This blog has moved

This blog has re-located to Chester

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Light is Running Out

It's that time of year again. When Sunday comes it will be dark a lot of the time for anyone who works a conventional 9-5 shift pattern. This will be my second winter of riding with dynamo lights, with dynamos on all of the bikes this time, although still only enough lights for two of them; the Brompton and the DL-1. This is the perfect time of year to 'go dynamo,' not only for the long-term savings but, as I learned myself last winter, it's extremely liberating.

Some people hang up their bikes for winter. If you are a utility cyclist however, this is unlikely to be the case. I have ridden through every winter since I started cycling again as an adult. However, until last year I never really got any enjoyment doing it.  Having to remember to take my lights everywhere, carry them around when off the bike was a minor hassle. What really bothered me was the persistent, nagging concern that I'd be caught out by flat batteries and have to risk a ride home without lights. The battery lights I had used in the past were adequate, but never truly that bright. I knew of the much brighter options available but the price never seemed justifiable to me, for something which could so easily become useless if forgotten of accidentally uncharged.

When I bought my first dynamo lamp, a B&M Lumotec Retro N senseo plus, it was mainly because I was concerned with having a light which was in-keeping with the aesthetics of my then new-to-me DL-1. English-language information regarding dynamo lights was pretty sketchy, I wasn't sure what I was going to get. Because of this, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the light I had purchased was actually a lot brighter than my previous battery-powered LED lights, despite being a halogen bulb. It was always there when I needed it and would even come on automatically when darkness fell. This started to change the way I felt about riding in the dark, from something to be avoided to something to relish. As that first dynamo winter drew in, I found myself riding as much as I had during summer. 


Naturally, I had to get the rear light powered by the dynamo too, whilst permanently attached to the bike, the rear the battery light which came with the DL-1 was still a weak link, dependent on batteries. Once again, information was lacking. B&M produced rear lights with the same automatic light-sensor on/off control as the Retro, although it seemed that this feature was only available with the battery or battery/dynamo hybrid models. Once again I took the plunge and purchased a B&M D-Toplight Plus. The tail-light was wired into the connectors on the front lamp for this purpose; to my surprise the automatic light sensor in the front light also controlled the power supply to the rear light. When it got dark both lights would come on automatically (including when passing through a tunnel). Brilliant.


Having this kind of set-up on the DL-1 made the Yuba Mundo seem almost a hassle to ride. The Shimano dynamo hubs available in my price range were all intended for use with Centerlock disk brakes, rather than the standard 6-bold arrangement used on the Yuba Mundo. The additional cost of a new Centerlock rotor or an IS adaptor pushed the price to more than I could justify spending at the time. A post from Lovely Bicycle! gave me the answer I was looking for, a bottle dynamo. Older bottle dynamos (and modern cheap ones) have contributed to the poor regard with which dynamo systems are viewed here in the UK. However, higher-spec bottles such as the Nordlicht 2000 or the B&M Dymotec seemed to offer a reasonable trade-off between performance and price. I decided to opt for the Basil Nordlicht bottle dynamo in combination with with a B&M Lumotec Lyt plus, a reasonably priced light with a higher light output rating than the Retro. Due to budgetary constraints, an additional rear light would have to wait.


Unlike the Sturmey Archer X-FDD hub dynamo on the DL-1, the Basil Nordlicht took a bit more work to find the optimum fitting. The advantage of the Basil Nordlicht is that the rollers can be changed. Multiple variants are available including a steel roller for running on the tyre, a rubber roller for running on the rim and a larger rubber roller for running on the rim at higher speeds. The larger roller is particularly useful as it allows the dynamo to be 'geared down.' As bottle dynamos are typically designed to produce full power output at relatively low speeds (<10km/h) they can produce too much drag when used by faster cyclists. The larger roller compensates for this by reducing the amount of dynamo revolutions per tyre revolution, and hence the resulting drag. Initially the bottle dynamo was mounted on the fork, unfortunately the pressure it exerted on the rim caused the rotor of the disk brake to rub against the brake pads when it was engaged. Eventually I mounted the dynamo on the seat-stay and adjusted the mounting angle which produced ideal dynamo contact pressure on the rim, enough to prevent slippage but not enough to create noticeable drag.

At present the Basil Nordlicht bottle dynamo is still fitted to the Yuba Mundo, although there are no dynamo lights fitted for it to drive. This is due to my acquisition of a Brompton. After a few weeks with the Brompton, I felt that a bike such as this really needed to be all in-one, including self-sufficient lighting. It was around this time that the annual price increases for Brompton components were being rolled out. The Brompton dynamo wheel RRP was about to increase by about 15% making that then the ideal time to upgrade to the Shimano hub dynamo wheel. I had considered the fitting the Basil Nordlicht bottle to the Brompton, but the relatively good price of the wheel and my uncertainty about clearances for fitting the bottle led me to choose the hub over the bottle.


Rather than splash out on a new front light, my limited budget led me to fit the Lyt from the Yuba Mundo instead. My intention was to replace the front lamp on the Yuba Mundo at a later date, which I have still yet to do. Initially I bent the Lyt mount to fit it into the tight space between the caliper brake and the luggage block, a solution which was far from ideal. I was later able to use a Brompton Cyo mounting bracket to fit the Lyt into the limited space offered by the Brompton. I also added a Brompton rear dynamo light (made by Spanninga) to complete the set-up


The version of the Lyt I had purchased for the Yuba Mundo was the bottle dynamo version; when connected to the hub dynamo on the Brompton, both front and rear lights ran whenever the bike was in motion. Whilst not as optimal as the automatic on/off light sensor of the Retro, this set-up actually works well, due to the extraordinary operational lifespan of LEDs. It now appears that I was a little ahead of the curve in choosing this set-up; B&M's entire 2012 range of dynamo lighting comes with the option for daylight running lights.

My experiences with dynamo lighting have not been universally positive. The standlight functions on both of the lights fitted to the Brompton failed by summer, although they were both relatively easy to fix. However, it is my 'off-label' riding with the Brompton which is more likely the cause of this failure than any deficiency in the lights' designs; Bromptons are not really ideal bikes for fast riding on cobbled paths, the resulting vibrations were obviously a bit too much for the capacitors powering the standlight. Under more typical riding conditions I doubt that this problem would have occurred. For this reason I would still strongly recommend dynamo lighting to anyone, including the models of light which I have had problems with.

A great deal of dynamo lighting technology is designed by (or for) the German market. German regulations stipulate that a bicycle must be sold complete with a dynamo lighting system (except lightweight sports-bikes), including lights which conform to specific regulations for beam shape and light intensity. These regulations are more strict than elsewhere and have effectively become the de facto international standard. The misconceptions about dynamo lighting which persist in the English-speaking world means that we do not constitute a huge proportion of the market for dynamo lighting components, with equipment and information  often difficult to come by. B&M in particular make great equipment but the English-language information about them is lacking. They also suffer from the Windows Vista effect; huge numbers of variants on each light model exist with relatively subtle differences between them and confusing nomenclature. These differences are seldom well explained in product descriptions on the handful of retailers which stock them.

Because of this, to help prospective dynamo light users I have produced a B&M dynamo light nomenclature guide:

Lumotec: The front dynamo light brand name.
Toplight: The rear dynamo light brand name.
Retro, Lyt, IQ Fly, IQ Cyo etc: The model name.
Plus: Includes standlight. The light (or a portion of it) remains illuminated for a few minutes after motion stops.
Senseo: Includes automatic on/off via light sensor.
N: Includes an on/off switch, intended for use with hub dynamos.
B: Basic version, lower light output but still meeting German minimum standard.
R: Taller beam, including near-field illumination of dark patch in front of wheel.
T: Daylight running lights. In addition to the beam aimed at the road, a series of small LEDs direct light at oncoming traffic to increase cyclist visibility. During the day these lights remain lit, whilst the main beam runs at reduced power or is switched off.


B&M are of course not the only manufacturer of dynamo lights, merely the one with which I have most experience. Mr Hembrow gives high praise to the new dynamo front lamp manufactured by Philips; the Saferide (repeated elsewhere). It is my hope to test out a Saferide in the future and share my impressions here. If anyone has any questions about 'going dynamo,' please feel free to leave a comment and I will endeavour to help you if I can.

16 comments:

  1. I have a Schmidt Edelux front light and a B&M Toplight Plus rear light on my main bike. I think dynamo lights are great and I have no regrets making the commitment to them. However, I still supplement them with small battery strobe LEDs. Just makes me feel that bit more noticeable. And just like you didn't like relying on batteries I don't like having just one system. If I didn't have the dynamo lights I would have 2 sets of battery lights. Belts and braces me!

    ReplyDelete
  2. @MiddleAgeCyclist,

    If I were to start touring, I would definitely prefer some redundancy in my lighting set-up too. With respect to the extra visibility provided by the strobe lights, I think the T versions of the B&M headlights are a pretty good idea, providing additional 'be seen' light to complement the useful beam. Just a shame that none of their models are quite as good as the Edelux.

    Next year, you might consider swapping the rear light for the top-of-the-line model with braking light ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. My city cross bike has a B&M bottle dynamo and Ixon front light and Top light rear light, all with standlights built in.
    They are backed up with small LEDs for redundancy.
    The system is great and I want to look into a hub dynamo for my mountain bike as a bottle dynamo is not an option due to the tyre walls being thin and when I get in a wet and muddy spot then a bottle dynamo is a no no!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Brother has some. Nice idea but mediocre output and poor position (by axle) for visibility and risk of being knocked into spokes IMHO.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Last year I had no dyno lighting, this year I have it on TWO bikes. How times change...

    On my Raleigh Wayfarer 3-speed I have Spanninga brand lights I got from Velo-Orange. For headlight I have the Micro FF Led, and for the rear Pixeo XS. They can be seen here:
    http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/accessories/lighting/dynamo.html
    I'm fairly satisfied with the set-up. The front light is adequate (gets to full strength fast!) but doesn't have much "throw". Good for city biking, wouldn't want to use it for night time country riding.

    On the Surly Long Haul Trucker, I have B&M Lyt Senso Plus just like you do/did for the front. Haven't gotten around to a rear yet, due to budget issues/setup issues. I found the Lyt Senso Plus also adequate, and it does a decent job of lighting up dark roads--used it a lot on tour! My complaints is although it has a wider beam than the Spanninga, I wish it threw the beam more evenly. Plus the light is "flickery" at speeds under about 8 miles and hour, which I thought shouldn't happen on an LED light. Could be a hub issue, though.

    ReplyDelete
  6. ian...re: Reelight,
    They seem to be ok if all you need is a "be seen" light, not a good light for seeing. Supposedly the blinky ones are the best. They do have a "solid" light that uses a capacitor, but the capacitor does not last long, since the light needs to be mounted near the axle. The vibrations from the wheel axle are not good for the capacitor. (And this info comes from a store that sells 'em.)

    ReplyDelete
  7. @commuterjohn,

    My Basil Nordlicht bottle runs well on the rim. I have used it on a few trails with no problems. A hub dynamo is probably the way forward though. If you decide to go that route I might be able to help you out with a wheel build.

    @ian,

    I think they'd be a good backup for someone who had gone down the battery route for their main lights. They do seem a bit overpriced considering how basic they are though.

    @adventure!

    I still use the Lyt on the Brompton, it does the job well but the standlight is a bit iffy since I fixed it with tape. The flickery light is likely due to the hub and wheel size. I get it with the Brompton when going extremely slow (slow walking speed). At that speed the dynamo basically provides electricity at a frequency too low for the rectifier to smooth out. If you run 700Cs on the LHT I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason. Higher-end lights are supposed to be better for that issue. The beam intensity is a bit irregular, probably due to the direct light source, although for the price I can't complain. Perhaps for your next tour, one of these would be a better choice. It's brighter (40 lux vs. 25), uses an indirect light source and has a USB port for charging phones etc during the day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ah the dreaded Capacitor problem @Adventure Seems like a bit of a problem with lights in general Mr C ;>)

    Don't reckon the newer ones look too pricey on the face of it when you consider they're 'all in' - presuming the quality is there o'course.

    I've never had a headlamp that has been much cop for actually illuminating anything unless you count riding along a pitch black country lane without any headlamps coming the other way :>D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ian...I wouldn't say I have a "problem" problem with my lights. No lighting system is going to be perfect, and I think that's where much of my frustration lie.

    Because of budgetary concerns, the two headlights I got are in the budget price range. I paid $45 for the Spanninga and $55 for the B&M. I've looked and there doesn't seem to be anything else available in the $100 and under range, everything is over that. For battery lighting, there is a lot of choice under $100 and some of it is really good. I've been satisfied with my PrincetonTec EOS headlamp. Of course there's the obvious issues with batteries, but the "throw" is better than my two dyno lights.

    But at least I have one major hurdle cleared: the dynohub wheel. I was going to need a new front wheel on my LHT before I went on tour, and Clever Cycles in Portland has a $99 pre-built dynowheel special, which made upgrading to a dyno system an affordable option, for once:
    http://clevercycles.com/products/components/generator-lighting/#Redline---Alex-XCE500-36H

    Mr. C--Looks like an interesting light. When I do upgrade I'll think about it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Ian,

    The problem I had was with the standlight not working at all, I don't think Adventure! has had the same issue (which was largely of my own making). The light I get from the Lyt is generally un-flickery but this is likely due to the hub dynamo being in such small wheels, full output is reached faster.

    @Adventure,

    There is a bit of a price leap, made worse by the fact that these products are 'niche' in much of the English-speaking world. I am fortunate to be in the UK, which benefits from being in the European common market with countries such as The Netherlands and Germany, making it possible to buy directly from Dutch of German companies without the penalty of import duties, the hassle of customs or extortionate delivery fees. Even so, getting this stiff from a bricks and mortar shop is very difficult. However, B&M are bringing in their 2012 stuff imminently, so you might be able to find a good deal on something like a Cyo or Fly in the US

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mr. C--Thankfully here in Portland ("Bike City 'merica", so I've been told) we have at least TWO good brick n' mortar places to purchase dyno lighting stuff: Clever Cycles, which I have mentioned, our emporium of all things "Euro bicycle"; and Citybikes, our old school crunchy granola bike co-op (which also happens to be our local Carradice dealer, ironically enough.) I know that other places have some stuff (or at least you can special order) but we got choices here. Still doesn't make things cheap, however. As the people start getting hip to dyno lighting here I think things'll get better.

    ReplyDelete
  12. If you want to cycle in the winter just buy a set of lights from Argos, Halfords, Wilkos or a pound shop and get on with it.

    Cycling really is something that anyone can do.

    It isn't a competence that needs to be learned, studied, analysed and deconstructed to to the nth degree.

    ReplyDelete
  13. @pete,

    I agree wholeheartedly. However, a bit of guidance for those who want something a bit more of a set-and-forget, always available solution, involving dynamo lighting doesn't stop anyone who doesn't care from buying some cheap LED blinkies from Poundland. In fact I'd be surprised if they cared enough about the issue to even read a blog such as this :P

    ReplyDelete
  14. re: my "flickery" B&M light:
    I stopped by Clever Cycles today during their Happy Hour shindig (free beer!) and had them check it out. Turns out it was a defective light. So they put a different one on, and problem solved! Viva la warranty!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Pete,
    I'm guessing there's something about dynolighting that rubs ya the wrong way. It can be argued that there are A LOT of things that shouldn't be analysed and deconstructed to to the nth degree. (Music criticism, anyone?) But we do. Human nature, I guess.

    ReplyDelete

This blog has moved to Chester. All the old posts can be found at Chester Cycling where I invite you to continue the discussion instead

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.