My first dyno; hints, tips, recommendations?
12-23-18, 08:07 AM
#27
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Your call of course, but nearly all dynamo lights use a shaped beam pattern that specifically avoid shining light up into people eyes and annoying them.
Like here a pic of the IQ-X beam pattern (they've all very similar in B&M dynamo lights in order to conform to German StVO regulations):
I ran across another page for a different light that has a lot of pics describing it:
https://www.outboundlighting.com/pro...-road-edition/
Typical Light:
Light with a cutoff:
Another one:
Video talking about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=05ggheYxlV4
From best to worst light patterns for oncoming traffic:
1. (best) Shaped beam with cutoff
2. "flashlight" style beam
3. (worst) Wide angle mountain bike light
You're already going with the best beam pattern for avoiding hitting any oncoming bikes/pedestrians with your light. Obviously it's your call, but given the beam pattern I don't think oncoming traffic would know the difference between any of the lights that you can attach to a dynamo, they're all already about as good as you can get.
Part of the reason I'm moving to dyno lights myself, is that I've been making do with a flashlight, and although I've got it aimed at the ground pretty close in front of me, and mounted pretty low on the fork, I worry since the beam doesn't have a cut off that it's still too bright. Great info though, thanks!
* Well, except for building up a tall bike, and finding an excuse to try out folders, and...
I know my Shimano Alfine hub with a Lumotec Cyo put light out at walking speed, because the other person I was biking with got a flat and wanted to walk home, and it worked while walking.
It's hard to tell with some of those whether it's a real thing, or whether it's someone theorizing a lot of stuff that isn't really true. Sometimes people get overly caught up in hype and make big claims they don't really know anything about, it's hard to tell.
It's hard to tell with some of those whether it's a real thing, or whether it's someone theorizing a lot of stuff that isn't really true. Sometimes people get overly caught up in hype and make big claims they don't really know anything about, it's hard to tell.
.
Last edited by Medic Zero; 12-23-18 at 11:12 AM.
12-24-18, 11:19 AM
#28
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how many people do you meet on the bike path that have dyno lights? I think around here there are maybe a few dozen users of dyno lights, which is a small percentage of the people that use lights. Of course, you can aim them too high, but my experience is that many dyno light users aim them too low. My experience with being blinded on mups is with people riding with battery lights that could turn them down if they cared about other people. And most of those lights have circular beams, so they are like a car's high beams. Around here, there is a big contingent of flashing high-power headlights on bikes. It's lovely.
Onlookers are going to get a significant amount of light from a properly aimed headlight, that's just how it works. I have spent a lot of time aiming my lights, they are aimed just like a car headlight. Sure, if you never descend a hill at speed you can aim it down, but that's not the case for me. My safety is fairly important to me. With the way they are aimed now, it's not unusual for the cutoff to be a lot closer than I want it to be at the bottom of a hill when the slope changes. But that's the case with car headlights as well. OTOH, cars can overcome this issue with high beams and I can't.
Onlookers are going to get a significant amount of light from a properly aimed headlight, that's just how it works. I have spent a lot of time aiming my lights, they are aimed just like a car headlight. Sure, if you never descend a hill at speed you can aim it down, but that's not the case for me. My safety is fairly important to me. With the way they are aimed now, it's not unusual for the cutoff to be a lot closer than I want it to be at the bottom of a hill when the slope changes. But that's the case with car headlights as well. OTOH, cars can overcome this issue with high beams and I can't.
Last edited by unterhausen; 12-24-18 at 11:22 AM.
12-24-18, 02:33 PM
#29
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My LBS just finished building up my first dynamo hub'd wheel. This one is for my commuter, so I chose a Shimnao DH-3D72 (36H) and a Lumotec EYC Senso Plus (50).
I've got a few questions, if you folks would be so kind as to enlighten me and anyone else who reads this, THANKS!
First of all, any suggestions for a good online resource (preferably non-video) that covers setting up dynamo lights, running the wiring, connecting everything? I have some experience wiring different things, but this particular flavor is new to me.
Second, anyone have a recommendation for an attractive tail light?
Lastly, I'll be building up at least one more bike with a hub dynamo, this one my for my tourer, so I'm thinking of going with a hub with better slow speed functioning (I move really slow in hilly terrain with all my camping gear), and also will want to recharge my phone. Any recommendations? This bike will see some (mild) singletrack use as well, and will get handled by train personnel, any tips for particularly durable routing/runs for the wiring?
Many thanks!
.
My LBS just finished building up my first dynamo hub'd wheel. This one is for my commuter, so I chose a Shimnao DH-3D72 (36H) and a Lumotec EYC Senso Plus (50).
I've got a few questions, if you folks would be so kind as to enlighten me and anyone else who reads this, THANKS!
First of all, any suggestions for a good online resource (preferably non-video) that covers setting up dynamo lights, running the wiring, connecting everything? I have some experience wiring different things, but this particular flavor is new to me.
Second, anyone have a recommendation for an attractive tail light?
Lastly, I'll be building up at least one more bike with a hub dynamo, this one my for my tourer, so I'm thinking of going with a hub with better slow speed functioning (I move really slow in hilly terrain with all my camping gear), and also will want to recharge my phone. Any recommendations? This bike will see some (mild) singletrack use as well, and will get handled by train personnel, any tips for particularly durable routing/runs for the wiring?
Many thanks!
.
I recommend you break the wiring into sections so future repair and maintenance work will be easier. So first section of wiring is from hub to headlight. Next section from headlight to the top of the downtube (assuming you're installing a taillight). Then a section from the top of the downtube to the rear of the bike (say rear hub area or base of a rack). Then a final section from the rear hub/rack area to the taillight. This way, whenever the need, you can simply unplug the section of wiring involved and not have to remove all of the wiring. The wire gauge supplied is very small. I dropped by a local auto wrecking yard and pulled a few micro sized male/female wiring connections and harvested the tiny connectors. Some soldering and shrink wrapping of the wiring and everything becomes plug-and-play.
Highly recommend B&M Cyo Premium Senso plus 80 Lux headlight (here) and B&M Top Light Brake View taillight (here). I have them installed on two bikes and they have been flawless. The shaped beam headlight is a game changer.
-Kedosto
12-24-18, 03:36 PM
#30
Senior Member
Lupine and B&M are offering bicycle lights with switchable high/low beam:
lupine.de/products/bike-lights/road-bike-lights/sl-af
IQ-XM with real high beam light for e-bikes | Exhibitor release | EUROBIKE Show
The new dealbraker is the B&M IQ-X headlight with 100lx for just $80.
bumm.de/en/products/dynamo-scheinwerfer/parent/164/produkt/164rtsndi-01-schwarz-164rtsndi-silber.html
lupine.de/products/bike-lights/road-bike-lights/sl-af
IQ-XM with real high beam light for e-bikes | Exhibitor release | EUROBIKE Show
bumm.de/en/products/dynamo-scheinwerfer/parent/164/produkt/164rtsndi-01-schwarz-164rtsndi-silber.html
Last edited by angerdan; 12-24-18 at 03:42 PM.
12-25-18, 11:06 AM
#31
Banned
significant is price difference..
In 25, this image 
could also be a B&M mini tail light, as the 2 companies share optics on many products...
difference B&M uses a plastic case and lens, twin lead wire, Schmidt uses the same lens with a base of aluminum and a coax wire..
....
could also be a B&M mini tail light, as the 2 companies share optics on many products...difference B&M uses a plastic case and lens, twin lead wire, Schmidt uses the same lens with a base of aluminum and a coax wire..
....
12-25-18, 12:05 PM
#32
Senior Member
In my post i also referred to the B&M Line Small:
The SON rear light is like Supernova an german manufactured light:
nabendynamo.de/en/products/rear-lights/son-rear-light/
bumm.de/en/products/dynamo-rucklichter/parent/53234/produkt/53234ask.html?
peterwhitecycles.com/taillights.php
SON rearlight
nabendynamo.de/en/products/rear-lights/son-rear-light/
bumm.de/en/products/dynamo-rucklichter/parent/53234/produkt/53234ask.html?
peterwhitecycles.com/taillights.php
SON rearlight
01-04-19, 05:50 AM
#33
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So I'm pretty late to the thread but figured I'd offer some installation info.
I recommend you break the wiring into sections so future repair and maintenance work will be easier. So first section of wiring is from hub to headlight. Next section from headlight to the top of the downtube (assuming you're installing a taillight). Then a section from the top of the downtube to the rear of the bike (say rear hub area or base of a rack). Then a final section from the rear hub/rack area to the taillight. This way, whenever the need, you can simply unplug the section of wiring involved and not have to remove all of the wiring. The wire gauge supplied is very small. I dropped by a local auto wrecking yard and pulled a few micro sized male/female wiring connections and harvested the tiny connectors. Some soldering and shrink wrapping of the wiring and everything becomes plug-and-play.
Highly recommend B&M Cyo Premium Senso plus 80 Lux headlight (here) and B&M Top Light Brake View taillight (here). I have them installed on two bikes and they have been flawless. The shaped beam headlight is a game changer.
-Kedosto
I recommend you break the wiring into sections so future repair and maintenance work will be easier. So first section of wiring is from hub to headlight. Next section from headlight to the top of the downtube (assuming you're installing a taillight). Then a section from the top of the downtube to the rear of the bike (say rear hub area or base of a rack). Then a final section from the rear hub/rack area to the taillight. This way, whenever the need, you can simply unplug the section of wiring involved and not have to remove all of the wiring. The wire gauge supplied is very small. I dropped by a local auto wrecking yard and pulled a few micro sized male/female wiring connections and harvested the tiny connectors. Some soldering and shrink wrapping of the wiring and everything becomes plug-and-play.
Highly recommend B&M Cyo Premium Senso plus 80 Lux headlight (here) and B&M Top Light Brake View taillight (here). I have them installed on two bikes and they have been flawless. The shaped beam headlight is a game changer.
-Kedosto
Great advice, thanks!
I'd been scratching my head where to pick up electrical supplies these days, Pick N Pull works for me!
01-04-19, 05:51 AM
#34
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how many people do you meet on the bike path that have dyno lights? I think around here there are maybe a few dozen users of dyno lights, which is a small percentage of the people that use lights. Of course, you can aim them too high, but my experience is that many dyno light users aim them too low. My experience with being blinded on mups is with people riding with battery lights that could turn them down if they cared about other people. And most of those lights have circular beams, so they are like a car's high beams. Around here, there is a big contingent of flashing high-power headlights on bikes. It's lovely.
Onlookers are going to get a significant amount of light from a properly aimed headlight, that's just how it works. I have spent a lot of time aiming my lights, they are aimed just like a car headlight. Sure, if you never descend a hill at speed you can aim it down, but that's not the case for me. My safety is fairly important to me. With the way they are aimed now, it's not unusual for the cutoff to be a lot closer than I want it to be at the bottom of a hill when the slope changes. But that's the case with car headlights as well. OTOH, cars can overcome this issue with high beams and I can't.
Onlookers are going to get a significant amount of light from a properly aimed headlight, that's just how it works. I have spent a lot of time aiming my lights, they are aimed just like a car headlight. Sure, if you never descend a hill at speed you can aim it down, but that's not the case for me. My safety is fairly important to me. With the way they are aimed now, it's not unusual for the cutoff to be a lot closer than I want it to be at the bottom of a hill when the slope changes. But that's the case with car headlights as well. OTOH, cars can overcome this issue with high beams and I can't.
