fietsbob

Stand light should be automatic, and stay lit for a couple minutes at least ..
my Toplight line tech has a button to turn it off . when not wanting it to stay on as usual , like when I Bring it inside .
but it always comes on as soon as the front wheel turns a few rotations.

My 4D toplight Senso Multi has a 3 position switch , with dyno power plugged in 1) 'Off' * has the light work, in Motion, but goes off when I stop ,

3rd position it had to be dark out , But then the motion and light sensor have the light come on and stay on for a couple minutes at stoplights , then go off .
the standlight on that one is powered by 2 AA batteries , so the timed shut off is saving the batteries.

The middle position is just Running off the batteries , so you have to turn it Off-off. * in the same light without the dynamo power connectors the 1st position is truly Off..

spare_wheel

I find that when someone spends a lot of money on X they often stridently argue that X is superior to the cheaper Y.

noglider 

Many of us are guilty of that, and it's not necessarily as shallow as it seems. We need to reinforce big decisions we make, such as buying a car. We darned well better love the new car we just bought, because if we don't, it's a big mistake. This is why Apple stresses that their customers must love the products, not merely like them. This allows them to charge prices with very high profit margins.

Erick L

Do you have one?

Yes, Shimano.

Are the hubs essy to steal?

Like any other wheel.

Do lights stay bright for the life of the hub?

Don't know. I've had mine for 4 years and don't see any change.

Was it worth the price?

Oh yeah. Always ready, no charging needed. Most dynamo lights are attached at the fork crown so they don't take bar space and aren't blocked by bar bags. They have way better beam pattern than battery lights.

How much did it cost you?

A bit under 200$ for the whole wheel, not including light. Ordered from starbike.com. I bought other things at the time so I saved on shipping.

InTheRain

Yes, I have a dynamo hub. The light is plenty bright for commuting. The pre-built wheel with the hub cost $99. I've never had a problem with the LED lights (headlight and tail light.) I imagine it will last a long time. It's been 3-4 years that I've been riding with the shimano dynamo hub. I would do it again... everytime for a dedicated commuter bike. The hub that I have is relatively heavy and you can feel some drag. However, there are better hubs out there (SON.) Had I known, I would have spent the extra money to get the best. But, I don't really have any complaints about the system I'm running.

kickstart

Maybe for a first time purchase, but if one has experience with both X and Y, and uses that experience to choose X over Y after the fact, its an informed decision, not a justification.

bonner1040

I have tried both switch settings and have insured the wiring is correct. There is no pitchfork just +/- . I used Peter whites coaxial wiring, so the negative is clear on both ends. Hard to confuse.

spare_wheel

Or idiosyncratic personal preference. I approve.

noglider 

Try reversing it, just because. See what happens.

bonner1040

I just reversed the wire from the Luxos to the Brake, no change, still lights up, still pulses on slow down, still shuts off immediately on stop.

fietsbob

Stand lights depend on the charge in the capacitor , my <Guess> the capacitor is toast. maybe you 'screwed the pooch' on it .

bonner1040

Peter White says I couldnt have set it up wrong. I have to send it in for inspection and replacement under warranty.

fietsbob

My LBS has a Dealer account with Them, P.W. Cycles ..

jade408

So I decided to get a new bike after I posted this thread. Moved over the Shutter Precision hub to the new bike.

I am still waiting for my rear light so none are installed yet but there is no discernible difference in drag at all. New bike is uber speedy and the front end is very very light. (Especially when compared to the old bike and front rack combo.

Can't wait for the lights to be installed so I can get on with my night time riding!

CrankyOne

Sometimes. Then again, there are situations like in my case where I've bought dynamo light systems for all of our city bikes. Wouldn't have done that if I didn't think they were superior. Same for why I bought three more Workcycles bikes for our cabin because we like them better than every other bike we've tried (and that's a very long list).

El Cid

If you ride in winter, you'll appreciate a dynamo hub. From my experience, batteries have a pathetically short life below -10C (14F), and don't work at all after -25C (-13F). Since you live in NYC, your winter weather is probably mild most years, like mine. But even a little below freezing is enough to make those battery changes annoyingly frequent. I always thought battery lights were cheaper and easier, but they don't work in the cold. So I went dynamo.

Now, I'm also looking at an accessory to redirect dynamo power to a usb port during the day when I don't need the lights. If you like going on long rides, this is one more nice convenience you can get from a dynamo hub. Weather you convert to a dynamo hub depends on your needs as an individual. Like some others on this thread, I wish I did it sooner.

Finally, a note to the OP: What kind of bike are you riding, and does your hub use a centerlock or a six-bolt pattern? If you use a centerlock pattern on your wheel, you may find it less hassle to buy a Shimano hub, even though it isn't the best performing hub, or the best value on the market. If you have a six-bolt pattern, go Shutter Precision all the way. A guy at my lbs warned me that a centerlock adapter may or may not work, and won't guarantee getting a new accessory on properly.

jade408

not sure what the pattern was on my wheel. The initial build required a rebuild of my wheel anyway, so I ended up getting the SP hub. And it is moved to the new bike (based on a Soma Buena Vista mixte frame). Both wheels were handbuilt on the new bike to go with my 650b wheels! Loving the new bike! It is really zippy and comfy for my rides around town. I can't wait for the final details to come together.

Mr IGH

The entire cost argument is lost on me. I spend what it takes for me to enjoy my bikes. I don't have any carbon fiber yet because I haven't seen anything that would increase my enjoyment. But my dyno lights give me nothing but pleasure when I need then, same thing for indexed shifting and disc/drum brakes. I could own a single walmart bike with a flashlight and get by, I choose to own 5 bikes, optimized for me, suited for whatever I'm doing that day. And 3 of them have dyno hubs, my 2 commuters and my mountain bike. Some day my road bike will have one, haven't decided about my fat bike....

El Cid

For most people, money is always a factor.

TroN0074

And it is a good thing that people pay attention where they are spending their hard earned cash. However in this case if it is for their own safety I think it can be justified. I have two commuters and they both have dynamo hub + lights. probably that set up cost more than the bicycle by itself, But I appreciate them everyday in my way back and to work.

Mr IGH

You're putting words in my mouth, never said money wasn't a factor, if it was I'd have a $5, 000 bike like so many here have...Dyno lights cost 2x-3x what a mediocre flashlight costs and have benefits that are worth it. Hence the statement that the cost factor is lost on me.

noglider 

It's hard to express. It rarely seems to make sense to spend a lot more than what others spend to get what appears to be the same functionality. But when you get a dynamo setup, you realize that you got all of your money's worth. That's why so many of us wish we had done it sooner, and that includes me. On the one hand, you can develop a perfectly good habit of keeping your battery charged. You can become skilled at putting on and taking off your lights as needed. And it works. But once you can stop doing all that and can ride knowing your lights will work 99.9% of the time, you get a new feeling of freedom.

Reynolds 

True, but I think most people here won't be richer or poorer over $100.

jade408

For me it ended up being a bit more pricey as I couldn't just get a new wheel unless I wanted unpainted rims (which wouldn't have looked great). I could have saved a bit if I realized that the new bike was going to happen sooner. Oh well!

But it was awesome, and great for a few months. Now I am really sad I have been about 10 days without my dynamo. (Should be remedied shortly! Lights to be installed today!) And I gave my lights to my coworker, since I knew I wouldn't need them and she had none.

TroN0074

That is relly nice of you. But in my experience I don't think there is possible ever to have too many lights. At least not riding the roads I ride. I always keep back up lights plus a flash light in my bag just in case.

And I dont feel bad for people who choose no to spend any money on lights and think they are being smarter than you because you did.