be going fast for it to kick in.
My partner has a more modern version of the SON, and has used daily for 4-5 years with zero issues. She has it hooked up to an E3 Triple which is more of an off-road light, not a "dipped beam" pattern. She also has a Plug 2 which was a faff to install but works well. It also stopped working due to water ingress but Supernova warrantied it, despite it being a second hand purchase.
If money was no object I'd look at an SON hub with maybe an Exposure Revo. Exposure are a bit leery of promoting the Revo as a charger though.
I have an SP dynohub on my road/commute/dun-run bike which is now 4 or 5 years old. Used a home made light for a while but the beam pattern was not great for road riding - lost too much light skyward, so bought a cyo premium from Germany when the exchange rate was better. That's brilliant. great beam shape and starts at low speed. Mine is teh one with only one led in it, it hasn't got the daytime running leds.
Just bought a secula rear light as well. taht looks great but not used properly yet.
i made my own charger but have never used it.
I've got a SP bolt thru built into the front wheel on my Fargo, and used it at Tuscany Trails, with a B+M Lumotec IQ2 Luxos U lamp (which has a USB charger built into it). Seems to work pretty well, although at slow packed off-road climbing speed its not that bright. The hub developed a bit of a squeak in Tuscany, but then it did rain for 2 days non-stop...
On my brompton I've just put a SON front wheel with a B+M Lumotec IQ Cyo 40 lux lamp. Its great, and I just leave it on all the time. when i get the pivot bushing replaced I'll wire up the rear lamp as well.
SP PD-8 hub (QR) - I built my own wheel
B&M Cyo Premium
B&M linetec rear (currently experimenting with a Secula as i've taken the pannier rack off)
Been great for over a year. As everyone else says i just leave it on and never think about it. It's enough for night riding on unlit roads without dazzling anyone, and daylight running lights seem handy for alerting distance drivers/cyclists.
Only criticism i have is the Secula rear light has no Off button, which is useful at the station. Might put the linetec one back on.
Has made me want a dynamo on the cheapo pub bike.
I bought a 2nd hand Luxos U, but realised I so rarely ride for > 8 hours that it was kind of pointless carrying around the extra weight/expense/bulk, so i sold it on. I'll just use a battery pack when necessary.
Just got this while I'm waiting for my wheel to be built. Super price via ebay and looks the nutz
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161943861359
I have Shimano XT and it's as tough as old boots. Done thousands of miles on it no problem. As someone pointed out to me when I was looking into it myself, there's a reason why all those utility bikes on the continent that get left out for years and years in all kinds of weather are all fitted with Shimano dynamo hubs 🙂
I have a son28 and an edelux2 can't fault it and I know it will be good for years