# bicycle dynamo, bottle or hub?



## HuckChuck (29 Jun 2011)

Hello everyone:
My first post here. Is anyone familiar with phone chargers using bottle or hub dynamos on a bike? Also, pros/cons of bottle or hub dynamo installed on a bike?
Any information is much appreciated.
Chuck


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## corshamjim (29 Jun 2011)

Welcome to CycleChat HuckChuck. 

I've not bothered with a phone charger as I'm never away from mains power for long enough to worry about it. I do have one of those little hand-crank chargers I could take for emergencies.

Mine is a bottle dynamo (Nordlicht Max 2000). Advantages:- I never have to worry about batteries and the light (from B&M IQ Cyo led lamp) is very bright - ideal for unlit country roads at night. A bottle dynamo is cheap to replace. Mine has started making more noise after two years commuting so I've just replaced it (and subsequently noticed that Nordlicht give a 3 year warranty. chiz!).

Disadvantages:- slight drag - to be honest on my four mile each way commute that's no inconvenience at all. The dynamo wheel sometimes slips against the tyre - that happened after I cleaned the bike with waxy car shampoo - solved by cleaning the tyre and fitting a steel knurled wheel on the dynamo. The dynamo makes some noise. In deep snow, the snow can collect between the dynamo and the wheel - I've never had this so bad I can't cycle but it can stop the dynamo from working. The bottle dynamo limits the choice of tyre - you can run some bottle dynamos against the wheel rim instead, but I've not tried that.

I've not tried a hub dynamo yet, but will do when I have the spare cash to buy one and get a wheel built around it (possibly never as there's always something else I feel I need more urgently).

Note that typically a lamp fitted with a bottle dynamo doesn't need an on-off switch, as either you engage the dynamo against the tyre or you don't. A lamp fitted to a hub dynamo otoh needs an on-off switch (unless you wan't Volvo-style day-running lights), as there's usually no switch on the hub dynamo. If you're buying a lamp too, I recommend you go to the web site of dotbike.com where the different B&M lamp types are explained quite well. http://www.dotbike.com/p/6841


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## asterix (29 Jun 2011)

I have a schmidt hub dynamo (expensive) after having a quite expensive bottle one. There is no comparison the hub is far and away better, you don't even know it's there. Sometimes I leave the light (IQ Cyo) on in daytime by accident and wonder why people are avoiding me.

Regret can't advise on chargers.


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## tyred (29 Jun 2011)

Bottle dynamo user here and very happy with it. I use a variety from ancient Lucifer on my 1939 Elswick to modern HR traction and a Dymotec 6 on the bikes I usually ride in the winter and I have never had a problem with any of them slip in the rain. A hub would be better I'm sure but they are expensive and I can't justify the expense at the moment. I also have the advantage of absolutely no drag at all when the lights are off.

I have no idea about chargers.

Rose bikes, Bikes24 or some of the other German websites are probably the best place to buy this stuff. Substantially cheaper than the likes of SJS.


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## Rhythm Thief (29 Jun 2011)

I've got a Lightspin bottle dynamo which sadly you can't get any more. It's brilliant (especially at the bankrupt stock price I paid!) but when it eventually dies I'll grit my teeth and replace it with a Schmidt dynamo hub. Whatever happens I won't go back to battery lights.


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## LexMad (29 Jun 2011)

Hi HuckChuck:

Here is what I know about the dynamos after doing some research recently. 

There are several difference between the hub and bottle dynamos. I am not going to give brand recommendation - other people here provided good ones already. 

1. Construction.
Hub is internal dynamo power generator that integrated into your wheel. The bottle dynamo is external dynamo power generator that is mounted on your wheel.
2. Power output:
Hub dynamos have higher output than bottle dynamos, double at times. However, there are some very efficient bottle dynamos. They are typically pricey. 
3. Price:
Hub dynamos are fairly expensive, especially to install. You will need to re-spoke on of the wheels, or you can purchase a hub dynamo wheel. The bottle dynamos do not require any retrofitting to your bike and they range from being dirt cheap to very expensive units.
4. Installation.
Hub dynamos - should be installed by a professional. Bottle dynamos - DIY. Also, they are easily replaceable. 
5. Effect on your ride:
Bottle dynamos may create noise or increase the wear of your tyre. Because of the vibration, they may also slightly shift and needs to be readjusted periodically. Hub dynamos are silent, and do not need to be adjusted. 

So here is what I know about the dynamos. I hope it helps. About chargers, what kind of phone do you want to charge? I bought a spinpower usb charger for my HTC, and one for my wife's iphone. Here is what I know about the bike phone chargers.

There are 4 brands that I found - spinpower, nokia, biologic, and pedal power. I got the spinpower, and am very happy thus far. Here is some information about the rest.

1. Biologic Reecharge (thinkbiologic.com) - nicely made unit, can be charged at home, or connected to a dynamo. The phone mount and the dynamo need to be purchased separately. Very pricey - just for the charger, about 100 quid.
2. Nokia (amazon.co.uk)- similar to spinpower, but if you do not have Nokia, you cannot use it.
3. Pedal Power (don't remember where I saw it, google it) - very pricey (115 quid or more), very similar to Biologic. Needs to be precharged, not sure if it can be connected to a dynamo. 
4. SpinPower (bike2power.com) - uses bottle dynamo, includes USB charger, dynamo, and phone mount. I opted for this one because it takes away the hassle. I do not want to rely on remembering to charge a second charger. Or, if I cycle after work, I may not have the opportunity to grab another charger. Spinpower unit charges my phone as I cycle. So far, I tried it on 6 to 8 hour rides - kept my battery topped off. Also, the price helped my decision making. It is about 32 quid for the kit and 20 in shipping. 

Hope it helps. 

Happy Riding!
Lex


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## arallsopp (30 Jun 2011)

Hub dynamo (SON) user here. Can't imagine I would ever go back to battery lights. Great post from Lex. One thing omitted is the E-werk solution from B&M. (http://www.bumm.de/produkte/e-werk/e-werk.html), which seems highly regarded.

Worth considering whether you can charge your phone through a USB socket, as there are a lot more uses for a powered USB connector on a bike than there are for a dedicated proprietary connector.

Andy.


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## HuckChuck (30 Jun 2011)

Thanks Lex. You really researched the staff. I will look at the chargers you mentioned. 
HC


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## HuckChuck (30 Jun 2011)

Thanks for the welcome, corshamjim, and all the information. I checked out the BM lights you recommended - I will try them out.
HC


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## HuckChuck (30 Jun 2011)

And thank you everyone who replied - excellent info, much appreciate.


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## arallsopp (30 Jun 2011)

Ooh, there's also this: http://www.tout-terrain.de/cms/front_content.php?idcatart=54&start=1

That's a neat install, particularly if you have a little feeder hole for the cable at the wheel end of your fork.


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## SavageHoutkop (30 Jun 2011)

Not familiar with charging off of a dynamo, but my Brompton had a bottle dynamo when new and I went through 3 of them in a very short space of time in the summer with not much use at all (one kept jumping on, one fell off, and the last one chewed its little rubber teeth up one day) so I gave up and have now got AyUps. Would never return to the bottle dynamo.

This was probably not helped by the design of the Brompton, as the rear wheel really does get shaken about so the poor thing's spring probably didn't know what hit it, but as for the last one that wore its teeth off I have no idea. Lasted c. 1 mile max on a night trip home from the station. 

FYI Brompton at least no longer offer a bottle dynamo option, they have an (expensive) SON dyno hub or a (cheaper) Shimano now as the only options.


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## evilclive (1 Jul 2011)

LexMad said:


> 4. Installation.
> Hub dynamos - should be installed by a professional. Bottle dynamos - DIY. Also, they are easily replaceable.



I normally describe myself as a professional, but that's in things computery. I have however installed 5 hub dynamos, one twice - a front wheel is the easier wheel to build.

I used bottles for years, occasionally swapping to batteries for a few months when the bottle died. I then got a hub, planning to swap it for a bottle in summer, and never did - and the rest of the bikes slowly got them. They're just massively better, genuinely fit and forget.

Hubs can also be insanely cheap these days - some of the old Shimano ones can be had for very little money, even built into wheels, and though they're not as shiny as a SON, it's hard to feel any difference in real life.


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