CEBEP

Buying all these separately and remembering insane prices colorplus and Imperium charge for their parts I think it would have been cheaper for you to buy new bike from R&M and have it shipped to you

Huggable

You're spot on! Haha. But don't all of us love to mod our bikes? I started off with a GT model from Pacific Cycles (with SRAM 10spd and Blackjack tyres), and converted it to a Rohloff. Now comes the dynamo lights. Back then I didn't know what I wanted as it's my first folding bike, and the Rohloff was just too expensive an investment.

Huggable

Managed to run the cables through the frame and rear arm. Will be going for a test ride before cutting the excess cables.

Huggable

To confirm my observations, the Supernova front light will light up when the bike is in motion, and remain lighted for a minute or so after the bike stops. However there's always a delay before the rear lights comes on, and the rear light will be off the moment the bike stops.

glye

Huh. That's one more reason for me to not regret replacing the supernova taillight that came with my bike. Presumably it would be possible to wire in some capacitors to give you some standing light, but I don't know how exactly to do that.

CEBEP

I don’t want to spoil it as you’ve already ordered and installed them, but if I were to buy a set of lights for my Birdy, I would definitely go with SON Edelux II front and SON rear lights which I have on my Brompton.

CEBEP

Unfortunately I can’t test it now, but if I remember correct parking light should feed both front and rear lights. As soon as I’ll drive the bike I’ll check it, unless another member can comment sooner.

Update. I checked E3 Pure 3 User manual and it says standings lights for both front and rear will light for 4 minutes. You should check you’re lights user manual, both lights should provide standing light, front and back.

Jipe

The Supernova E3 PURE 3 and AIRSTREAM TAIL LIGHT 2 are high quality, very well built lights.

But with the quick evolution of the LED technology, they are now outdated in light power.

My Birdy 3 that was in stock at a R&M dealer, was from factory equipped with the SP hub dynamo and the E3 PURE 3 + AIRSTREAM TAIL LIGHT 2, it wasn't a real choice of mine.

Both lights turn on immediately as soon as the front wheel turns and there is a long stand-light on both. Its provided from the front light, the rear light has no builtin supercap or anything to provide a stand-light.

From what I understand, the rear light output of the Supernova dynamo front light is DC, not AC as for all other dynamo front and rear lights, and the AIRSTREAM TAIL LIGHT 2 works with a DC input.

Geoffroy2020

Good evening!

I am now the proud owner of a birdy mk1 rholoff. I bought it second hand. It is in good condition but still it has been used and then stored for a number of years in a garage. I wanted to have it serviced but my local bike shop has not had experience with a birdy or with rohloff hub. Would anyone know where I could find the right mechanic in London UK? I want to make sure it is cleaned, tested, tuned correctly and also have a number of parts replaced that are basically rusty.

Any hint will be appreciated.

cheers

Geoff

Huggable

Hello! Another Rohloff owner, cool!

Most of the Birdy parts are generic apart from the Rohloff hub. Your local bike shop should be able to do the usual tuning and servicing such as brake adjustment, chain replacement and general cleaning. For tyres, I'm not sure if they stock 18" ones, but you can replace them if they are worn out or cracked.

The Rohloff hub need oil change every year or 5,000km, so I suggest that you get the oil change kit to replace the hub oil. You should be able to get the bike shop to do it for you, as the instructions and videos are readily available. The Rohloff can use any chain from single speed to 11speed, just need to make sure to cut the new chain to the same length.

You can spray a little WD40 over the rusted areas to treat them, then wipe off the rust.

Huggable

Thanks for the replies Jipe CEBEP glye
I was contemplating whether to order a different set of lights instead of the "stock" ones by R&M. I chose the E3 Pure as it was the smallest and the beam pattern was good without obstruction. Was undecided about the rear light as my bike rack is much lower and it is challenging to find a good location and space to mount a bigger rear light. Currently I have a rechargeable rear light under the saddle, but it would be difficult to replace it with a wired light as it would affect folding.

So I took a little "experimental" approach, and was even considering to use the E3 front only without the puny Airstream lights. The market for dynamo lights here is Singapore is practically non-existent as the majority of riders use rechargable clip on lights for convenience and weight savings.

Jipe

The Rohloff oil is a special one, you need to use this oil and no other.

IN UK, SJScycles is a Rohloff expert (but not in London).

Huggable

I was watching this YouTube video and the rear light turned on almost instantaneously when the front wheel was spun. (at 40sec mark)

CEBEP

Just for your info, Edelux II is not too much bigger than E3 Pure you’ve ordered, has an automatic function (light switches on automatically when ambient light becomes dimmer) while E3 Pure is always on. Beam pattern of E3 Pure is nowhere near the Edelux II. I’ll try to create a video of my Edelux II some day. Optic design of Edelux II as well as brightness is excellent. In my opinion It’s night and day compared to E3 Pure. But if trails you will use your Birdy are already lit, your E3 Pure will do just fine. It is a quality light, but as Jipe said it’s kind of obsolete.

You need to check your connections, both rear and front light will lit immediately as soon as you start turning the wheel and both should have standing lights.

Huggable

I hope I didn't get a defective E3! As the cable connections are very straightforward, if I made a mistake I think there wouldn't be any lights at all no matter how I spin the dynamo wheel.

I have verified that the rear lights indeed comes on, but only a few seconds after I moved off. The light would get cut the moment the bike stopped. Could well be a circuitary issue with the E3 light.

CEBEP

Capacitor in the main light will take some time to charge, after a few minutes of ride. However standing light will be on on both lights. You may contact Supernova for tech support to assess this issue, maybe they can have a solution. Or the Birdy dealer who shipped them do you. At the end of the day your lights are under warranty.

Jipe

What rear light do you use with the E3 Pure ?

CEBEP

He uses E3 Taillight 2

Huggable

The front standing light is ok, it remains on even after I stopped. But the rear light seems to be missing the capacity/battery power storage, it would go off immediately after I stopped. I understand that the circuits are in the front light, and the rear is merely a direct connection to the LEDs.

I have emailed Kemper and told them the issue. Hopefully they have a solution without having to return the lights.

gilesa

To @Geoffroy2020: Fudge and Sons in Harrow Rd near Paddington sell Birdys and Rohloff-equipped bikes and seem to do servicing and repairs. No personal experience.

Huggable

The shop found out what went wrong. Supernova sent the 12V version instead of 6V, and that explains why the rear lights lit up slower and didn't had standing light.

The shop offered to send me the correct light, as well as reimburse the shipping cost.

​​​​​i will have to re-wire the rear light when the correct one arrives.

Huggable

There are some delays are I've not received the replacement (6V) lights yet.

Firstly, I could not return the 12V lights as they were installed on my bike and the cables were shortened. (The shop didn't want the incomplete light back). I have to pay for the replacement light (around €70) and the shipping to Singapore will cost around €60. Considering that there will be exchange rate loses and surcharges to withdraw in euro, I suggested to the shop to send me a Birdy3 mudguard set (around €60) in exchange for the shipping cost, which has to be arranged by me. Instead they treated this as a new order and wanted me to pay for everything. I had to go back to basics, and asked them what caused me to received the wrong item. Was it that the shop placed the wrong order, or was the order correct, but the supplier sent the wrong item. Did the shop double-checked the items before packing up for me?

In the end, the shop offered the following options:
1. They send the 6V light for free, and shipping borne by me.
2. I pay for the 6V light, and shipping will be refunded to me.
3. If I want the mudguards as well, I pay for both the lights and mudguard, and shipping refunded to me.
Now I'm not sure whether should I incur additional costs, or try to modify the existing 12V light I have to run on 6V.

I am willing to consider other lights as well, but have to find a suitable and useful mounting point on the bike.

2_i 

When my orders were messed up, I had some success filing complaints with consumer protection agencies, including with one international order, from Canada to US. However, the protections vary a lot by location and the language can be a barrier. You normally reach an agency for the location where the seller/service provider is located. Clearly, from your standpoint, the shop is at a fault and they can argue their case with Supernova.

Jipe

If I understand well, you bought it from Kemper Cycles in The Netherlands ?

Its a EU shop, in the EU, the seller is fully responsible even if the fault comes from the supplier or manufacturer.

They should ship you a replacement rear light at their costs and do the custom paper work to avoid you have to pay additional import costs (they can demonstrate that its a replacement part for an already imported one).

Now, having worked many years in a big dutch international company with many dutch colleagues, I know dutch people are hard in business, its difficult to make them pay anything, everything in a commercial transaction should be clearly written so that it can later be proven!

Huggable

Yes, I bought the Supernova E3 Pure and the taillight together from Kemper. I also bought a front rim with SD8 and a set of Birdy3 mudguards since the cost of shipping would have been the same.

You mentioned that EU shops are fully responsible to send the correct item, should I be paying for the replacement light, even though the wrong item has been installed and not in a resalable condition?