Lights?
- Thread starter Sara_H
- Start date
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Teuchter
Über Member
- Location
- Erskine, Scotland
I'd imagine some dynamo lights with a bottle dynamo may be the traditional approach (a quick eBay search for "dynamo lights" brought up loads of options). I'll qualify that statement however by adding that I haven't used dynamo lights since the 80s but I'm sure someone on here will have experience of what to go for and what to avoid.
There are many old dynamo sets floating around ebay. They're better than any period battery light set (they were mostly terrible and popped open sending R20 batteries all over the road).
Union would probably be the most period correct and I think Raleigh may have provided that as an option at the time - something like this could be bought cheap enough and would be perfect, although a halogen lamp would be preferable. You can buy screwfit halogen bulbs to fit those old lamps anyway. Don't knock the particular Union tail lamp in that ebay listing, they are surprisingly bright and very high quality. Union dynamos work pretty well too. I've tried many bottle dynamos, old and new and that old Union will put out just as much power as modern one. Oddly enough, 1940s bottle dynamos are superior to anything modern imo.
Otherwise, you could buy the posh chrome plated B & M Lumotec halogen (an excellent if overpriced lamp) (and I think there may now be a retro style LED lamp in the B & M range). These lamps are expensive but would work fine with your Union dynamo and tail lamp and provide a little extra light if you want to ride country roads.
Union would probably be the most period correct and I think Raleigh may have provided that as an option at the time - something like this could be bought cheap enough and would be perfect, although a halogen lamp would be preferable. You can buy screwfit halogen bulbs to fit those old lamps anyway. Don't knock the particular Union tail lamp in that ebay listing, they are surprisingly bright and very high quality. Union dynamos work pretty well too. I've tried many bottle dynamos, old and new and that old Union will put out just as much power as modern one. Oddly enough, 1940s bottle dynamos are superior to anything modern imo.
Otherwise, you could buy the posh chrome plated B & M Lumotec halogen (an excellent if overpriced lamp) (and I think there may now be a retro style LED lamp in the B & M range). These lamps are expensive but would work fine with your Union dynamo and tail lamp and provide a little extra light if you want to ride country roads.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I'm looking at getting some vintage chrome lights, gutting them, and fitting LEDs and recgargeables.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Yeah, if I had a dynohub I'd make use, but with the mileage I do I find bottle generators damage tyres so gave up in them 20 years ago.
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
B+M Lumotec Classic or Retro paired with Toplight mini? A Shimano Nexus front hub wouldn't look out of place but you could go for an SA drum brake/dynamo hub to go with the 3sp rear hub.http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-...quick-release-dynamo-front-hub-36h-prod21296/
It really depends on what the OP intends to do with the bike. If it's serious riding, then a dynohub with modern lamps starts to make sense. For just pottering about a few miles here or there, the old Union with a halogen bulb conversion is a hell of a lot cheaper and adequate for that purpose.
Interestingly, the original SA dynohub sometimes found in these bikes will power modern LED lamps to full brightness, just a bit flickery at very low speeds.
Interestingly, the original SA dynohub sometimes found in these bikes will power modern LED lamps to full brightness, just a bit flickery at very low speeds.
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Not really, t the end of the day hub dynamos haven't got more powerful, it's just the lights have got more efficent.
The original Sturmey dyno only put out 1.8 - 2 Watts, whereas just about any other dynamo will be rated at 2.4 or 3 W. I have a Miller bottle dynamo rated at 3.6 W.
The light can be removed. If you have panniers, it would end up getting awkward to have the dynamo on the back anyway. You need to put it on the fork. The bracket with that Union set I linked to originally would fiton the forks just fine, remove the tail lamp.
For panniers, you would need either a rack or mudguard mounting lamp. The original Raleigh rack doesn't (I think) have a lamp mounting so that leaves mudguard. This is a NOS Soubitez mudguard mounted lamp. Period correct for your bike, and brighter than you would imagine (I have one). It will work with any dynamo.
There are all sorts of retro stuff floating around Ebay and elswewhwere. If you want modern and don't mind paying, go with Busch and Muller or Axa/Basta. It's very high quality. Otherwise buy old but recognised quality brands like Union, Soubitez, Miller, Lucifer, etc. This stuff lasts forever. Avoid any of the modern cheap junk from the far East.
The single most import thing with any bottle dynamo, regardless of who made it is to align it correctly so that a straight edge held along the dynamo spindle will bisect the bike's axle.
For panniers, you would need either a rack or mudguard mounting lamp. The original Raleigh rack doesn't (I think) have a lamp mounting so that leaves mudguard. This is a NOS Soubitez mudguard mounted lamp. Period correct for your bike, and brighter than you would imagine (I have one). It will work with any dynamo.
There are all sorts of retro stuff floating around Ebay and elswewhwere. If you want modern and don't mind paying, go with Busch and Muller or Axa/Basta. It's very high quality. Otherwise buy old but recognised quality brands like Union, Soubitez, Miller, Lucifer, etc. This stuff lasts forever. Avoid any of the modern cheap junk from the far East.
The single most import thing with any bottle dynamo, regardless of who made it is to align it correctly so that a straight edge held along the dynamo spindle will bisect the bike's axle.
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
I've got 2 old 70s dyanmos sitting in my garrage which push out well over 2.5w... no idea what they're rated for.
Spokesmann
Keeping the Carlton and Sun names alive...
- Location
- Plymouth, Devon
I still swear by a couple of Miller dynos, I tend to back them up with Cateye LEDs
