Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets
Reload this Page >

Hub Dynamo Comparison Tests?

Notices
Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets HRM, GPS, MP3, HID. Whether it's got an acronym or not, here's where you'll find discussions on all sorts of tools, toys and gadgets.

Hub Dynamo Comparison Tests?

Old 09-09-19, 12:20 PM
  #1  
ironwood
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Boston area
Posts: 2,039

Bikes: 1984 Bridgestone 400 1985Univega nouevo sport 650b conversion 1993b'stone RBT 1985 Schwinn Tempo

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 542 Post(s)
Liked 151 Times in 100 Posts
Hub Dynamo Comparison Tests?

A few years ago Bicycle quarterly tested a number of hub dynamos and compared power output and rolling resistance. Since then there have been new hub dynoamos on the market. Does anyone know of any comparison tests?
ironwood is offline  
Old 09-10-19, 07:35 AM
  #2  
Tourist in MSN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112

Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.

Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times in 1,122 Posts
This is the only one I am familiar with that is in depth on output, drag, and also includes SP hubs. I do not think much has changed since published in 2012.
https://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/defa...ub-dynamos.pdf

I am not sure how to compare the Shimano hubs, they appear to have lots of specific part numbers and I have no clue if their output and drag numbers vary very much from model to model. But the other manufacturers appear to be pretty consistent with a shorter list of model numbers.
Tourist in MSN is offline  
Old 09-14-19, 02:29 PM
  #3  
ironwood
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Boston area
Posts: 2,039

Bikes: 1984 Bridgestone 400 1985Univega nouevo sport 650b conversion 1993b'stone RBT 1985 Schwinn Tempo

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 542 Post(s)
Liked 151 Times in 100 Posts
Thanks for the link. It seems that the SON hubs are still the best. I've been using the Kasai hub and have been satisfied with it, but I'm wondering if the SON hubs are the much better to justify the cost.
ironwood is offline  
Old 09-14-19, 09:00 PM
  #4  
Tourist in MSN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,112

Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.

Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3426 Post(s)
Liked 1,441 Times in 1,122 Posts
Originally Posted by ironwood
Thanks for the link. It seems that the SON hubs are still the best. I've been using the Kasai hub and have been satisfied with it, but I'm wondering if the SON hubs are the much better to justify the cost.
I only recently became aware of Kasai hubs, they look very much like SP, thus I wonder if they are an SP that is re-badged.

I have bought two SP hubs, one in 2013 and one in 2017, both were new. And I bought a couple of used wheels with Shimano hubs from a bike charity that received them from a manufacturer. I do not see any reason to buy the higher cost SON based on my experience.
Tourist in MSN is offline  
Old 09-15-19, 01:48 AM
  #5  
polyphrast
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Germany, south of the white sausage equator
Posts: 113
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 52 Post(s)
Liked 37 Times in 26 Posts
It seems the test data all came from Andreas Oehler and Olaf Schulz, and i suspect they are from this (german) magazine: fahrradzukunft . de
The respective german article (well you probably understand the figures) is here (Since i still cant post links --> go to fahrradzukunft . de --> archive and search for "nabendynamo", tests are in issue 1 and 14, and the latest is from 2012. Being from germany where hub dynos are wide spread, i know that there has not happend much since then on the hub dyno market. SP dyno are periodically rebranded by different companies, where maybe the sealing might be modified, but to my knowledge not the power generation parts.

There is a newer rim dyno, with efficiencies similar to hub dynos: Velogical rim dynamo, with different version (sport, touring, power generation). They were tested in the same magazin, issue 18, and these data are from 2014


There is one reason to buy the SON: If your bike is exposed to constant temperature and humidity changes in winter, from a "warm" basement to a cold, humid environment, the hub cools down, and the pressure inside the hub decreases. Pressure differences are then compensates by ingress of humid air from the outside. I killed a Shimano hub (3N71) by exposing it to often to these temperature changes in winter, the bearings (and the magnets) were heavily corroded...I still replaced the shimano hub by a new one, since i didn't want to throw away the pretty new spokes, but my bike is now outside the whole winter

the SON dynos have a system to compensate the pressure difference between dyno hub and environment to avoid ingress of humidity. The use a small, simple oil filled tube. Furthermore the SON allows change of sealings and bearing. Changing the bearings at a shimano hub is nearly impossible. So over many years, the son becomes cheaper (and more eco-friendly)

Last edited by polyphrast; 09-22-19 at 01:30 AM.
polyphrast is offline  
Likes For polyphrast:
Old 09-15-19, 07:26 AM
  #6  
steelbikeguy
Senior Member
 
steelbikeguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Peoria, IL
Posts: 4,450
Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1820 Post(s)
Liked 3,330 Times in 1,564 Posts
Originally Posted by polyphrast
It seems the test data all came from Andreas Oehler and Olaf Schulz, and i suspect they are from this (german) magazine: fahrradzukunft . de
.....
I'm not sure about the current status, but Andreas has worked for Schmidt since the early 2000's. He and Olaf have authored a number of articles on dynamos, possibly taking advantage of the test gear at Schmidt?? Their test methods and data have appeared to be quite good (speaking as an electrical engineer myself).

Steve in Peoria
steelbikeguy is online now  
Old 09-15-19, 09:58 AM
  #7  
xroadcharlie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Windsor Ontario, Canada
Posts: 531

Bikes: 2018 Giant Sedona

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 179 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times in 95 Posts
moved, sorry, wrong thread.

Last edited by xroadcharlie; 09-15-19 at 10:18 AM.
xroadcharlie is offline  
Old 09-16-19, 01:33 AM
  #8  
polyphrast
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Germany, south of the white sausage equator
Posts: 113
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 52 Post(s)
Liked 37 Times in 26 Posts
Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
I'm not sure about the current status, but Andreas has worked for Schmidt since the early 2000's. He and Olaf have authored a number of articles on dynamos, possibly taking advantage of the test gear at Schmidt?? Their test methods and data have appeared to be quite good (speaking as an electrical engineer myself).

Steve in Peoria
According to a most recent article, Andreas is still at Schmidt. The test data for the articles were acquired at Olaf's (private?) laboratory. Being a chemist, i don't understand too much (electrical) engineering, but i agree, their data look very solid.
polyphrast is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
illdoittomorrow
Commuting
13
11-19-17 08:45 PM
island rider
Road Cycling
20
05-27-13 09:21 PM
3speed
Mountain Biking
2
09-14-12 10:52 AM
Wheels Of Steel
Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets
7
09-09-12 04:35 PM
khatfull
Classic & Vintage
3
11-12-10 11:58 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.