DAME

I'm going to make the initial dive into the dynamo hub world and believe I'll likely settle for the Sayno H27 hub, 28 spoke, mavic CXP 22 rims.

Reasons:

1. Affordable
2. Have the mavic's on my bike now and like them
3. I don't tour, so I settled with 28 spoke
4. Affordable

I'll likely match the wheel with a B&M Lumotec IQ Cyo Senso Plus.

I don't know of anyone using the hub, but spoke with Peter White about the product and he gave it positive reviews (albeit not as positive as the schmit SON). A quick search of the forum didn't produce any feedback.

Does anyone currently use the Sanyo H27? Please post your feedback....

unterhausen

I think you should go for it. I am close to getting one, but I haven't convinced myself that it fits into my stable of bikes yet

FunkyStickman

I absolutely, unabashedly, definitely love mine. Best $40 I've ever spent on a bicycle part. If you ride at dusk or dawn, or at night, you absolutely need a dynohub, end of story.

Did I mention I love mine?

unterhausen

do you have any others? What headlight are you driving with it?

FunkyStickman

I haven't used any others, so I can't compare it to, say, a Shimano hub. I have a home-built headlight with a 4W LED bulb and a cheap LED taillight. It's an MR16 tracklighting bulb. It's extremely bright, I've done a night brevet with it and it was as bright or brighter than the guys running Dinotte's and such. No noticeable drag when you're actually riding it.

Here's the headlight I use (it works on AC, so it doesn't even need a rectifier):
https://www.dealextreme.com/p/mr16-4w...hite-12v-30208

robert schlatte

I too am interested in a Sanyo H27 that I want for city riding/ commuting. I have a Shimano 3N72 that I paid about $100 for and love. Most everything I have read about the Sanyo is positive but like you I would like to hear from folks who have compared Sanyo vs. Shimano. If such an individual(s) is out there, I too would love your input.

DAME

I'll cross post on the commuter forum to hopefully increase responses...........

gerv 

Last year I bought a Novatech hub from VO. I was a little concerned about quality, considering it was in the $50 range. I've used it near daily and it endured much hardship, including a collision with a car. And it is still running fine.

I'd say that's good news since most dealer (like Longleaf) have abandoned the Novatech in favor of the Sanyo.

PS. like your choice of headlight. You should consider picking up and wiring in the B&M taillight with it.

krome

I've got Sanyo, Schmidt, Shimano, Novatech, and Sturmey Archer dynamo hubs in my collection.

Here is my off the cuff comparison and thoughts:

My first dyno was an actual dynohub from SA. A 1973 2 watt unit. I'm still using it. Heavy as all get out, don't recommend it except for vintage stuff. Does drive modern LED light well however. Not as brightly as more modern higher wattage units. Easy to rebuild the bearings, but parts are hard to come by. I'm currently driving a Spanninga Luceo LED headlight with it.

Then I got a Shimano Alfine dynamo hub. Nice hub, no complaints. Ran a Schmidt Edelux light off of it.

Then I got a Schmidt SON Delux and ran the same Edelux light off of it. Didn't really notice a difference between the two.

Currently running a Sanyo H27 with the Edelux. maybe a little more vibration at times, but output looks the same.

I also ran an SA X-FDD dyno hub with the Edelux. Again, no real difference in output.

Ran a Novatec on a couple of different bikes. Different lights on both of them. They have fine output as well.

Just recently got a classic Schmidt hub, but I haven't run it yet.

Based on handling the hubs in my hand and turning the axle by hand, no lights, no rim no spokes the resistance I feel of the different hubs from low resistance to high resistance:

Schmidt SON Delux
Schmidt SON 28 classic
Shimano Alfine
SA X-FDD
Sanyo H27
Novatech

This is a very, very, unscientific test. All done by feel, completely anecdotal.

I can distinctly feel a side by side difference in the Sanyo and the Novatech. The Sanyo has less resistance.

The two Schmidt hubs feel about the same.

The Shimano and SA X-FDD feel about the same. However, the SA X-FDD has a large outer diameter, so one has more "leverage" when comparing the raw hub.

I'm not going to really compare the old SA dynohub. It is a 2 watt unit and no longer made.

My opinion is the Sanyo is the most value for a city/urban bike. I recommend it myself. The SON hubs are just beautiful and smooth, but very pricey. The Shimano hubs are very nice. The NovaTech is functional, but heavy and seemed to have the most resistance.

All the 3 watt units put out good lighting. I haven't done any instrumented tests, so it is just subjective.

I haven't had any of them very long except for the vintage SA dynohub. I've run it for about 10 years now. I recently installed a 1948 vintage one on my 1960 Schwinn, but I haven't made a suitable LED light conversion for it yet.

robert schlatte

Krome, wow- great response. Very helpful.

krome

I'll also add, there are some websites and publications out there with some scientific testing. Due to the nature of the market and changes, it isn't always possible to compare the desired hubs in one particular test. Bicycle Quarterly also did some testing. I spent the latter part of 2010 and a good part of 2011 amassing a collection of the current hubs on the market. I also picked up wheelbuilding this year, so unfortunately, the hubs were tested with different wheel sizes, just some more variables in my comparisons. I can't say anything definite, other than LED headlights are the way to go, and that dynohubs and lighting are much better now than ever.

I believe that one group that tested the SA X-FDD got less rotational resistance with the headlight off and the terminals on the generator shorted (obviously, this is for daylight conditions). As opposed to the headlight off and the terminals open. To this slightly educated layman, I can see a reason for this.

Most of my goals are to set up many of my bikes for urban/city riding. The Sanyo hubs will be my "go to" hub for that type of riding, barring any troubles long term. I feel that Schmidt is still top end, with Shimano right behind them.

unterhausen

I have a cheap Shimano (complete wheel was $60). It is fairly high resistance relative to the high-end shimanos. I wonder how bad the Sanyo is compared to that

gerv 

Krome, great comparison. Another benefit of the Sanyo hub is that is appears less bulky than the Novatech.

DAME

Thanks everyone for the comments! KROME - I especially appreciate the insight into the various hubs.

Has anyone heard of reliability issues with the less expensive dynamo hubs? I'm thinking about using it on some of the gravel roads/paths in the area...i'll likely encounter some water, grime, etc...

FunkyStickman

Commuted in the rain with mine, and done some off-roading, no problems to speak of.

Doohickie

The owner of my LBS does rando rides and the Sanyo is his dynohub of choice. More bang for the buck than the others. That should tell you something right there.

gerv 

I believe these cheaper hubs are plenty reliable. I'm having more luck with my dyno light system than I am having with my battery lights...

That said, since the system is pretty vital to my commuting this time of year, I'm thinking about building a second wheel... just in case. For the price of the wheel, it's really no more than a non-dynohub wheel...

southpawboston

I just updated my daily commuter with dyno lighting for the dark rides home from work this winter:

Shimano DH-3N72 dyno hub
B&M Lumotec IQ Cyo N PLus headlight
B&M Seculite Plus taillight

This setup rocks. I Have the Cyo R Senso Plus headlight on another bike, and that headlight rocks as well. I wanted to try the taller beam of the non-R version, and I like them both.

Far more reliable than battery lights, and the output is fantastic.

minisystem

I have an H27 installed on my wife's bike. Cheap and, IMO, nicer looking than the Novatech. The hub shell is surprisingly diminutive; much more compact than I expected. I've been doing current/speed tests with mine and it saturates at around 500 mA at 25 kph. My SA X-FDD saturates at around 600 mA. Vintage SA dynohubs saturate at around 300 mA. I haven't run any tests on my other dynamo hubs (SON, Shimano, Novatech).

unterhausen

I ordered an H27 today. Building up a gravel road bike and wanted a dynohub, so I thought I would try it.

DAME

Ha! Ha! Ha! I just purchased mine today also. I should get it in about a day (SUPER quick shipping from Peter White Cycles). I decided to go with the original setup in the first post and can't wait. I haven't seen daylight when riding for over two weeks now. I'm currently using a cheap headlight that only works for being seen....there have been some sketchy moments hitting pot holes and barely missing runners.

I was looking for an inexpensive, quality dynamo setup and I believe I found it. I report back when I get the wheel built and some use on the system.

christ0ph

Do you have a URL or a source on this, I'd like to read it. Thank you!

krome

This thread, post #15:

X-FDD-drag


Is the line I remembered from the thread. I have not studied the source.

Cites a German publication:

Bike Lights

krome

Bump! So any new Sanyo H27 owners wish to chime in on their experiences?

TimmyT 

FunkyStickman, How have you mounted this headlight? Did you make a housing for it? Any ideas on heat dissipation from the lamp? I see that the lamp is vented, which might mean that putting it in a tight housing is not advisable.

TIA.....