[Closed] Which Dynamo hub to get in terms of value and reliability?

In true STW fashion, I'll stake a claim for the one I have, the SP PD8. The fact that mine is still lying in a box waiting to be built into a wheel is, of course, irrelevant 😆

I don't even have one, but will recommend the SP PD8 😉

But I have looked into what I will be building up for winter, they get very good write up, and the fact that you can get a 15mm with qr adaptor clinches it, I really don't want to be buying anything that only allows just an old fashioned qr any more, even if that's what the current bike it will go on has.

We have had a couple of shimano ones for about 6-7 years. My partners one is still going strong as was mine until I crashed the bike and wrote the bike off. The dynamo is fine however.

I am currently using an sp pd8 but it's only a few months old so I have no idea how reliable it will be.

The shimao ones we have had have been exceptional, but the sp pd8 is better looking and available in the number of spoke with a disc mount that I wanted.

Like MSP, I'd tip SP even though I have a Shimano Deore. SJS cycles are a good source; other brands are probably cheapest from the German websites.

Having used a Son Delux (~10,000 km), SP SD-8(~4000km) & Shimano T785 (~2500km) apart from the weight of the Shimano, there's nothing between them for performance.

The next-gen Shimano (2015) should eliminate the weight issue, then it will be just which you can get in the fitting you want for the price you want to pay.

I've got a Shimano Alfine one which has been very good over the 6+ months I've been using it. I looked at Supernova ones but couldn't really justify the extra cost.

I have the SP PD8 on my bike and the Mrs is using a Shimano LX dynamo, both have a 3w output so they are good for charging too, both have been really reliable and worth a look.

Value - shimano by a mile.

I'm about to buy a Shimano dynamo hub and there seems to be a choice of 1.5W or 3W. Most of the new ones seem to be 1.5W.

I'm thinking that 3W would give me more options, but might create more drag.

Any thoughts?

Cheers, Rich

Sp all the way!

Rich, the drag will be minimal for both.

Son Delux here. Amazing quality, legendary reliability and absolutely no noticeable drag. It is probably the lightest dynamo too.

Only shortcoming is that you have to use a 6 bolt adapter since it has a splined rotor attachment.

Value for money is relative. This is built to last, so in the long run will be good value, although the initial outlay is steep.

Coupled with an Edelux 2 front light, which is amazingly bright and you have totally self sufficient light for years to come.

Value for money is relative. This is built to last, so in the long run will be good value, although the initial outlay is steep.

Any evidence that is lasts longer than Shimano?

Or is that just how they are selling (and you are buying) it?

Thanks Al, 3W it is then 🙂

Cheers, Rich

No evidence that it lasts longer, but I wasn't claiming that. I know of SONs that have covered huge mileage, and still going strong. Similarly I understand that some people prefer Shimano. Campag vs Shimano. Fox vs RockShox. Tubular vs clincher. Some debates are just never meant to have a conclusion!

Where they do score over Shimano is weight, drag and output. A SON coupled with an Edelux light will run brighter at slower speeds, drag less, and weight less than a Shimano equivalent.

As ever the law of diminishing returns applies as you spend more, but as good as the Shimano is, the SON is widely regarded as the daddy.

Of course the most expensive option is considered the daddy - see Fox, King etc.

I don't doubt any of that, my point was the op was asking about value.

I have an SP, but only because I needed the 15mm through axle TBH. It's very nice, but the VFM choice has to be basic Shimano, I reckon.

I've a SON unit, not cheap but it's now done 8 winters of off road commuting and has never been touched. I think the SP units are to new for anyone to be able to tell you about long term reliability.

The Shimano one on my wife's bike has been living outdoors 24/7 (Sweden, so a temp. range of about -25 to +30 degrees), used for commuting 5 days a week, for about 7yrs now. In that time it's had one new cable. It weighs a ton, but it cost about £20. I've got the next one up, which has also been working fine for about 3yrs now. There's a reason you see them on every other city bike here in Sweden, and they're used on a lot of hire-bikes in cities too.

I have both a Shimano xt-equivalent, and the SP PD8. I'd get the SP again, as it has 6-bolt rather than splined, is smaller, lighter and much better looking. Drag isn't noticeable on either when riding. Both suffer from slightly crap electrical connectors which can get damaged when removing your wheel a lot, but they're cheap to replace. Just leave enough spare wire so you can trim them if/when they get frayed.

I have had a Schmidt SON on my commuter for yonks (10+ years) and it has been faultless. I had a Shimano on my Brompton, which was sadly stolen, but again it was faultless for 4 years. Schmidt seemed to be slightly less draggy but this could be more to do with wheel size than the hub and in any case neither is very noticeable. Therefore as Shimano are considerably cheaper I would say they are the better VFM of the two.

Favouriting this as I hope to build up a dynamo wheel for my Croix de Fer for this winter.

At the risk of a slight hijack, which light would people recommend to go with it for an on/off road commute with value and reliability again the emphasis?

I got one of [url= http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/b--m-lumotec-lyt-t-senso-plus-front-headlamp/aid:553798 ]these[/url] and it's been really good. Nice and powerful plus it has a capacitor in it which means it stays on for a while when you're stopped at junctions/lights. Also has a sensor which means it switches automatically when the ambient light drops below a certain level - useful if you go into a tunnel or under a bridge, etc...

Right, going to buy one now, which specific one? I'm confused on the Shimano alfine dh-s501 vs the nexus dh-3n72. Or should I just get the SP-PD10? My biggest fear is drag... Thanks y'all 🙂

You won't be able to feel a difference in drag when riding, so I wouldn't worry about it. The main difference with the various shimano models seems to come down to weight, so just balance it against your budget. Be aware that some have 6 bolt rotor mounts and some (the alfine) are centre lock

How many reommendations would you like? Can I offer more than one:

SP PD-8 was used to win the tour divide the last two years

SP PD-8 was used to win the Highland trail 400/550 the last two years

SP PD-8 was used to win EWE the last two years

SP PD-8 was used by Mike Hall to win the Trans America Bike Race this year

Oh, and, of course, in STW forum style, I have raced, mountain biked, toured and commuted on a SP PD-8 for the last couple of years too, with several thousand happy, trouble free, miles behind me. This of course is (for me) most important....

Reading the SP PD-8, they claim an efficiency of 73%, I mean that thrashes the Shimano's 53% and even the Schmidt's 64%. It seems like a no brainer, I think I'll go for that? Thanks @steezysix. and @robdeanhove, you've sold me! 🙂
EDIT: the logo and etching on the SP looks incredibly generic... :S

You're not going to make a bad decision if you go with one of the main 3 brands. Bear in mind that a dynamo hub creates about 3-6 watts of drag compared to about 175 generated by you when cycling, so the efficiency of one model over another won't make a huge difference overall.

Just FYI, there is more efficiency difference to be gained in type pressure, or tyre tread or baggy clothing choice, or aerodynamic drag of riding position, or even a well lubricated drivetrain, if you're really, really worried about that kind of thing, once you start searching for the odd 1-2 watts here and there......

Apologies for the hijack.

I run an Edelux 2 light and SON Delux hub on the road. Great combo.

I now want dynamo lighting off road. Settled on a SON 15mm hub, but I understand that the Edelux beam pattern is not so good off road. What would you recommend? I understand the Supernova Triple is a good choice, but I want front only. What to do with the rear cable? Can it be totally removed? I want something 'clean'. Any other recommendations for a front only off road light?

^ I have no experience of using dyno hubs off-road, just battery lights, but riding with Paul Errington in the HLC this spring I was really impressed by the beam pattern and output of his K-Lite headlamp wired to a 15mm axle PD-8. Really wide, even beam so it illuminated the whole trail and no tunnel-effect. Toward the end when my tired eyes struggled I was riding behind him using his beam more than mine.

After reading too many reports and online tests, beam pattern pics etc, for my road bike I've just got an Edelux II with a PD-8. The beam pattern looks far better than the round off-road lights for more even road surfaces and I know once I get really tired that odd shape/uneven beam patterns play havoc with me. Trippy kaleidoscope visuals at 3am again, sort of fun but no thanks.. plus any German-legal lights shouldn't pss off drivers in the way that 1400 lumens of MTB light can. I think the B+M IQ lights use the same reflector.