PaulRivers

I can see some of your points. I can understand not wanting to hook up the rear dynamo light because of the hassle, though I personally prefer them (running wires is a one-time task, and you can't tell while riding if the rear light has run out of battery).

But saying the benefits of a standlight are quiet small is just insane if you ever ride on the road. Well...I guess if your tail light isn't dynamo powered it's not at bad. But with no standlight, you go from being visible to completely invisible whenever you stop - you know, when you'd be most likely to be hit because you're standing still expecting traffic to see you.

To the original poster, sorry I can't offer any real advice. I have seen manufactured retro dynamo lights, and I think my Lumotec Cyo is a fairly "clean" looking design. I'm just so impressed with both the light output and the shaped lense design I can't imagine any reason to build my own.

unterhausen

I wish someone had done this an published a board. Probably happen sooner or later.

Wordbiker

I do appreciate your post and agree with a couple of your thoughts.

My main goal with this project is to have a "set it and forget it" type of rig. I do not wish to deal with dead batteries for the rear flasher, so it will definitely be wired to the dynamo and include a standlight. I also agree with your standlight position for the headlight. Going from bright to dark at night sounds dangerous, especially since this may be my only light source. I know it will be more difficult to build these features in, but once it's done, it's done. I'll be able to jump on and go.

Unfortunately I cannot use the Lumotec Cyo. According to Peter White, it is incompatible with the Shimano dynohub and requires bulbs that eventually burn out. I'm looking for a 100,000 hour LED solution precisely to avoid that issue. I'd also want to build my own enclosure anyway for aesthetics and durability.

PaulRivers

I find your initiative intriguing and interesting, however, in the spirit of being helpful I believe you are completely and totally mistaken on that last part.

According to the official Shimano page:
https://bike.shimano.com/publish/cont...71.-type-.html
Your hub (a Shimano DH-3D71) is a standard 6w 3 volt hub. I do not believe Shimano actually makes hubs to any other spec - some other company makes 12 volt hubs, but not Shimano. I personally have a Shimano Alfine hub which has the same specs - 6v, 3 watt:
https://bike.shimano.com/publish/cont...-L.-type-.html

Some sort of communication error perhaps? I can with great certainty state that the Lumotec Cyo does NOT require bulbs that burn out. Just take a look at the Peter White site:
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt-headlights.asp
Under the Cyo it says "It uses a different LED and has a heavier heat-sink to keep the LED running cooler, so the already brighter LED can run brighter still."
Also from the same page "and because LEDs work for many thousands of hours without failing (unlike the 100 hour run times with halogen bulbs) some riders like to use LED headlights without a switch and just have the light on all the time."

Aesthetics-wise the Cyo is what it is, I like it but you might prefer something different. Durability-wise, I would think the waterproof casing it comes with would be more durable than anything you could build yourself at home, especially once you add in standlight features and everything.

But the big, huge advantage the Cyo has over a home-built solution is the optics. The light has a lense on it that is just *fantastic*. It only throws light onto the ground ahead of you where you need it. It doesn't throw light up into the trees, doesn't throw it way off to the side, it's just there in front of you and a little to the sides in case you're turning, and the beam has more light at the top (where it has to go farther) which gives a pretty even distribution of light on the ground right in the area where you're looking. With the exact same LED but no optics, I can't imagine you would get nearly the reach and visibility from the light. I just can't say enough how incredibly impressed I am by the beam pattern - I actually *don't need* another light to bike at night with it (well...to be fair I also *like* to have a helmet mounted light so I can point it while riding).

When you say that the light won't work with your dynamo and the bulb needs replacing, it sounds to me like there was a communication error somewhere and those are specs for a different, not Cyo light. Hope I'm being helpful.

Wordbiker

You certainly were being helpful, and you were also correct.

I just checked my information again and the incompatibility listed was for the Lumotec Halogen modified for the Schmidt hub. Peter says to not use it with the Shimano hub as it grounds to the frame.

I have no doubts your shared experiences with the Cyo will be helpful to someone else reading this thread, but I am still committed to building my own. I am not dependent on this one bike for transportation. If I were, I'd certainly consider a commercially produced solution. Since I do have the luxury of time...I'll stick with the plan.

cbr2702

When I'm stopped, at least two of the following are always true:

1) dangerous things (other bikes, cars) are approaching only from the back
2) there are no cars (bike path)
3) there are street lights

So as my tail light is not on the dynamo I think I'm pretty safe.

It wasn't the hassle of rigging a dynamo powered rear light or running wires that got me to use a rear battery system. It was that I'd need to (1) build in standlight circutry and (2) have to worry about running it down and going completely invisible if I was stopped for a while.

Cue

This thread below might have the answers you need.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=203223

Michel Gagnon

The problem with the Lumotec Oval Plus and the Shimano is not voltage or amperage, but simply the fact the Shimano hub is grounded while the Schmidt is not. So when one uses the Lumotec Oval Plus with the Shimano hub, the grounding prevents the light from working.


Peter White's warning goes for the Lumotec Oval Plus (i.e. the one with a halogen light bulb and a standlight). I know that the Lumotec IQ Fly and I think that the Lumotec Cyo are OK with the Shinano dynohubs. But anyway, there is a very solution to wire a "non-compatible" Lumotec Oval Plus with a Shimano dynohub: electrically insulate the headlight from the frame by installing it on a piece of pexiglass or flexible plastic tubing. On my daughter's bike, I have used a section about 2 cm long of EMT electrical tubing.


Finally, with regard to standlight or no standlight, I think it is essential in the back. I prefer to have one in front too, but unless I ride on well lit city roads, I prefer to have a small battery-operated LED headlight too (ex.: Planet Blaze). The standlight is no good when you need to fix a flat in the dark.